On a translation job where more than one person works, someone has to set out who will do what and when. The project manager takes on this role. The decisions that are invisible but determine the quality of the job most are usually taken at this desk.
Definition
The project manager is the person who sets up and monitors the flow of the translation job. The role is coordination. The task lasts from start to finish.
The job intake stage
The incoming request is examined and the scope is made clear. Uncertainty is resolved here. The step is decisive.
Scope definition
What will be done and what will not be done is written down. An unwritten expectation surfaces later. The definition protects.
Building the team
A translator and a reviewer suited to the job are chosen. This decision determines a large part of the quality. The choice is based on criteria.
The matching decision
Field, language direction and client history are assessed together. Matching is not done at random. The record is used.
The time plan
A realistic time is given to every step. A squeezed step lowers quality. The plan is defended.
Coordinating the preparation
The terminology list and the references are prepared before the job starts. The coordination is done here. The order is preserved.
The flow of queries
The translator's queries are collected and passed on to the client. Scattered queries tire the client. The flow is put in order.
Single point of contact
The client talks to one person. Multi-channel communication produces loss of information. The structure becomes simpler.
Monitoring progress
The stage that the job has reached is tracked. A delay is seen early. The monitoring is regular.
Early warning
When a risk of delay arises, the client is informed in advance. Giving notice on the last day costs trust. The warning is given early.
Managing changes of scope
Changes that come in during the job are put on record and their impact is calculated. Silent acceptance upsets the plan. The process is applied.
Following up the quality steps
That revision and proofreading have really been done is verified. It is checked that no steps have been skipped. The follow-up is recorded.
Preparing the delivery
That the files are complete and in the right format is checked. A delivery checklist is used. The error is caught here.
Collecting feedback
The corrections that come from the client are collected and passed on to the team. The loop is closed. Learning is ensured.
Record keeping
The decisions and correspondence that belong to the job are filed. Later jobs rest on this record. An archive is set up.
Budget tracking
The cost and the quote are compared. The reason for a deviation is examined. The accounts are kept.
Risk management
A back-up resource and an alternative plan are prepared. Jobs that depend on one person are risky. Precautions are taken.
Continuity of the client relationship
The same project manager staying with the same client produces accumulated knowledge and removes the need to explain from the beginning on every job. This continuity is a concrete gain from the client's point of view. The relationship is preserved.
What it is confused with
The project manager is often taken to be merely an intermediary who forwards files. Yet the most decisive decision, the matching of the translator, sits in this role; a wrong match is not fully made up for by any review step.