We love feedback! Yes, really. Alboum takes translation quality assurance seriously, which is why we welcome and encourage client questions.
The feedback process helps us understand your organization’s preferences and ensure that the tone of and word choice in a translation match the desired approach to the communication.
It doesn’t match Google
As AI translation gains in popularity, we’re hearing some organizations are using Google Translate to do their own translation quality assurance. Not surprisingly, the results are mixed as Google and other similar tools are coded to deliver any answer, rather than a correct one.
AI translation tools don’t ask for clarification when they’re unsure and are prone to hallucinations.
We are all for having a member of your team do translation quality assurance, we just recommend that person be an informed human, not an automated tool.
Alboum’s Approach to Translation Quality Assurance
We take feedback and requested revisions seriously and always ask organizations we work with to track changes or provide specific examples of the concern.
As our goal is to give organizations the best translation possible, we don’t automatically accept suggested revisions. Instead, our QA team works alongside our clients to review feedback received. We go through a series of checks, utilize tools, and also bring in a fresh set of eyes in the form of a linguist that did not work on the assignment.
Errors and Omissions:
Were mistakes made in any of the following areas?:
- completion
- consistency
- cohesion
- grammar
- accuracy of the translation
Audience
- Is the translation being used across the United States, to reach a specific population in a particular area, or for work in a particular country or region abroad?
- Does the cultural nuance reflect the target audience?
- Did the feedback provided consider a different dialect than what was requested or is most appropriate for the target audience?
Glossary & Established Standard Terms
- Is the word choice in the translation, or requested in the reviewer’s feedback, in alignment with:
- the organization’s established style guides and glossaries
- previously acceptable translations
- terminology used by other similar organizations
Preferential Changes
As in English, there are often many words that mean the same thing. We review feedback to confirm if:
- requested changes are preferential in nature rather than an error
- the preferred term means the same thing, considering its use in context and is appropriate for the intended audience
Changes to Source Text
Does the requested change to the translation change the phrasing or meaning of the original source text?
If yes, is the organization okay with the same document being published with a material difference between languages?
Introduction of New Errors
Do the requested changes introduce grammatical errors or inconsistencies across sections of text?
Addressing Mistakes
Mistakes happen. When we make them, we own them and make corrections at no cost to the organization.
When feedback provided is preferential, or introduces new questions or decisions, we work alongside our clients to decide which changes to incorporate and come up with the best approach together. When appropriate, Alboum updates the translation memory to reflect these organizational preferences so we can apply them on future assignments.
Contact us to learn more about our collaborative approach to translation quality assurance and reviews.
