This course teaches students fundamental principles of localization management with an emphasis on concepts, processes, and tools. Students will build the documentation and structure of a localization project management office around a simulated project environment. Students will develop essential documentation for their offices, including the specifications, queries logs, and risk trackers that help to prevent unnecessary rework in processes. They will establish initial metrics for a workflow consisting of translation-editing-proofreading (TEP) plus interface customization and in-context review. They will learn strategies for curating strong linguistic assets alongside linguistic talent, such as glossaries, style guides, and translation memories (TMs). Finally, they will get practice at collaboratively managing the triple constraints of time, cost, and quality, while participating in ongoing cycles of production, reflection, and improvement to get things done. They will develop these skills from the perspective of various localization management functions, including project management, account management, localization engineering, terminology management, vendor management, and production management.
Obviously not all translation and localization production environments are alike and outcomes improve when work is produced in diverse teams, so students will be asked to work together and think outside the box for novel and creative solutions to complex localization requirements.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, you should understand the following:
- Planning and pre-production – Specifications, quotes, linguistic assets, and strong overall documentation.
- Production – Localization vendor and terminology management, quality assurance and control, procedures for non-conforming products.
- Post production – Customer service in delivery processes, lessons learned, archiving and updating production assets.
Modules
- Localization Orientation
- Localization Workflows
- Basics of Work Agreements (NDAs, Terms & Conditions)
- Developing Process Metrics & Time Tracking
- Teamwork & Providing Feedback
- Documentation for Virtual Collaborations
- Defining Quality in Specifications
- Localization Pricing & Timelines
- Localization Vendor Management
- Preparing Language for Localization (copy-editing the source, preparing terminology, building style and language guides)
- Preparing Interfaces for Localization (CAT & TMS packages: XLIFFs, TBX, TMX)
- Quality Management in Localization Productions
- Making Deliveries & Lessons Learned
- Ethics for Localization Managers
- Localization Project Management Offices
NOTE: This course is available for credit enrollment only. This course is not open to auditors.
