That has now changed. The documentation platform Promptless has published DoGBench (Documentation Generation Benchmark), the first benchmark that tests whether AI agents can produce user-facing documentation that an experienced technical writer would accept in review. The short answer: not yet. (Source: Promptless)

How the benchmark works

DoGBench consists of 292 tasks drawn from real open source projects such as Helm, PostHog and Mautic. In 205 of them the documentation needs to change: new content, updates or the removal of outdated passages. In the other 87, the right answer is to leave the documentation alone.

Each agent receives the repository as it was before the change, plus a trigger such as a code change or a reported documentation gap. It has to decide for itself whether users are affected and whether the documentation needs updating at all. The results are scored against detailed criteria developed together with the projects’ maintainers: accuracy, completeness, reader guidance, placement, style and the project’s conventions. Anyone who makes a critical error cannot score more than 60 out of 100 for that task, however polished the rest is.

The results: polished, but not reliable

Seven combinations of AI model and agent software were tested. The best one reached a score of 47.3 out of 100. Even more revealing are the details:

• Knowing when to update is hard. Some agents documented internal changes that are irrelevant to users. Others missed necessary updates because there was no existing page on the topic. For tasks that needed no change, the agents got it right between 28.6% and 85.7% of the time.
• Readers get stuck. In an audit of 1,267 submissions, 45.5% had a gap that would stop readers from completing their task, such as a missing prerequisite, step or verification.
• Errors are hard to spot. 36.6% contained technical inaccuracies. These are often subtle: a misstated default value, or a conditional behaviour presented as universal. Reviewers who only skim will easily miss them.
• Few results are usable without errors. At best, 39% of the delivered texts were free of critical errors.

According to the researchers, the problems start before writing begins, in the investigation. The agents often stopped at the first plausible page, filled gaps with assumptions, or described an interface without checking how readers actually use it.

What this means for your technical documentation

The study confirms what we see every day at Lexsys: good documentation is not about well-written sentences. It comes from understanding who the readers are, what they want to achieve, and which information they need for it. That knowledge is often not in the code itself.

AI agents can be a useful aid, for example for first drafts or for finding the pages a change affects. But their output needs expert review. The authors of the study recommend checking every AI draft from the reader’s point of view:

• Can readers find the information, complete the steps and verify the result?
• Does every technical statement hold, and under which conditions?
• Do related pages contradict the new content, or are they now out of date?

This applies all the more to multilingual documentation. Every error in the source text multiplies with each translation.

Our conclusion

DoGBench gives documentation managers solid evidence for the conversation with management: AI can speed up documentation, but it cannot yet replace professional technical writers. The best results come from combining the two, with AI as a tool and experts who make sure the documentation really helps readers.

Would you like to use AI in your documentation process without losing quality? Find out how we can help with your technical documentation.

And we’re explicitly talking about investment here, because the value of technical documentation goes far beyond explaining how a product works. Your technical documentation: 

• Has a significant impact on the user experience, 
• Contributes to your brand image and 
• Is your company’s calling card on the international market.

Substandard, mistake-ridden, or poorly translated technical documentation can damage your reputation, leading to high costs as the result of more service requests, product returns and, in extreme cases, even claims for damages. 

In this article, we discuss the costs you should expect, the common billing methods for technical documentation, and the factors that influence the price of creating technical documentation. 

Billing methods for technical documentation 

Of course, no two projects are the same. However, reputable service providers usually bill according to the following two approaches: 

• Billing by the page 
• Billing by the hour 

Below, we give a brief introduction to these two methods and explain which system we prefer at Lexsys.

Technical documentation: billing by the page 

With billing by the page, a rough flat rate is set for each page of documentation created. This rate is based on the respective provider’s experience and depends on whether a page needs to be researched completely from scratch or whether an existing document, for example the manual of a previous model, simply needs to be updated. 

What are the disadvantages of this system? If the provider hasn’t budgeted enough time for a page, errors or ambiguities may creep into your technical documentation due to time and cost pressures, which will subsequently lead to more enquiries to your customer support. 

With this billing method, less scrupulous providers might also try to spread the content unnecessarily over several pages.  

Technical documentation: billing by the hour 

At Lexsys, we consider billing by the page to be opaque and no longer appropriate. That’s why we offer our customers billing by the hour.

