Technical Documentation Translation is a niche service and comes with unique challenges that require specialist experience from the right kind of #language experts.

Technical document translation is the process of translating technical manuals, instruction manuals and user guides into one or multiple languages. These documents are designed to help customers use products effectively and safely.

The most common technical documents that require translating are:

Product catalogues

User manuals

Instructions of use

Technical specifications

Technical documentation aims to help users enjoy the best experience of a product and to advise them on safe usage – both to protect them and the manufacturers. It can also boost sales and reduce post-sale support costs.

There is quite a wide range of products in which technical translation is highly recommended and in most countries legally required.

Consumer #electronics

#Automotive parts and electronics

#Industrial #machinery

#Medical equipment

#Construction materials

#Agricultural technology

#Furniture

#Toys

#Software

#SaaS products

As already mentioned, technical documentation is a specialist field with unique challenges and it is important to approach this in the right way. To achieve consistent results on every project when translating technical documentation for multiple languages it is important to have a few aspects in mind.

Work with a language service provider that has significant experience working on technical documentation within the same industry.

Develop a glossary of terms with agreed translations for the technical language in your documents. This ideally is to be done in collaboration with your language service provider.

Consider text expansion as in some languages your text may be longer than in the original language. Leave enough space in the original version to allow for text expansion and maintain suitable layouts with enough whitespace remaining in each translated version. Translation agencies have tools that can monitor the percentage of extended length and can set limits so that in most cases the layout does not have to suffer changes from one language to the other.

Discuss DTP services with your language service provider to ensure the overall look and design of your technical manuals are preserved in the translated versions.

Ask your language service provide to create and update your Translation memory. This is usually a free service that can significantly help you achieve more consistent results and complete the translation process faster. This is also a very effective way to reduce translation costs.

Ask your language service provider not only to proofread the translation, but to also test the translated versions on sample audiences before publishing.

If you require support with any of these steps, we would be happy to assist you! Let`s discuss about your technical translation needs!

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