why the quality of source content is important

Transforming Content ü

Quality Communication Commitment| |


Making a Difference to

60+ Fortune 500

Companies


Why the Quality of

Source Content is

Important for Accurate

Translations for

Documentation


Agenda• How one word can make a difference• Inverted Funnel Concept: • The Biggest Picture First: Why?• Where does it effect?• What Affects Source Quality• An Example of “Example” and many other examples• Early Planning in Development Life Cycle• What Else can you do?


Just One Word….• Only he told his mistress that he loved her. (Nobody else did)• He only told his mistress that he loved her. (He didn't show her)• He told only his mistress that he loved her. (Kept it a secret from everyone else)• He told his only mistress that he loved her. (Stresses that he had only ONE!)• He told his mistress only that he loved her. (Didn't tell her anything else)• He told his mistress that only he loved her. ("I'm all you got, sweetie--nobody else

wants you.")• He told his mistress that he only loved her. (Not that he wanted to marry her.)• He told his mistress that he loved only her. (Yeah, don't they all...).• He told his mistress that he loved her only. (Similar to above one).


The Inverted Funnel ConceptWhy (Relevance)

What (Cause-Effect)

Where


The Biggest Picture First/ Why?• Cost (Also based on stage)

• Time /Cycle time• Time to reach market• Reputation • Morale


What Affects Source Quality• Standardization (According to

Common Sense Advisory, “48 percent of survey respondents reported over 50 authors in-house and only one-third had fewer than 20 authors.”)

• Style Guides• Glossaries• Writing with Translation as final goal

http://www.commonsenseadvisory.com/AbstractView.aspx?ArticleID=1161


What Affects Source Quality• Slangs and Abbr.

• Sentence Structure• Spellings, Grammar & Punctuations• Final and Ready English version fully edited• If it’s old it’s not Gold – but make sure you make it


Effect on Final Output/ Where?• Mobile Phone Strings

• Software UI• Print-Ready Output – DTP challenges• Learning and Training• Medical Devices• MT Output


An Example of “Example”• In how many ways can you say “For Example”• At least 30 different ways:• Imagine the translation for each of these


An Example of “Example”• Such as• For instance• Let’s say….• Examples include• One example is• Including• In a similar case• In the following example,

we will see how …. relates to ….

• To Illustrate• By way of illustration

• If you look at ….• E.g.• This can be seen when …..• Particularly …• ….. as seen in ….• which is made apparent

when ….• These include• This includes• As an example• As a case in point

• Especially• An example being …• Namely• In addition to• Like this• Another way of putting it …• That is to say …• i.e. • Which is made apparent

when …• In other words …• As in …


N-Ways for the Same Sentence• My sister, who lives next door, is a doctor.

• My sister who lives next door is a doctor. • I hit the man with a stick. • I hit the man with a stick• What is the difference in meaning for these two

sentences?


Early in Development Life Cycle• Planning for your writing

– Space and Length Considerations– Graphics and DTP considerations– Cost and availability considerations– Should you translate everything?

• Use of TM to optimize Source• Controlled Authoring


Bad Diagram


Good Diagram


What else can you do?• Short and crisp sentences • Active vs Passive voice• Standard English word order (Subject – Verb – Object)• No Styles or single style – not literary etc.• Be sensitive to Locale settings(Dates, Currency etc.) • No Phrasal Verbs (Verbs with > than one word: Blow-up vs. Explode)• Take care of length – where to fit in the output• Use pronouns for further qualification (E.g. “That”)• Follow basic ID Principles (Instructional Design)


Who am I?• Biraj Rath – CEO, Braahmam Net Solutions, Estd

2000• Content Transformation Company• Delhi | Dublin• GALA (Globalization & Localization Association)

Ambassador


GALA’s Role • What is GALA?The Globalization and Localization Association (GALA) is the world's leading trade association for the language industry. As a non-profit organization, we provide resources, education, advocacy, and research for thousands of global companies.


GALA’s Role • Voice of the Language Industry• Resource for the Language Business• Creating Communities• Championing Standards• Sharing Knowledge• Advancing Technology


References• http://

www.city-data.com/forum/writing/1115620-two-sentences-have-same-words-but-2.html

• http://www.myenglishteacher.eu/question/other-ways-to-say-for-example/

http://www.city-data.com/forum/writing/1115620-two-sentences-have-same-words-but-2.html



http://www.myenglishteacher.eu/question/other-ways-to-say-for-example/




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