Modelling Continuous
Translation
Fred Hollowood
Agenda
1
Goals
2
Examine the traditional model
3
Assumptions
4
Continuous Model
5
Building / Assembly
6
Challenges
Goals
• Need to deliver language products simultaneously
• Maximise translation activity before source
completion
– Translation automation options
• Connect the translator to the writers’ CMS system
• Use MT to increase throughput in the translation phase
• Translate as source content becomes available
– Build deliverables regularly
• Implies mixed language interim results
– Release Phase
• Little new content
• Experienced with deliverable builds
Infrastructure
Web Page\Text
Gisting
Helix
Machine Translation
Systran
SupportSoft
Consumer KBs
ServiceDesk
Manual
Upload
GMS
Idiom WorldServer
Dent
Software strings
Tibco
Middleware
VASONT
Product
Documentation
SharePlex
Security
Response
CMS
Teamsite
symantec.com
Business Objects
Reporting
on global GMS activities
ILS Projects
Software
Ent. Support
Translation timing - Reprise
• Apply a multi-drop model to black-box writing process
New version
New writing
Legacy
t0
•
•
•
•
•
Writing phase
Release Phase
Best guess readiness determines timings
Wide variation among writing groups
More drops more cost
“Wait until you see the whites of their eyes”
Terminology a translator task
Time
Traditional Translation Model
rm
Res
3% to 38%
90%
ri
100%
t0
•
•
•
•
•
•
Writing phase
Release Phase t
t1
t0 Start of translation phase
t1 Start of source release phase
t2 End of source release phase
tr End of localisation release phase
ri Steady state translation resource
rm Peak translation resource
2
tr
Time
Challenges
• Apply a continuous translation model to a
transparent writing process
• Regular metrics determine timings
• Recognise your writing groups
• Cost controlled by measuring and limiting “rewrites”
• Agree when to start and how much to do
• Terminology extraction becomes a continuous
process
• Develop automated and continuous QA
Assumptions
• Source topics can be identified as “ready”
• Source flagged as “ready” can commence translation
immediately
• Source classed as “ready” should not be revisited
• Source classed as “translated” recognised to incur
expense if revisited
• Deliverables preparation is clearly defined and
scheduled
• QA is segmented into language and functional
activity
Continuous Translation Model
120k words
Res
rm
8d/w
ri
2d/w
Writing phase
Release Phase t
t0
t1
8 weeks
•
•
•
•
•
•
2 weeks
t0 Start of translation phase
t1 Start of source release phase
t2 End of source release phase
tr End of localisation release phase
ri Steady state translation resource
rm Peak translation resource
2
tr
24 hours
Time
It is not all about translation……
• Look at your critical path
• Building and bug fixing follow translation
– Resource bound
– End-game stuffed with novel translations
– A 2 or 3 week old process at best
Traditional Translation-Assembly
rm
Res
90%
ri
100%
t0
•
•
•
•
•
•
Writing phase
Release Phase t
t1
t0 Start of translation phase
t1 Start of source release phase
t2 End of source release phase
tr End of localisation release phase
ri Steady state translation resource
rm Peak translation resource
2
tr
Assembly
Time
Assembly Model
Res
rm
ri
Translation
t0
•
•
•
•
•
•
Writing phase
Assembly
Release Phase
t1
t0 Start of translation phase
t1 Start of source release phase
t2 End of source release phase
tr End of localisation release phase
ri Steady state translation resource
rm Peak translation resource
t2
tr
Time
Managing Continuous Translation
•
•
•
•
•
Keep the infrastructure functioning
Monitor the content development
Drive down rewriting
Early warning on “release phase” churn
Visibility inside the “black box”
Untouched topics
New writing
Concepts
Reference
t0
CTS
Alpha
Writing phase
Topics Ready
Task
Time
Beta
Release Phase
Dewey Updates
Topics Streamed for Translation
1
2
Topics Matrix
Roles Matrix
Questions
Topics
Topic
Type
Enduser
Admin
Tech
Support
SE
Trainer
Concept
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Concept
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
How are users authorized
About authorization in C1
Are there any restrictions when collecting
data
Restrictions on collecting data from assets
How can I move the containers
Moving containers in the tree pane
Task
Yes
Yes
How to use filters
Using filters in the Filter by pane
Task
Yes
Yes
• A “little” often
– Spread the release of topics across a significant timescale
• Design deliverables early
– Allows localisation to build partially translated deliverables constantly
(automatically)
• Topics for translation
– Concepts first
– Reference next
– Tasks as they become fixed
CTO
Managing a Sim-ship Process
Keep the infrastructure functioning
Monitor the content development
Drive down rewriting
Early terminology definition
Early warning on “release phase” churn
Visibility inside the “black box”
Automate Quality Assurance
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Q and A
fhollowood@symantec.com