Project Examples
Project Examples
Documents are a key element in every kind of business setting and they come in diverse formats. Sometimes they have to be communicated to an international audience.
Dynaword holds discussions with the client to determine the content and purpose of the documents and selects translators for the job based on their individual areas of expertise.
Here, we introduce some of the types of documents we have handled along with a number of project examples.
Project Solution Example
Project: Subtitling
Client:
Chemical manufacturer
Project Description:
Message from senior management to employees
Project Challenges:
A briefing was held to explain a medium- to long-term business plan to all employees, making use of PowerPoint.
It was later discovered the information had not been sufficiently conveyed. Senior management issued an instruction saying the plan had to be communicated again to not just headquarters personnel, but to all employees worldwide, including those working in plants and research facilities, for it to be properly understood.
A proposal to hold another briefing was presented but arranging a date for a global audience was proving difficult.
Solution:
It was proposed that instead of holding the same briefing several times, a video message should be created. The video was a lengthy two hours.
Dynaword transcribed the speech in the video, translated it into four languages—English, Chinese, Thai and Vietnamese—and inserted subtitles into the video.
Our approach was to make it a natural, straightforward translation, to employ terminology actually used by the client, and to use sentences no longer than 100 characters. The translation process was also adjusted to allow translation into multiple languages simultaneously.
For the Thai version, we indicated where line breaks should be inserted given the meaning could change depending on the line break position.
The final video can now be viewed at any time by all employees worldwide.
The client later reported that the plan had been successfully conveyed to all employees.
Project: Sustainability/CSR
Client:
A leading Japanese precision equipment manufacturer
Project Description:
Create an English version of the company’s sustainability report for overseas stakeholders.
Project Challenges:
Besides financial data, stakeholders today increasingly look at information disclosure about sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR) when evaluating the value of a corporation.
One leading Japanese precision equipment manufacturer chose to rethink its environmental report, replacing it with a sustainability report. For the English version, information had to be disclosed in language that overseas stakeholders would find easy to absorb and comprehend. Basically, Japanese source sentences, which often lack an obvious subject, had to be translated into unambiguous English. The translation also had to be appropriately worded based on an accurate understanding of not only terminology used in the client’s industry, but also other technical language relating, for example, to the assessment of environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors, as well as the context. After implementing these requirements, we asked ourselves what else we should do to produce a report that overseas stakeholders would find easy to absorb and comprehend…
Solution:
Before starting the translation of the Japanese source document, we coordinated with the client to determine detailed style rules that should be applied to the English version, such as number notations, abbreviations and rules for their first appearance, and instructions about translating the sentence subject. Technical terms were then identified and the translation work began. These steps ensured the language of the English version of the report was consistent and coherent throughout. The translation process was advanced in three stages: translation by native English translators with experience in the CSR field; careful checking of the translation against the original by a bilingual Japanese checker; and final editing by native speakers of English. DTP editing was undertaken by operators and proofreaders familiar with the typesetting of European text, enabling completion of an accurate and natural English-language sustainability report that overseas stakeholders could easily follow.
Client
FACE TO FACE
Dynaword
English language consistency
- Style rules
- Technical terms
- Industry terminology
Translation
Checking
-
Editing
Bilingual Japanese checkers
DTP
Project: Interpreting and Translation for Global Training
Client:
A leading Japanese manufacturer
Project Description:
Provide interpreting and translation language support for a global training program with the aim of developing the next generation of leaders.
Project Challenges:
A client’s human resources department had already implemented a number of training programs with the goal of developing the next generation of leaders. Most of the programs, however, were only available to Japanese participants.
The company was globalizing and had a growing overseas network. Its human resources development initiatives would have to reflect that, too. A large-scale training program for developing future leaders (executives and senior managers) who were able to operate well on the global stage was organized. Employees from all over the world would take part and it would be held in English.
However, they faced the problem of having to accommodate Japanese employees with limited English skills. Selecting participants based on their English proficiency would be inconsistent with the intentions behind the training, so they decided they should bring in interpreters. However, there were going to be many participants (approximately 25) and the training would be carried out over an extended period of five days three times a year. Trainees would also hold sessions, splitting into five mixed groups of both Japanese and foreign members. The training would not consist entirely of lectures, but also include interactive elements, such as role-playing and outdoor sessions. This left us with some questions to be answered. How many interpreters would be needed? What equipment would be required?
Solution:
First, Dynaword sat down for detailed, face-to-face exploratory discussions with not only the client, but also the instructors, training operator and venue staff. A key takeaway from those initial discussions was this request from the client: “We need you to be flexible and adapt to the situation, as there is no knowing what will transpire given there will be a number of sessions and it will not be a typical training program. We also want interpreters to fully engage in the training as participants and guide its success.”
Based on these discussions, Dynaword selected five of the most suitable interpreters and made arrangements for the equipment and layouts. Gaining a solid grasp of the training content and the characteristics of the instructors and participants, we made preparations and divided up the interpreting duties. On the day, a Dynaword coordinator was on hand to respond flexibly to sudden and unexpected events. Everyone went home satisfied and the training was a success. Today, we provide total support for all language matters through not only interpreting, but also the translation of training materials.
Dynaword Incorporated
Shinjuku Hirose Bldg., 4-7 Yotsuya, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0004, Japan
Tel.: +81-3-3355-2411 Fax: +81-3-3355-2412