You are in need of a translation service, and in a bit of a hurry you choose the first provider that counters your way. But, wait, did you even check if their services are up to the highest standards? Just as any other supplier of services, a translation company has quality, ethical and legal obligations with their clients.
Now, let me explain to you a little bit about the ISO translation standard. ISO 17100 is the first international standard for translation services requirements. It defines a set of best practices.
Even though it is not the only set of best practices for translation, it is the most important one. It is the first international standard for translation services requirements, being created in May 2015. Also, it defines the best practices for managing translation services for companies, clients and the community in general.
Do not get ‘Lost in Translation’. In order to work smoothly between different languages there is a need for having a firm grip on the process in every step of the way.
In order to certify for the ISO 17100 standard, a provider must ensure its customers they have a process in place to provide high quality translation services. Also, bear in mind that not many companies can acquire this certification’s various service requirements.
ISO standards require language providers to have a multi-step quality control process geared towards providing an objectively error-free translation.
Set expectations right from the get go. Ask your language service company to send you a written agreement describing the process and deliverables. If they can’t provide one, or have to create one, the odds are that they don’t have a quality process in place.
The ISO 17100 standards suggest this process:
- Translation, by qualified native translators on the target language.
- Revision, by a second pair of eyes who compares the source and target text and checks for errors and any other issues.
- Subject Matter Review, to ensure that the translation output is appropriate for the agreed purpose and domain.
- Post DTP proofreading, if the translation required formatting.
- Final verification, the last check before delivery of a final version to the client.
ISO 17100 is about having a quality process that will reduce errors as much as possible keeping in mind client needs and expectations at the center. Choosing a language service provider that has ISO 17100 certification will ensure this.