Book Project Case Study

Background

High-quality translation delivered in line with all client requirements

Project Challenges

• A book published in Kazamashobo, and selected by Japan Society for the Promotion of Science due to the excellence of the research was entrusted to us for flawless English translation.
• The client did not provide any bilingual checklist of terms, which is generally essential for maintaining consistency within such a voluminous text.
• Various portions which were not in the scope of translation had to be incorporated in the translated file manually.
• Out of scope request of client to search for the corresponding DOI of each reference, and insert it in the file. The reference list was extensive, due to which this process was highly time and effort-intensive.
• Client needed chapter-wise interim delivery every month so that his suggested revisions could be incorporated immediately in later files.
• As per our policies, we offer after-sales service to clients after the completion of the entire project. However, in this case, the client wanted to interact with us for revisions after each batch (chapter), to ensure that his intentions are accurately portrayed.

How Ulatus Overcame the Challenges

• We go out of our way to meet every client requirement
• Client’s consent was taken on the translation team before starting, so that he could be assured that only highly-vetted subject matter experts would work on his book. We ensured that the client had the liberty to hand-pick his ideal team of Translators/Checkers/Editors.
• We prepared a comprehensive Terminology Checklist to Achieve Consistency as the client did not provide the same. Our lead translator prepared an exhaustive technical terminology checklist which was then shared with the all the stakeholders involved in the translation process.
• Appointed a Dedicated Account Manager and Lead Translator for the Project: One account manager was assigned for this project, who diligently coordinated with the client and the Lead translator. The Lead translator then coordinated with all the translators and kept them on the same page with respect to the client’s expectations and quality performance.
• DOI insertion completed successfully by appointing a dedicated expert editor with past experience of this process. Searching appropriate DOI’s pertaining to the reference list was a rigorous task, as the list was extensive and some of the references were from papers published in foreign languages or translated. In spite of such challenges, our editor managed to insert DOI’s of all of the references due to his relentless approach.
• Sent Interim Files to the Client for Approval of Translation Accuracy after the completion of each chapter. The Project management team had to provide solutions to every client questions and comments after each chapter, along with tracking the translation progress of scheduled future chapter deliveries. The client also expected that the questions and suggested changes were incorporated in the ongoing translation, which was scheduled for future deliveries. This ensured that the translation team was working in line with the client’s expectations.
• Additional Rounds of Review for Ensuring High Quality: Client’s questions were addressed immediately after translating each chapter. The observations from his suggestions were shared with the team and implemented in the forthcoming batches. These additional rounds of cross-checking ensured that we were in tandem with our client’s needs, and deliver him with infallible translations. All this could only be achieved due to our efficient coordination and meticulous project management.