Quality is a topic that is often discussed in publications related to the language services sector. In our blog, we have written several posts about corrections, quality control, quality reports and prevention strategies. Moreover, translation agencies are fully aware that as a result of people working under pressure, it is normal to find mistakes in the documents they translate. This is the reason why providers dedicate much of their time and effort to designing methods of verification and follow-up. These methods allow them to analyze the specific elements of each individual project, analyze the evolution of the team of language professionals, and even detect common mistakes or general patterns that affect the quality of the translations delivered. Nevertheless, all of these resources are tools used by agencies as part of an internal system that links different departments (management, translation, QA, etc.). In other words, quality study and quality assurance are conducted in house or, at most, between the company and a direct client, and always after delivering the project. In fact, this is just one element of corporate strategy relating to quality, since there are other resources that assure the quality of the language services provided by a company even before said services are procured and in general. These are known as “quality standards”.
Quality standards are essentially certifications that are granted to companies which comply with a series of parameters. They help them differentiate themselves from their competitors and ensure potential clients that their services follow a set of protocols that assure a high level of quality and competitiveness on the market. As such, each standard is made up of a number of objective provisions applicable to one or more specialized sectors, thus making it possible to measure how a company organizes the distribution of tasks and the quality checks. If the level required by the standard is reached, the company is officially recognized and it can use the distinctive seal when advertising its services. It is hardly surprising that these standards have become increasingly popular in the language services sector and that companies are striving to successfully pass the necessary audits. But, what exactly are these standards?
One of the best known is the ISO 17100 standard, which we already discussed in this article on corrections. It is applicable to both translation agencies and international organizations that manage their own translations. It covers several related aspects, such as the need for a management system to control processes, the qualification and minimum requirements of the technical staff working on projects, the need to introduce the role of editor as a quality resource, the identification and review of client requirements, and the closure of a project with the confirmation that is has been successfully completed. The standard also describes each step of the translation process. It is important to note, however, that this standard is not applicable to post-editing services, which have become quite popular in recent years.
Next, we can mention the ISO 9000 family, which focuses on the different aspects of quality management and includes some of the best-known standards. It helps guide companies that aim to ensure that their products and services meet client needs at all times, and that proactively seek to improve said quality. This family of standards focuses wholly on the client, leadership, the commitment of individuals, processes, continuous improvement, evidence-based decision-making based, the management of company-client relationships, and employee participation.
Lastly, there exists the ASTM F2575-14 standard, a guideline for quality assurance in translation services. It provides a framework for both clients and agencies that wish to agree on the specific requirements of a translation project. Although it does not include specific criteria for the translation or quality of a project, it establishes parameters that should be taken into consideration before starting a translation project. It can be used as a guide to inform interested parties about which aspects must meet the basic requirements of quality, instead of providing a set of prescriptive instructions to the translator.
Ultimately, translation standards are a very useful resource for companies that wish to highlight the quality of their language services. A wide range of resources are available to them and the long-term results will be entirely satisfactory.
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