Because we use modern authoring tools, such as a Component Content Management System (CCMS), we no longer talk about individual pages. 

Instead, we create technical documentation based on small building blocks that can be output in various formats by the software – for example, as a printed user manual or an online help page. 

This saves time and reduces your technical documentation costs. 

What factors determine the price of technical documentation? 

Technical documentation costs greatly depend on the product and the associated legal requirements. Different requirements apply to a simple household appliance, such as a microwave, than to a CNC machine. 

Consequently, the following issues also determine the costs of technical documentation:  

• How complex is the product? 
• What are the market requirements for the product? 
• Who is the technical documentation for and how many documents are required? 
• Does similar documentation already exist? 
• Are a lot of illustrations needed? 
• Are additional services required, such as linguistic software testing or localization into other languages? 

At Lexsys, you therefore always receive a customized quote for your needs. We take the following six factors into account: 

1. Target audienceYour technical documentation’s target audience is a key cost factor, because the more complex the subject area, the higher the technical documentation’s value – and the greater the demands on the technical writer.So, when preparing a quote, the important questions are: Is your technical documentation for an end user, a software developer, or an engineer? Is in-depth research needed? And what are the product’s legal requirements? 
2. DeliverablesThe price is also influenced by the deliverables required. Will you take care of the editing, layout, and production yourself, or would you like to outsource these steps to a service provider like us? What format should the technical documentation be delivered in? Do you need a print-ready PDF, or files in HTML, or an ePUB format? Do you use a modern editorial system? 
3. Source materialsThe more information you can provide us with in advance, the more efficiently we can create your technical documentation. These source materials include:
   • A list of product functions 
   • Functional specifications 
   • Access to a trial version of your product 
   • Access to your company’s technical specialists 
   • Your corporate design, such as branding (logos and other design elements), tone of voice, etc.
4. Turnaround timeA tight schedule or delayed provision of the above materials can drive up the cost of your project as well as compromise the quality of the work. That’s why we recommend that our customers allow sufficient time for the preparation of their technical documentation. This is particularly important if additional services, such as translation into other languages, are required. 
5. Fact checkingFactual accuracy is a fundamental requirement for technical documentation. Errors in a user manual can cost manufacturers dearly, as they are liable for any misuse that arises as a result.For this reason, review and approval processes are an integral part of our quality process. But the more cycles of feedback and correction your project requires, the more expensive it will be. You therefore need to ensure that the documents you provide us with are already checked and factually correct. 
6. TranslationIf you wish to sell your product outside your home market, you may be required to translate the technical documentation into the languages of your target markets, or it may provide an important market differentiator. As a full-service provider, we’re happy to support you with this. The additional costs incurred are calculated based on the following:

• The number of languages required 
• The word count of the source text 
• The required delivery date for the translation

 For translation, customers are usually billed on a per-source-word rate. The exact price per word depends on the complexity of the text and the language it’s translated into. 

Translating the user manual for a common household appliance from English to German, for example, is cheaper than translating the installation instructions for a complex production machine for the automotive industry from German to Japanese. 

As a technical translation service provider, we work primarily with experienced specialist translators, and the pool of qualified translators may be limited depending on the language combination and the subject of the technical documentation.

What can you expect from Lexsys? 

As you can see, the question of the exact costs of technical documentation can only be answered once all the factors above have been clarified.

However, investing in your technical documentation is much more than just a cost factor. You’re not merely paying for a user manual; you’re also investing in your company’s reputation and your customers’ experience.

The result? Fewer support requests and more satisfied customers – and lower costs and higher profits as a consequence.

When choosing a provider, therefore, look at more than just the price. Consider the whole package.

At Lexsys, we use modern authoring systems based on the DITA standard. The advantage is that we can produce your source data in different file formats, which ultimately saves you money.

As a full-service provider, in addition to creating your technical documentation, we can also take care of linguistic software testing and the localization of your documentation into other languages. We’re also a certified SAP partner.

Our international team of native English and German speakers will be happy to assist you.

Would you like to find out more about how Lexsys can support you with your technical documentation? Contact us today to set up a consultation. 

And you’d be right to wonder. Word-processing programs like Microsoft Word are powerful tools for a variety of tasks – unfortunately, creating and managing your technical documentation is not one of them. 

