Managed Authoring: The (not so) Secret Competitive Edge

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English and Global Content: Better, Faster, Cheaper

 

To reach global markets, companies must localize their products including their information products. The localization process must be streamlined so that companies can bring their products to different locales in an efficient and timely manner. Translation of content succeeds the creation of content, and gains or losses to the localization process can originate at the authoring stage. The documentation process can often be optimized in terms or translatability and readability through software applications variously called “Controlled Language Checkers”, “Translatability Assessment Tools”, or, more broadly, “Managed Authoring Tools”.

 

What is a Managed Authoring Tool?

Similar to traditional grammar checkers such as Microsoft Word, a Managed Authoring Tool is a software application that checks linguistic integrity and terminological consistency in source language documents. The functional difference between grammar checkers and Managed Authoring Tools is in the rule sets that are employed by the two types of systems. Whereas the grammar checkers focus solely on grammatical violations, Managed Authoring Tools check the conformance of grammar, style, and terminology guidelines. Often used in conjunction with grammar checkers, Managed Authoring Checkers go beyond grammar checkers to spot violations of translatability and company-specific writing guidelines and terminology.

Grammar rules check the validity of the linguistic form or the syntax of the source language. Subject-verb agreement is one such rule. For instance, a Managed Authoring Tool would approve of the sentence “The prompt flashes at start up” while “The prompt flash at start up” would be flagged as a grammar violation.

One style rule that, perhaps is included in all Managed Authoring Tools, is a restriction on sentence length. Although grammatically correct, long sentences are notoriously difficult to translate. The sentence length restriction can be customized, but 20 words are at the outer limits for translation accuracy.

Terminology consistency is key to both human and automated translations. Terminology may be domain or company specific. With a single term meaning a single concept, the translation of the term can be fixed resulting in consistency between source language and the target translation. As an example, the term “File Manager” could be an approved form and “File Management” could be the unapproved form that should not be used in a company’s documentation.

 

Key Benefits of Managed Authoring Tools

The benefits of Managed Authoring Tools include improved translatability and readability as well as improved efficiencies in authoring and translation processes.

The underlying cause to many translation problems is ambiguity at both the syntactic and semantic levels. One major value of Managed Authoring Tools is the reduction of ambiguities in source documents. By reducing the ambiguities at authoring time, documents enter the localization phase translation ready.

With grammar, style, and terminology checks, a company’s content becomes consistent. As more and more consistent content is translated, the leveraging of translation memories improves and the need for new translations decreases, thereby, reducing localization costs. Moreover, as translatability improves, localization time is reduced. This allows for faster time to market of new products. In addition, a reduction in localization time allows authoring time to align more closely with product releases.

In many companies, authoring and editorial review are separate processes. With the introduction of a Managed Authoring Tool, the two processes will continue to exist. However, many of the errors that are caught by a human editor will be found during authoring time, resulting in less editorial review time and an improved documentation process.

Terminology consistency, a key component throughout the entire localization process, improves readability, corporate branding, and reduces legal risk. Terminological databases include product names, trademarks, and service marks that must remain invariant. For legal reasons, these should not be translated and Managed Authoring Tools highlight misusages of these types of terms.

Through the incorporation of a company’s style guidelines into a rule set of an Authoring Tool, the resulting documentation will reflect improved readability and corporate branding. While readability is important to native speakers, it has added benefit to non-native speakers. Since companies may not have the resources to localize to smaller markets, highly readable source language documents can provide valuable information in non-localized locales.

 

Challenges with Managed Authoring Tools

Probably, the number one challenge with Managed Authoring Tools is writer resistance. This resistance manifests itself in three ways:

• A new application needs learning,
• There is a change to the current authoring process, and
• Authors are concerned that guidelines will result in stilted texts.

Of course, a new piece of software will require some learning. The learning curve is small since many of the Managed Authoring Tools are integrated with desktop publishing systems and editors that authors are already familiar with.

The authoring process will change with managed authoring, as writers will address more of the writing errors that were once dealt with by editors. However, the tool will provide quick feedback with consistent error messages. This will allow authors to correct errors while the text is still fresh in their minds and reduce editorial time.

Managed authoring does not mean that syntax and writing are severely restricted. In fact, traditional grammar and corporate writing standards already impose a managed authoring environment. Instead of a totally human review, a Managed Authoring Tool automates aspects of the editorial review. Writers will continue to have authoring freedom and ownership.

 

Conclusion:  Better Content, Cheaper and Faster Global Distribution

Managed Authoring Tools provide value not only for authors, but also the localization process. These products provide consistency of content and communications and control of a company’s brand in global markets. Authors can have direct impact on the localization process by producing texts that are more readable and easier to translate, thereby, reducing localization time and costs. As a result, companies can shorten product release time to global markets to gain an edge over their competitors.

 

Please contact Medialocate if you are interested in more detailed information about “Managed Authoring”, including:

• A select list of suppliers of Managed Authoring tools,
• A half-day seminar on key benefits and insider tips on Managed Authoring,
• A Managed Authoring audit with subsequent tools and process recommendations, or even implementation of MA tools.

Email: info@medialocate.com    Tel: 1-800-776-0857