Quality is the lifeline of technical translation. However, evaluation indicators for translation quality include both quantifiable indicators, such as accuracy, consistency, and terminology, and non-quantifiable indicators, such as document style, writing specifications, and readability. Therefore, it is difficult to output high quality translation with a uniform writing style.
Regarding this issue, we have developed and implemented an all-round quality assurance system to manage and ensure translation quality that focuses on team capabilities, standards and specifications, strict process implementation, and closed-loop issue resolution.
Professionalism is the most important factor for a team to ensure project quality. We have established an evaluation model for each translator and proofreader. The project manager is responsible for selecting the most suitable translators to set up a project team and organizing training for them to ensure that the team for each project meets the project-specific requirements.
Standards and specifications are the basis for ensuring translation quality. We have formulated Sytech Writing Specifications for English Technical Document and TM and Termbase Specifications, as well as checklists, operating instructions, and other documents for each translation procedure so that all technical translation work is fully standardized.
During the course of project implementation, requirements for each procedure are strictly implemented. Translators submit intermediate documents and checklists in a timely manner to the project manager for supervision. Before project delivery, the quality control staff thoroughly check the deliverables to ensure high-quality delivery.
In case an issue with quality is found, the quality assurance staff will initiate quality backtracking to locate the root cause and put forward corrective measures regardless of whether the issue is arisen because of the project team or the customer. These corrective measures are then implemented under the project manager's supervision to prevent similar issues and to continuously improve the quality of deliverables.
Quality is always an issue for translation. Sytech is committed to using all our management and technical means to continuously improve the quality assurance system.