In this article, we discuss five reasons why you shouldn’t manage your technical documentation in Word and suggest some better alternatives that will save you time and money, not to mention stress. 

The 5 main disadvantages of MS Word for technical documentation (TD)  

1. Laborious version control 

Also known as versioning, accurate version control is one of the key requirements for technical documentation. Product and software manufacturers have a legal obligation to ensure a version control system is in place. They need to record and be able to track every product change. 

Word-processing programs such as Microsoft Word don’t adequately meet these requirements. It is theoretically possible to set up version control in the cloud version of Word, but this rarely works in practice. File-storage processes and standards must be defined and implemented. But the more complicated a system, the more prone it is to errors. Can you ensure that everyone involved has the discipline needed to stick to the established file storage procedures? If this cannot be guaranteed, a far better option is to choose software specifically designed for this application scenario, as this will prevent errors, and their consequences, from the very outset. 

2. Unrestricted file access 

Do you really know who has access to your technical documentation? Is it everyone in the company? Just a specific group? What about the trainee? Are all these users allowed to make changes or even delete files? 

Even if your technical documentation is stored in the cloud, it’s often possible for an employee to download the file, edit it, and then upload it again. This will also lead to problems with change tracking and version control.

3. Risk of data loss 

Unrestricted file access and a lack of user rights management, as outlined above, also increase the likelihood of data loss. It’s very easy to delete or accidentally move a file or folder to another folder, for it never to be seen again. 

4. Inconsistencies in style and layout 

The numerous formatting options in word-processing programs are one of their most helpful and popular features. Users can customise the text size, font, line spacing, and much more besides. 

However, when it comes to the creation and management of your technical documentation, there’s no room for users’ personal preferences. 

Why not? The Machinery Directive (2006/42/EC), for example, stipulates that signal words referring to safety risks in user manuals, such as DANGER, WARNING, or CAUTION, must always be written in capital letters and without exclamation marks. 

Your technical writer is familiar with these standards and guidelines, but it’s possible that a different user, who perhaps changes this formatting according to their own preferences, is not. This situation can be avoided by using a tool that has been designed precisely for this purpose and which automatically suggests the correct formatting to authors, as in the case of the signal words mentioned above.   

Your technical documentation also reflects your company’s branding. You should therefore ensure that team members cannot dilute the look and feel of your documents.

5. Layout and formatting issues post-translation 

Manufacturers who wish to sell their products abroad must translate their technical documentation into the target language of the countries in question. 

A translated Word file can quickly turn into a nightmare for the DTP Team creating the layout. This is particularly true if the source text has been poorly formatted and paragraphs have been indented with tabs or spaces, for instance. 

Your text will vary in length, depending on the language. The English version will probably be shorter than the German, while the Spanish will tend to be longer. In this case, the translation will shift the entire layout and your DTP specialists will need to spend a lot of time manually formatting each separate document. 

Fortunately, there are now some great alternatives for creating and managing your technical documents. Read on to find out more.

The advantages of Content Management Systems (CMS) 

A Content Management System (CMS) for technical documentation, not to be confused with website CMS, is database-driven software in which content is created, edited and managed collaboratively. Content modules are created once and can then be reused as needed. 

A CMS is far superior to a word-processing program and offers manufacturers and technical writers a wide range of benefits:

• A single source of truth: Centralised data storage ensures that all authorised users have access to the same, up-to-date dataset. This avoids redundant or duplicate datasets.  
• Versioning: Any data changes are saved in the CMS history and can even be undone if necessary. 
• Different access rights: In a CMS, users can be assigned different roles with different permissions, such as administrator, editor or reader. This increases file security. 
• Fewer sources of error: Reusing content that has been created and reviewed once reduces the chance of errors. 
• Compilation of documents using individual modules: The modules can be put together like pieces in a jigsaw, making the creation of similar documents, such as product updates, a breeze. 
• Publication in a range of target formats: Content in a CMS can be published as a PDF, as online help or even as a chatbot. 

Using a CMS can bring a range of great benefits. But, as the amount of content and number of technical illustrations and languages increase, these solutions reach their limits. So, what’s the answer? Component Content Management Systems (CCMS).

