AI and automation have become an increasingly ever-present part of our lives over the past few years, with technology and computer capabilities becoming more and more sophisticated. This can be seen most clearly in the rollout of ChatGPT which is set to revolutionise the way we go about our daily lives. It is no secret that automation has sent shockwaves through the languages industry, mainly via Machine Translation. At Dialogue, we will always point to the advantages of having a human touch in all aspects of the translation process. But that is not to say that we do not embrace the benefits that the automation of this process can bring, and how those benefits further enhance the service we can offer.
Allowing for more meaningful interaction
Since working with Phrase as our Translation Management System (TMS), our translation team have reaped the benefits of a more automated Project Management process. Aspects such as greater file type configuration, connectors with sites like WordPress and Cloud-based management have all allowed for Phrase to become a one-stop shop for the entire translation process, with the software taking care of much of the previously more admin-intensive tasks like preparation of translation packages for various stakeholders. Thanks to this, our team now have greater capacity for meaningful interaction with all parties; be it discussing a linguistic query with translators, or having the time to truly delve deep into our client’s translation issues and how we can best resolve them. The automation of the process has allowed our team’s personalities to shine even brighter than before and for a greater period of time.
Improved efficiency and security
Not only this, but the Cloud-based management of the translation process has given us the opportunity to provide clients with an even more active role when it comes to striking the right tone. With our built-in client review, file sharing and version control becomes ever more seamless, with stakeholders more easily able to isolate sections they would like to amend, see how they were translated previously, and adjust along those lines. The Cloud-based system also ensures a greater level of security, with all data/content being stored on one platform, rather than across multiple devices and email chains.
Perfect when time and budgets are tight
As previously alluded to, the Machine Translation (MT) side of automation can be a source of contention within the languages industry, and strong opinions on either side can lead to mixed messages around the topic. It leads to the age-old question: “Well, how can I benefit?” The short answer is that MT is not perfect, but very usable. The much longer answer is that, while MT is much more sophisticated now than 10 years ago, through software such as DeepL, it has still not yet advanced to the point where one can rely solely on MT to produce a flawless translation.
However, that is not to say that MT cannot play a big role in the translation process within the right context – and that is the philosophy we follow, and one which is open to change as the technology advances further. In its current form, MT can be a great tool when you find yourself in a tight spot. For example, when the budget is extremely tight for a document translation where said document will be used internally, or only a gist, rather than polished recreation, is required at this juncture. Similarly, if time is extremely tight, then MT can be a useful tool to get the ball rolling. Our MT function runs within Phrase TMS, meaning it will have access to the multilingual translation memories stored, containing previously translated content by our linguists and client-specific terminology, which can aid the MT tool in better finding the right choice of words.
But never without Dialogue's human touch
In the midst of the increasingly automated world, there is one constant that remains at the core of how we have done business for over 30 years, and how we will continue to do so going forward, and that is the human touch. Every client and project has a dedicated Dialogue project manager who will advise on the best solution for your budget and need, and ensure timely delivery too. And every Machine Translation project will be run past a native-speaking, qualified linguist for editing and a QA check by our project managers before delivery. Want to discuss how our language solutions can help your business? Then get in touch…