Ensuring professional translation quality
When companies order translations, it’s not so much about changing languages, but about making sure the message is clear, that terminology is used consistently, and that the text works in the right channel and context. Thus professional translation quality is the result of well-considered working methods, the right expertise and clear checks, and not the result of a single linguistic exercise.
The ISO 17100 industry standard is often used to describe the process behind high quality. While it puts important elements of a structured working method into words, it’s always how the work is actually carried out that determines the end result.
The right skills: the cornerstone of professional translation
The most important quality factor is almost always the skill of the person performing the translation. Professional translation requires more than good language skills; it demands an understanding of the subject area, the target audience and the type and purpose of the text. A technical manual, a marketing text and an internal policy document place entirely different demands on language and tonality.
Thus the way a translation agency matches the right translator to each assignment is crucial, as is the way it ensures subject matter familiarity, assesses translator experience, and follows up quality over time. Much of the long-term quality is built up in precisely these steps, long before the text is delivered.
Review: quality through more eyes
Because even experienced translators can miss details when they’re immersed in their own text, document reviews form a central part of a quality-assured workflow. An independent reviewer can quickly spot inconsistent terminology, unclear wording, and departures from instructions or reference material.
What’s more, conditions vary depending on the language and subject area. Some language pairs are uncommon, and certain specialist fields demand very specific expertise. Thus it’s important that the agency can explain how quality assurance works in practice and how the work is tailored to suit different conditions.
Structured processes for enduring quality
Not all quality issues arise at text level, but rather from a lack of clear frameworks. When the purpose and target audience are unclear, when reference material is missing or when terminology has not been agreed upon, the risk of inconsistency in the message between languages and versions increases.
A structured working method ensures instructions are documented, terminology is handled systematically and that changes are followed up over time. This makes sure translation does not become an isolated effort, but part of long-term communications that allow quality to be maintained even when material is updated.
ISO 17100 as the basis for describing quality
ISO 17100 is an international standard for translation services that describes precisely these elements: competence, revision and documented processes. It can be a useful aid when wanting to talk more structuredly about quality and understand the stages normally included in a professional workflow.
Nevertheless, the standard is a framework and not a guarantee in itself. It’s always the concrete working method, tailored to the language, subject matter and conditions, that determines how well quality is actually assured in each individual project.
How we work at Språkbolaget
Språkbolaget works with well-documented procedures and policies, and we tailor our work to each assignment. Our project management, translation and proofreading processes are in line with the way quality is described in standards such as ISO 17100. Our translators always translate into their native language and have passed our quality tests. Furthermore, every text is checked by an additional translator.
This allows us to combine structure and quality assurance with the flexibility that reality often demands.
Want to ensure high translation quality in your next project? Get in touch and let us propose a setup based on your languages, texts and requirements.