Component Content Management Systems (CCMS)  

What are Component Content Management Systems (CCMS)? 

A Component Content Management System (CCMS) is a Content Management System which manages content at the component level, rather than the document level. Components are small information modules, such as a single illustration, a table or a product description, which can be combined and reused in any way. 

The advantages of a Component Content Management System 

Let’s explain the benefits of a CCMS by considering a practical example. Imagine you’re a German coffee machine manufacturer and you have two almost identical models – one with and one without a milk frother – which you want to sell in ten European countries. 

In a CCMS, each content module only needs to be created once. In other words, as the manufacturer, you simply write one general user manual for both models. The only sections that need to be separately created are those places where there are differences between the models, such as the product illustrations, delivery information and the instructions for using and maintaining the milk frother. 

In this way, both user manuals can be translated with minimal effort into ten languages. All the necessary content modules can be easily exported into a translator-friendly format. Once translated, this data is stored in the CCMS and is available immediately. 

With a single click, 20 complete user manuals in ten languages can be generated from these content modules, with minimal effort from the technical writer, and with lower operating costs for the company. 

Manufacturers who work with a CCMS reduce the workload for the technical writer, the DTP team and the translation coordinator. Further benefits include:

• Lower production costs 
• Lower translation costs 
• Faster processes 
• Agile working

In addition to version control, a system such as this offers many other advantages: 

• Information can be easily reused 
• Content is easy to locate 
• Versioning 
• Standardised layout 
• Separation of content and layout 
• Language management 
• Improved access for people with visual impairments 
• Direct feedback with HTML output 
• Quality assurance 
• Automation 
• Possible use of AI, such as chatbots 

Lexsys: The partner you can rely on for flawless technical documentation  

For newcomers to technical documentation, a word-processing program such as Microsoft Word may seem like the obvious choice. Everyone knows how to use it, and documents can be created quickly. 

However, the more complex your requirements become, the more poorly this type of software will perform. A lack of version control and the unrestricted access to files increase the likelihood of data loss, inconsistencies in style and layout, and formatting issues resulting from translation. 

Standalone solutions such as Adobe FrameMaker provide some of the same advantages as a CCMS. However, Component Content Management Systems (CCMS) are undoubtedly a better solution and offer manufacturers tremendous benefits. 

At Lexsys, we are happy to support manufacturers in creating, managing, and translating their technical documentation in a CMS or CCMS. Our project managers are well-versed in have a wealth of experience with systems of this kind and can provide you with expert advice in line with your needs. 

Would you like to find out more about how Lexsys can support you with your technical documentation? Contact us today to set up a consultation.

• What exactly is technical documentation?
• Why do we differentiate between internal and external documentation?
• Why do you need to take various target audiences into account?
• What legal requirements and standards are there to consider?
• What does a technical writer actually do?
• What tools do you need?
• And how can you get your technical documentation translated?

In our latest blog, we’ll provide easily understandable answers to these questions and more.

What is technical documentation?

Technical documentation (TD, also known as “product documentation”) comprises all types of documents relating to technical devices and software products. Whether online or on paper, they describe how to safely use, maintain, and/or repair such equipment.

Technical documentation is always designed for a particular purpose. In basic terms, it’s meant to enable the respective target audience – be it users, technicians, or sales engineers – to do what they need to do. It also gives manufacturers a means of protecting themselves from liability claims and fulfilling all their legal obligations.

As a general rule, we distinguish between internal and external technical documentation:

• Internal technical documentation provides an archive of all product-relevant documents. Such documents include specification sheets, test reports, risk assessments, and blueprints.
• External technical documentation, on the other hand, tells operators and users how to do things like assemble, install, use, and maintain a given product.

Who is the technical documentation for? 

This is the most important question manufacturers have to answer before writing their TD: Who is our target audience? Instead of compiling a 400-page tome that addresses absolutely everyone’s needs, it’s best to create a separate document for each group.

Before you get started, think about what actions are required throughout the lifecycle of the product and who will be responsible for them. Put together a brief overview of all this information. Here’s what this might look like based on the example of a CNC lathe machine:

• Planning: people affiliated with the manufacturer
• Transport: shipping company
• Installation: people affiliated with the manufacturer
• Programming: CNC cutting specialist, programmer
• Use: CNC cutting specialist
• Maintenance: CNC cutting specialist
• Repairs: CNC cutting specialist, service technician
• Disassembly…

In this setting (which Dietrich Juhl describes in the book Technische Dokumentation^*1), the CNC cutting specialist doesn’t need to know how the machine is transported or installed. What is relevant, however, are the instructions on programming, use, and maintenance.

