What should you take into account when you are writing technical documentation, if you want to ensure quality and cost reductions if the content needs to be translated later on? Read our tips to find out!
Write your documentation in one language
It is always wise to write your content in only one source language. Imagine you are writing about a certain machine part in English. The text is translated into German later on, and the English-German translator uses a certain German term for it. This German term is then stored in the English-German translation memory, which can be used for future translations. But if you write about the same part in Dutch, later on, and you want to translate that into German as well, you will not find the aforementioned term in the Dutch-German translation memory. The Dutch-German translator may even be a different person than the English-German translator. So there is a large risk that this translator will use a different German term for the same machine part, leading to inconsistent terminology in the German documentation. Moreover, this leads to higher translation costs, as there will be no discount for repetitions from previous translations.
Write in English
If you have already decided to write content in one source language, it is best to write in English. Translating from Dutch into German, French, or English is common and there are plenty of translators available. But what if you want your content translated into, for example, Slovak or Estonian? Dutch-Slovak and Dutch-Estonian translators are rare, which means higher costs and longer turnaround times.
Technical documentation; use clear and comprehensible language
Always try to write clearly and comprehensibly. Not only the end user will be able to understand the documentation better, but so will the translator. This lowers the risk of translation errors and will probably also mean that the translator has fewer questions to ask.
Keep it simple, write generically
If you formulate your sentences generically, you can reuse them over and over again, which simplifies the writing process. The same, of course, applies to translations. For example, if you write: “Congratulations on your purchase of the ABC machine”, then both that sentence and the corresponding translation must be adapted for each new machine. If instead you write: “Congratulations on your purchase of this machine”, then both that sentence and the corresponding translation can be reused over and over again, leading to more consistency and lower costs.
Use images – the universal language – in your technical documentation
You can often summarise lengthy instructions by using an image. This is not only more comprehensible for end users who are linguistically less savvy, but also leads to lower translation costs. After all, an image does not contain translatable words and is therefore included in a translation free of charge.
Do not use words in images
However, don’t use words in these images. These are typically not extracted by the translation software and therefore remain untranslated. It is better to use numbered citations and adjacent tables instead. After all, these can be translated without any problems.
Provide a properly formatted and accessible source file
When you send your content to a translation agency, it is best not to send a PDF file. After all, a PDF file cannot be edited (i.e. cannot be overwritten with a translation). Strictly speaking, PDF files can be converted into Word files. But typically that leads to messy, poorly formatted documents. The required corrections cost extra time and money. This can be avoided by sending well-formatted, original source files from the tool in which the content was written. Experienced translation agencies can handle a variety of source files – from InDesign to FrameMaker, from Word to Excel, and from Oxygen to AuthorIt. Discuss the options with your translation agency!
At Foxiz, we advise our clients on the best approach for their specific needs and requirements. In consultation with the client, we then employ the most suitable translation technology to achieve the optimal result. Want to know more about our translation services? Feel free to email us or give us a call!