The quality of a job depends on who does it, and this choice is not made at random. Language direction, subject expertise and confidentiality level together determine the choice. This page describes what is looked at when the team is formed.
Language direction
In a language pair the two directions require different competence, and a person is usually stronger in one direction. The distinction of direction is observed. No random assignment is made.
Subject expertise
A technical text, in the hands of a translator who does not know the field, turns out linguistically flawless but technically wrong. This error is the hardest one to notice. Matching the field takes priority.
Experience of the document type
Contracts, patents and manuals carry different drafting conventions. Experience of the type affects turnaround and quality. It is taken into account in the selection.
Familiarity with the client
Someone who has worked with the same client before knows its term preferences. Continuity raises consistency. Where possible, the same team is kept.
Confidentiality level and team size
As the confidentiality level rises, the number of people with access to the job is deliberately reduced. This may lengthen the turnaround. The balance is discussed with the client.
Undertaking and authorisation
Team members give a confidentiality undertaking, and this is on record. A person without an undertaking cannot access the job. The rule has no exceptions.
The person who will revise
Revision is carried out by someone other than the person who made the translation. A person reading their own text cannot see the error. The separation is kept.
The person responsible for proofreading
Proofreading assesses the text through the eyes of the target language and requires a separate view. This role is defined separately. The steps do not overlap.
The need for a subject adviser
In some texts a subject-matter expert needs to be consulted, and this is planned in advance. The adviser's access complies with the confidentiality rules. The time is added to the plan.
Segmentation in multi-person jobs
When large jobs are divided, the parts are separated at meaningful boundaries. Dividing in the middle of a sentence produces inconsistency. The segmentation is planned.
The person responsible for consistency
In multi-person jobs one person is responsible for the consistency of the whole. Without this role the terms diverge. Responsibility is gathered in one pair of hands.
Capacity check
The availability of the selected people in the calendar is verified. An assignment that does not fit produces delay. The check is made in advance.
Use of subcontractors
If subcontractors are to be used, the client's restrictions are observed. If it is prohibited, they are not used. Transparency is kept.
Supervision of subcontractors
The external people worked with are subject to the same confidentiality and quality rules. The rules are passed on by contract. Their application is monitored.
Back-up plan
The person who will step in in the event of illness or a hitch is thought of in advance. A plan without a back-up is fragile. Records are kept to make the handover easy.
Briefing the team
The scope, the terminology list and the confidentiality conditions are passed on to the selected people. A team that starts uninformed works on wrong assumptions. The briefing is given in writing.
Clarity of role definitions
Who will do what is written down explicitly and overlap is avoided. Vague roles lead to review steps being skipped. The definition is made clear.
The next step
Once the team is formed, the confidentiality arrangements are put into practice and the files are shared. The conditions are completed before sharing. The order is kept.