What Is Quality Assurance in Translation? We Have the Answer!

When you hire a translation services agency, you expect the highest standards of quality. But what exactly does this mean? The truth is that even experienced linguists have different opinions on the matter. This is why creating a standard for assessing a quality translation was necessary. The name of this process is the translation quality assurance.

Each agency has its own internal policies and controls. At Pronto Translations, we rely on an experienced quality assurance specialist to implement best practices and check each document before it is sent to the client.

How Quality Assurance Ensures Accurate Translation

Let us start with the basics: to define translation assurance. This means that a translation project meets a set of predefined standards. Some of these standards are:

• No spelling or grammar mistakes
• Using the correct terminology
• The style of the translation matches the source text
• The translator adapted to the cultural-specific elements of the project
• The translation resonates with the target audience and their way of speaking.

Thus, how information is converted in translation impacts the closest possible match for the source documents’ original intent, meaning, and style. Two people reading them, each in their native language, would understand the same information, ideas, thoughts, and feelings.

Benefits of Translation Quality Assurance

In the process of improving translation, quality assurance is essential. It involves a series of steps performed by different persons. Thus, if someone misses a mistake, it will be spotted at the next stage.

The fact is that the assurance process goes beyond linguistic quality assurance. As explained below, the final translated document must be a perfect match, even in formatting and visual presentation.

Thus, quality assurance in translation requires a multidisciplinary team specializing in various fields. At Pronto Translations, we rely on highly trained specialists who will make sure that your translation project meets all your requirements, no matter how specific.

Steps of the Quality Assurance Process

The process of quality assurance uses various tools and relies on experienced professionals. Let us explain how it works.

A Translator Is Assigned to a Project

When we receive a new translation project, we identify the translator whose language pairs and skills are the best match for the document. Often, translators specialize in various fields, such as legal, business, marketing, medicine, etc. 

An Editor Performs the Revision

The translation quality assessment starts with the revision. The editor will check translation projects, looking for any typos and grammar mistakes. If necessary, they give a translation feedback to the translator with instructions to correct various errors.

The Desktop Publishing Team Puts the Document in the Required Format

In the process of quality assurance, the way the document looks is just as important as its contents. For example, translations of official documents must match the original document’s format perfectly to the last dot and blank space. The DTP team will perform this task, changing the formatting of the text with titles and subtitles or with a web-friendly typeface.

The Proofreader Performs the Final Check

The translation quality assurance process ends with the proofreader. This specialist will perform the last check for any spelling and grammar mistakes and then give their approval for the document to be sent to the client.

Hire an Agency Using the Highest Translation Quality Assurance Process!

With over 20 years in business, Pronto Translation has grown into a reputable translation services agency using the most advanced process of quality assurance. Our team understands how important accuracy and localization are for your translation project. And we deliver top quality consistently.

We offer reliable translation services from our offices in New York and remotely all over the world, so contact us!