Five Key Considerations When Choosing a Translation Management System
Translating and localizing content for multiple markets and platforms can be a complex process.
Bringing more languages on board not only means a higher volume of content to manage and maintain; it also means including more people in the translation workflow, meaning efficiency and robust quality assurance are key.
This is where a translation management system can come to the fore.
Simply put, a translation management system – commonly referred to as a “TMS” – is a centralized platform that enables more efficient and effective translation, at scale. By combining computer-assisted translation (CAT) tools with enhanced collaboration and project management capabilities, a TMS can help to boost productivity and ensure consistency across assets.
But with so many translation management systems on the market – each offering different tools and features – choosing the right one can be a daunting task. Here we look at the top five considerations when choosing a TMS.
Why Use a TMS?
Before going into the key considerations for selecting a TMS, let’s briefly look at the main benefits of using one in the first place.
- One centralised platform – a TMS brings all steps of the translation workflow into one centrally managed, easily accessible workspace for writers, checkers and internal teams. Moving away from multiple offline files, into one collaborative, transparent space, brings more control and visibility of the entire translation workflow.
- Automated processes – a TMS can offer amazing flexibility when it comes to automating many of the repetitive tasks related to translation, not only saving time and resources, but also helping cut out any manual errors.
- More efficient and consistent translations – the various CAT tools included in a TMS, including translation memory, style guides, glossaries and QA checks, can make the translation process much more efficient, while boosting the quality and consistency of translations across all languages.
- Enhanced collaboration – a TMS can enable greater communication and feedback loops between everyone involved in the translation process, including commenting features and automatic notifications.
Key Considerations When Choosing a TMS
- Assessing the Scale of Your Existing Activities – and Planning for the Future
The first key consideration is to look at the scale of your existing translation activity and to anticipate how this will change in the future. Different translation management systems are better suited to different volumes of languages and content. Some will have specific subscription tiers based on the number of translations you carry out, which may mean unexpected costs when scaling up your activities. Others have limits on the number of accounts you can set up, which can cause issues when onboarding new translators. Ultimately, it’s about selecting a TMS that can effectively scale with your business, without worrying about unexpected hurdles.
- Balancing Usability with Business Requirements
While you may set out to find the most user-friendly TMS on the market, the reality is that choosing the right TMS will always be a balance between usability and meeting your business requirements. While it is tempting to simply research the most intuitive, user-friendly system out there, you may find that this doesn’t suit your needs when it comes to the range of tools and features available. While it is important to ensure your TMS does help people work more efficiently, it is just as important to ensure it meets your immediate – and future – business needs. Ultimately it is about finding that balance – a TMS that is easy to navigate and intuitive enough for those who may not be software experts to use, while getting the most effective tools to boost productivity.
- Exploring the Range of Translation Features
Computer-assisted translation tools are core components of a TMS and can be the make or break when it comes to selecting which system is right for you. From translation memory, which draws upon past approved translations and suggests matches, to localized style guides and term bases, which can ensure consistency and brand alignment across languages, to machine translation suggestions that propose automated translations for key words and phrases, you should take the time to research which tools and capabilities will work best for your content and workflow.
- Understanding the Project Management Capabilities
The most frequent users of your TMS will be project managers, so just as important as looking at tools to support translators is looking at the project management capabilities your business will get the most benefit from. How easy is it to manage and maintain projects, to run reports, to import and export translations, to track project progress, to set up users and workflows, and to manage user rights and access levels? Does it offer customizable reporting? What automation features are available? Before settling on a TMS, speak to your project managers to understand their pain points and challenges, and see what solutions are available to solve these.
- Not Forgetting the Technical Requirements
It may sound obvious, but it can be easy to overlook whether the TMS is compatible with your existing systems and whether it can meet the technical requirements you have in relation to platform integration, file types and code repositories. Some translation management systems are better equipped at dealing with certain content types than others, and not all will sync smoothly with the platforms and systems that form the core of your business. And once you have integrated it into your workflow, there is also the consideration of how quick and easy it is to onboard staff and train users.
How Mother Tongue Can Help
We are experts at implementation – with a wealth of experience working in a wide variety of translation memory systems, our writers can work directly in your chosen tool.
Unsure which tool to choose? Let us help – our tech team are on hand to talk through TMS options, including whether our own TMS could fit your needs. We can even onboard your teams into the platform and help integrate the tool with your systems.
Get in touch to find out how we can support you with efficient, integrated high quality localization.