Quality looks like an expense item: revision takes time, review needs resources. However, when the whole calculation is made the picture reverses; every unit cut from prevention comes back multiplied on the failure side.
The three items
Cost is divided into prevention, appraisal and failure. The three are calculated together. The structure is defined.
Cost of prevention
The terminology list, the translation brief, training and tool setup are in this item. The spending comes before production. The item is an investment.
Cost of appraisal
Revision, proofreading and evaluation are in this item. The steps take time. The cost is visible.
Cost of internal failure
It is the correction of errors found before delivery. The cost is limited. The damage is under control.
Cost of external failure
It is the price of errors that emerge after delivery. It covers correction, redoing the job and loss of trust. This item is the highest.
Invisible components
A lost tender or a delayed launch does not enter the calculation but is real. The effect cannot be measured. The risk is known.
Relationship between the items
Cutting prevention and appraisal increases failure. The relationship is inverse. A balance is struck.
The effect of cutting review
Skipping revision pays off in the short term. The error emerges after delivery. The cost is postponed.
How a postponed cost grows
An error found late costs more to correct. Its effect has spread. The bill grows.
Feasibility of the calculation
The items can be calculated from the records. Correction times are measured. Data is collected.
Measuring correction time
The time spent on every correction job is recorded. The total becomes visible. The decision rests on data.
Cost of redoing the job
Jobs done again from scratch are monitored separately. This item is the most expensive. Their number is reduced.
Return on the prevention investment
A terminology list is built once and pays off on every job. The return is fast. The investment is small.
Investment in translation memory
Over time the memory lowers both cost and the risk of error. The effect is cumulative. The gain is continuous.
Investment in training
Team training reduces recurring findings. The effect is lasting. The spending is one-off.
Cost on the client side
A faulty document also stops the client's process. The cost arises on both sides. The account is shared.
Reflecting it in the budget
Quality steps become visible items in the quote. A hidden step is cut later. Transparency is preserved.
The economics of the scope decision
In low-risk jobs a lighter arrangement lowers the cost. The decision is made deliberately. Resources go to the right place.
How the calculation reverses
Quality steps look like an expense, but when the calculation also covers the external failure item the picture reverses; every unit cut from prevention comes back after delivery as a much larger item. That is why the calculation is made on the whole. The decision is made with the full picture.
Limits of measurement
Some items, such as loss of trust, cannot be put into numbers. The calculation remains incomplete. The limit is known.