Manual Translation（Framemaker, Word, InDesign, HTML）

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■ Manual Translation Services

○ Manual translation, technical documents translation

We would like to explain important factors regarding manual translation.

Readers of user’s manuals could be categorized into two types. Which type readers do you think is larger than the other?

Type 1 Read only the parts where urgently necessary information is included

Type 2 Read carefully the entire book from the first page

Every reader has his/her own reading style. However, translated user’s manuals should be prepared to make the both types of readers satisfied.

Type 1 Read only the parts where urgently necessary information is included

There are table of contents and index in a user’s manual. Readers try to find where the information he really needs according to certain keywords or items.

Needless to say, it is important to synchronize the items on the table of contents and the body text. If the data are organized properly in this regard, there would be no problems.

The same thing is applied to index-based reading style. Readers will easily find the applicable information regarding the index word.

Type 2 Read carefully the entire book from the first page

This type of readers will read from the cover, "precautions”, “copyrights” and move onto “table of contents”, the body text, “index”, and “references”. He will read the headers or footers, turning his eyes from the top to the bottom, right to left. He may check if the pages are printed in correct numeric sequence or if titles and headers and footers are properly linked.

However, this “needles to say” or common-sense consistency or uniformity is quite important in creating user’s manuals. Controlling the consistency and uniformity carefully, we have to do text creation and DTP layouts.

Translating user’s manuals

Factors above-mentioned are applied to translation of user’s manuals.

It is inevitable to ensure the consistency of expressions of title, heads, copyright and PL law notices, table of contents, body text, index, and headers and footers.

Furthermore, in translating user’s manuals, we can use Trados and other translation support tool. That enables to translate the text, adhering fundamentally to original text’s layout architecture (tag information) and do page layouts efficiently.

In addition, if your client wants a manual to be printed and distributed, we should prepare the translated data optimized for printing. If the basic printing requirements are not achieved, even if you obtain a high standard of translation, it would be difficult for readers to find the sentences he needs.

These are minimum requisites for user’s manual translation.

Our company is concerned about not only meeting these minimum requisites, but how we can satisfy the readers' requirements.

First of all, we should understand “why is this document necessary to be translated?” or “how is this document used in the client’s business?” The concept understanding has a great influence on translation quality.

How can we be successful in translating a large volume of user’s manual with good quality, keeping costs low?
How can we manage handling several books of manuals at the same time?

To translate user’s manuals efficiently and systematically, if we have expertise regarding computer applications or file formats concerned with translation such as TRADOS, InDesign, FrameMaker, MS-Word, HTML, online help, etc is quite important.

Because, in recent years, data of user’s manuals are created in concept of “one source multiuse”. That means the translated data can be used being converted into a wide range of file formats.
As well as the user’s manuals of your company’s products, any documents a large indefinite number of people can easily take a look at have a vital roll in building your brand name.

“This user’s manual is quite understandable”
“This is easy to read and search for the necessary information”

If users or readers have a good impression on your user’s manuals and products depends on how precisely you understand the key points for creating user-friendly user’s manuals.

Trivector Co., Ltd. - We are experienced in translating user’s manuals in FramMaker, InDesign, HTML formats.