Question (1):
What are your skills in business application knowledge/terminology?

We have good experience in the terminology of business applications. We have previously been subcontracted to translate a web-based financial solutions application for ZLand. We have also translated many PC and web applications on Islamic economics. Currently, we are translating business documents and researches for a group of stockbrokerage houses.

Question (2):
Experience with Trados MultiTerm?

We have excellent background in Trados MultiTerm and we have already been using it in most of our projects. We usually use MultiTerm to prepare glossaries before the very start of a translation project. Our clients often require that we deliver them glossaries in MultiTerm format after the end of each project.

Question (3):
How would you research terminology/setup a glossary?

Researching technical terminology in Arabic is not an easy task. We have a heap of Arabic technical resources and dictionaries, both online and in paper. We start preparing a glossary by picking up the project’s technical terminology, looking for approved translation in our resources and then setting up the glossary using MultiTerm.

Question (4):
Can you provide your own glossaries?

Yes, we have our own general-domain technical glossary which serves as the basis upon which we build our translations. Also, after the end of each project we deliver a project-specific glossary as per the client’s request.

Question (5):
How you execute change management?

In our project cycle, there is a Postmortem Phase which starts directly after the project’s initial delivery. This phase includes project backup using Microsoft Visual SourceSafe, storing project glossary and TM and tracking client amendments and modifications. The project manager in charge keeps waiting for any changes that the client may request and they are always given priority over running projects. Changes are undertaken by typically the same team who have completed the project.

Question (6):
How can you guarantee terminology consistency in a project involving more than one translator/in successive projects?

For each single project, we usually form a team of translators whose skills and experience fit the project most. Before translation starts, the project terminology is collected and translated and the project glossary is setup. Both steps ensure 70% of the terminology consistency and the rest 30% is to be fixed by the language reviser. As for successive projects, we adopt a certain approach that we call the Accumulated Experience Advantage, i.e. using the same translators who carried out similar projects and taking the TMs and glossaries of similar projects as the basis for new translation.

Question (7):
What is your experience in SW localization: source/target language, project size and type of material?

In the past few years, we were being subcontracted to Arabize software and technical documentation for top IT companies worldwide. We have been involved in software localization projects for Lotus, Microsoft, Novell, Oracle, ZLand and others. Also, we have completed technical translation and DTP projects for HP, Canon, Viewsonic, Kyocera, Nokia, Motorolla, Land Rover, Polaroid, Sharp, Nortel and others. We can undertake multilingual localization projects both from and into English, Arabic, French and German.

Question (8):
What is your experience with commercial and internal translation Tools?

We have very good experience in Trados Translation Tools, SDLX, SAKHR CAT and IBM TranslationManger.

Question (9):
What is your experience with machine translation?

Complete machine translation has given no promising results in Arabic until now, but we depend heavily on translation memories and terminology tools.

Question (10):
Who is responsible for resource allocation?

Every Localization Project Manager is responsible for allocating suitable resources for his project.

Question (11):
How do you proceed in preparation of PM: Translators, Testers, Proof-readers?

Please, see Appendix (1): Localization Project Cycle.

Question (12):
How can you guarantee continuity of Client's know-how in your team?

We guarantee the continuity of subject know-how by:
1. conducting glossary setup at the very start of the project
2. using the same translators who carried out similar projects
3. using TMs of pervious projects
4. taking advantage of accumulated experience for future projects

Question (13):
How do you assure quality and how do you carry out quality control?

During project translation, the technical reviser runs spot check revision for sample pieces to ensure correct understanding of the project data. After the translation is finished careful revision (Phase QA1) is run by senior language revisers. After the revisers’ modification are implemented, final editing and proofreading (Phase QA2) takes place to ensure final translation quality. Spelling checkers and some testing tools are usually used to fulfill this end.

Question (14):
How do you organize a major translation project?

Please, see Appendix (1): Localization Project Cycle.

Question (15):
How would you manage terminology?

For each single project we assign one of the translators to be the project terminologist. He collects terminology from the team, verifies its accuracy, gets approval from the technical reviser and then sets up the project glossary. Sometimes the client requires to approve the terminology himself, something that we often respect.

Question (16):
What about the project manager: background, years of experience, criteria of selection?

A typical profile of our Localization Project Managers is that of a senior localizer who have been in the industry for 4 to 5 years. Our Project Managers have excellent communication skills, awareness of managing translation resources and they adopt our well-defined Localization Project Cycle. Most of them have already managed localization projects for a host of Multilingual Vendors in Europe.