According to Juhl, there should thus be eight different manuals for the CNC machine’s various target groups:

• Planning documentation
• Transport instructions
• Installation and commissioning instructions
• Operating instructions
• Programming manual
• Three sets of service documentation (mechanical, hydraulic, electrical)

What norms and legal requirements do you need to observe?

The people in charge of writing laws are known to be rather particular about safety. Products therefore need to be designed accordingly and present no danger to people’s well-being. In cases where risks can’t be ruled out entirely, manufacturers are required to provide relevant warnings and notices.

This is why technical documentation is subject to a wide range of norms and legal requirements, a selection of which follows:

• DIN EN 82079-1 is a norm for the creation of usage instructions. Among other things, it covers communication quality, risk mitigation, and the form and content of user manuals. It also includes free checklists that help ensure corresponding compliance. This norm should be part of any technical writer’s basic toolkit.
• EU Directive 2006/42/EC (the “Machinery Directive”) requires manufacturers to provide operating instructions in their own language (and others, if applicable) that take users’ level of knowledge and comprehension ability into account.
• The VDI 4500 standard covers various aspects of technical documentation, from terminology, organisation, and administration to the planning, design, and creation of actual documents.
• The DIN EN ISO 7010 norm presents a uniform standard for safety signs that eschews text in favour of language-independent, universally understandable signage.
• ANSI Z535 is the US norm for safety information. While it isn’t relevant for products brought to market in Europe, it is of interest to manufacturers that export machines and other devices to the United States.
• Other countries may have other regulations, such as Germany’s legislation on product safety (ProdSG), which represents the country’s implementation of EU Directive 2001/95/EC.

In addition, further regulations apply to different product groups and regions, such as the German legislation on medical products (MPG) or EU Directive 2006/95/EC (regarding low-voltage electrical equipment).

What role do technical writers play?

You might think that creating technical documentation is another task handled by engineers themselves, but it’s actually the job of technical writers. These specialists have the ability to explain complex functions and situations in ways that are easy for the respective target group to understand. They often have a direct line to the manufacturer’s development team, as well.

That said, technical documentation is obviously not the same as ad copy or other marketing materials: writing product descriptions, glossy brochures, and flyers that drive sales requires additional skills.

Technical writers who are also well versed in creating copy can handle both areas. Those who aren’t, can work with copywriters on such projects:

• The technical writer ensures that all the technical facts provided are correct.
• The copywriter comes up with attractive texts that encourage readers to make a purchase.  

To learn more about the benefits of having technical writers and copywriters collaborate, check out the article How Technical Writers Fit into the Marketing Mix.

What software and tools do you need for your technical documentation?

Managing all your technical documentation can present another challenge. Manufacturers need to document in detail every functional change in their products and ensure that all their external documentation is updated accordingly. This is why Lexsys advises against managing technical documentation in Microsoft Word or other word-processing programs.

How suitable are component content management systems for technical documentation?

In recent years, content management systems (CMS) have gained popularity as a means of simplifying the creation, maintenance, and publication of TD. Even more interesting for product manufacturers, however, are component content management systems (CCMS), which are capable of storing not just documents, but individual pieces of information, as well.

These “components” can include diagrams, charts, product descriptions, or processes. They can also be as small as a single word or as extensive as an entire document.

At the heart of such systems are various document formats – DITA, for example, an XML-based architecture for creating, distributing, and reusing technical information.

How can you translate technical documentation?

Companies that want to sell their products abroad need to have their technical documentation adapted for each target country. According to the German technical communication society tekom (link in German), nearly half of all technical documents are translated into more than 10 languages.

These days, there are very few manufacturers left that have their own translators and localisation teams, which is why many of them assign such work to external translation agencies. The best agencies offer manufacturers an array of advantages because they:

• Handle all aspects of project management
• Work with a pool of highly qualified technical translators
• Offer excellent quality assurance based on ISO certification
• Possess industry-specific expertise

A professional translation agency can advise manufacturers on all matters related to the translation of technical documentation, including the pros and cons of machine translation and related post-editing – that is, having human experts review machine-translated texts.

