Language I/O Pre-Pilot Checklist

Checklist for Pilots that require Machine Translation Post-Editing (MTPE) or Human Rapid Translation

When you prepare a pilot for MTPE or Human Rapid Translation, please make sure that you provide Language I/O with as much of the following information as you can.

✅ Terminology: Glossary and Translation Memories

Provide Language I/O with your latest glossaries for each of the languages to which you want to localize. If you have a source glossary of key concepts, please add it as well: this is valuable reference material.

Share with Language I/O with any existing Translation Memories that could be useful for reference for the content to be translated. If you have any concerns about the quality of the previous language service provider that translated your content, please let us know, so we can take this into consideration.

Where to find them: Typically your documentation or marketing team will be in charge of maintaining product glossaries. Translation memories from previous translation projects might be found with the documentation, marketing or your own product team, depending on their scope. 

✅ Style Guide

If you have a Style Guide that details your stylistic and formatting preferences, please share it with Language I/O.  

If you do not have a formal Style Guide, please provide a list of key requirements per language. These can be, but are not limited to:

• preferred tone of voice per content type,
• preference for formal or informal form of address (when relevant according to language),
• how to handle software references,
• etc.

Where to find it: Typically your documentation or marketing team will be in charge of maintaining the Style Guides.

✅ Software references

Provide Language I/O with the UI copies for each of the languages to which you want to localize. UI copies are the text elements in your User Interface (for example, "OK" and "cancel" buttons).

If the software is not yet localized for the different markets, please advise Language I/O:

• to use the software references as per the English, with a translation in brackets;
• how you want the software references to be formatted (for example: bold, italics, surrounded by quotes, etc.).

Where to find it: Typically your product or development team will be able to tell you if you can export the UI copies into a usable format. They can also advise you on how to best answer the questions above.

✅ Additional software references

If possible, please provide Language I/O with access to your platform or website. This helps translators get more context when they must research or clarify concepts.

✅ Point of contact for queries

If possible, specify a point of contact. This is a person Language I/O translators can reach if they have any query about the source content.