Quality assurance: which standards to use? Thread poster: Aono
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Aono 
Local time: 20:31
English to Japanese
I have received a job offer from an American company. I was asked to fill out a registration form, which I have never been asked by any of translation companies in Japan. I have been asked to take trial translation.
In the form, they asked me to write how I assure the quality of my final work by describing my assurance processes or/and guidelines.They also asked me to include any relevant standards I am certified by or/and models I follow. Actually I don't use any of standards or m... See more I have received a job offer from an American company. I was asked to fill out a registration form, which I have never been asked by any of translation companies in Japan. I have been asked to take trial translation.
In the form, they asked me to write how I assure the quality of my final work by describing my assurance processes or/and guidelines.They also asked me to include any relevant standards I am certified by or/and models I follow. Actually I don't use any of standards or models. Would you give me any advice about how I should answer this question?
Do you recommend that I use some of standards or models for quality assurance? If so, which one would you recommend? Thank you for your help in advance.
[Subject edited by staff or moderator 2011-05-06 02:04 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Describe the routine you actually use | May 9, 2011 |
Give some thought to what you actually do, and note it down.
Some agencies send QA routines to their freelancers - the best one I have is in Danish, but it lists the stages to go through when checking one's own work, and what they want proofreaders to do as standard, unless special instructions are given with a specific job.
Spell check
Check the translation against the source sentence by sentence for meaning, omissions etc.
Check terminology,... See more Give some thought to what you actually do, and note it down.
Some agencies send QA routines to their freelancers - the best one I have is in Danish, but it lists the stages to go through when checking one's own work, and what they want proofreaders to do as standard, unless special instructions are given with a specific job.
Spell check
Check the translation against the source sentence by sentence for meaning, omissions etc.
Check terminology, referring to the source where appropriate, for accuracy and consistency
Preferably print out the translation and read it for grammar, fluency, idioms, collocations, abbreviations, addresses, telephone numbers... register suitable for target readers ... as relevant
Formatting and layout
Check any major alterations against the source
Run a final spell check.
... is one suggestion. Adapt it as necessary each time for the languages concerned and the specific type of text.
* * * * *
Also describe how you deal with TMs and keep them up to date, and mention any other procedures you actually use.
But be honest - or if you decide to make any changes after thinking about your routine, be realistic, and implement them!
Best of luck! ▲ Collapse
| | | | Oriana Bonan
Italy
Local time: 12:31
English to Italian
+ ...
| Quality Standards in Translation Services | May 9, 2011 |
I agree with Christine about the need of representing yourself truthfully. The outline she suggests seems to me an excellent starting point to analyse your process. Perhaps you had never thought of it in terms of QA, but even if you do not implement any 'official' standards, you should have developed a procedure of your own over the years; i.e., a number of steps you always take -- from quote to delivery -- in order to provide consistent quality to your clients.
If you are interes... See more I agree with Christine about the need of representing yourself truthfully. The outline she suggests seems to me an excellent starting point to analyse your process. Perhaps you had never thought of it in terms of QA, but even if you do not implement any 'official' standards, you should have developed a procedure of your own over the years; i.e., a number of steps you always take -- from quote to delivery -- in order to provide consistent quality to your clients.
If you are interested in learning more about quality assurance in translation, you can find plenty of resources addressing the issue from both a theoretical and practical perspective. These include articles written by translators who share their experience and working method, scholarly literature (applied linguistics and translation studies), as well as guidelines published by translators associations.
In addition, standard-developing organizations offer metrics and guides concerning translation service providers. The national standardization body in Japan might have one, as well.
Generally speaking, their scope extends beyond our work as individual translators, and certification is mainly required when participating in tenders. In my opinion, however, being familiar with them can help us better understand the translation industry in its complexity, and our role in it.
Here are two examples:
- ASTM F2575-06 Standard Guide for Quality Assurance in Translation (U.S.A.);
- EN 15038:2006, published by CEN (E.U.).
There also exist industry-specific standards, such as the SAE J2450 (automotive).
Hope this helps,
Oriana ▲ Collapse
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