Since the translation market is unregulated and somewhat cluttered, manufacturers should take a close look at several different providers before choosing the one they want to entrust with their technical documentation.

Here are some examples of criteria you should focus on:

• ISO 9001 certification (quality management)
• Positive customer feedback
• Transparent processes and prices
• Professional translators who work in their native language

Where can you find useful resources on this subject?

If you want to find out more about technical documentation, further helpful information is available here:

• VDI standards: Access publications on the various standards issued by the Association of German Engineers (VDI).
• tekom: The website of the world’s largest professional association for technical information offers information (in German) on specialist conventions, industry events, further training opportunities, and much more.
• ¹Technische Dokumentation: Praktische Anleitungen und Beispiele by Dietrich Juhl, Springer Vieweg, 2015. Written primarily for technical writers, this guide provides many useful tips on creating various types of instructions.

Lexsys: the partner you can rely on for flawless technical documentation 

The world of technical documentation can seem daunting for manufacturers of software and devices. The requirements they face include:

• Ensuring compliance with legal specifications and norms
• Taking various target groups into account
• Finding a technical writer to create their documentation
• Managing, maintaining, and publishing this content
• Having the documentation translated, if applicable

Ticking all these boxes – and doing it well – is no easy task. At Lexsys, we’ve spent years helping manufacturers pull it off and would be happy to guide you through all the issues related to technical communication, from the costs and software involved to the actual creation and translation of your documentation.

Do you need support with your technical documentation? Contact us today to set up a consultation.

In this article, we’ll cover the following:

• What chatbots are and how they work 
• The benefits they offer  
• What makes a good chatbot 
• The technical and linguistic challenges they present. 

What exactly is a chatbot, anyway? 

As the word suggests, a chatbot is a type of robot that can chat with people online and answer questions they either type in or speak out loud. State-of-the-art chatbots use artificial intelligence for this purpose. 

These days, it’s hard to imagine everyday life without chatbots. They often pop up in the corner of your web browser, offering to help with your urgent queries. You see them in messaging applications like Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp, and they also take the form of digital assistants like Apple’s Siri or Amazon’s Alexa, who promise to make our lives easier in various ways.  

How does a chatbot work? 

There are basically two types of chatbot: 

• Rule-based chatbots are programmed to match specific answers to specific questions. They don’t actually understand language, however, which significantly limits the ways in which they can be used. To parse a user’s written or spoken question, they break it down into its individual components and process them according to set rules while accessing a database to come up with an appropriate response. 
• AI chatbots, on the other hand, make use of natural language processing (NLP). This means they understand user input and keep learning from it, which helps them constantly improve. Besides answering simple questions, they can also set up and cancel appointments and even send out invoices on their own. 

The advantages of chatbots 

Chatbots can be a boon to companies and customers alike. While they’re no substitute for personal customer service, they are great at supplementing such activities. In fact, chatbots offer a variety of benefits: 

• Not only can they support customers in a similar way to human employees; they can do this around the clock, including outside normal business hours. 
• They can lighten the load on customer service employees by answering frequently asked questions. 
• They communicate with customers via the channels they prefer and often pool the resulting data in a central repository (a CRM system, for example) that can be accessed by employees from different departments. 
• They qualify leads and ensure that only potential customers with real promise are forwarded on to employees in sales. 

What makes a good chatbot? 

If your company wants to take advantage of chatbots, they’ll need to meet certain requirements. A potential customer who keeps getting the response “Sorry, I’m afraid I can’t help you with that” will soon take their business elsewhere. 

Computational linguistics and natural language processing 

As we touched on above, intelligent chatbots guided by AI are capable of processing natural language. They understand and can simulate both written and spoken human speech, and can even carry out simple automated tasks.

The expertise needed to make this a reality can be found in the area where linguistics and computer science overlap, which is why it’s referred to as computational linguistics or linguistic data processing. 

An AI chatbot starts by turning human input into statements and intentions. Once it has identified the purpose of a given message, it determines an appropriate response and provides it to the user. This process is then repeated until the conversation ends.

Natural language processing essentially follows the same procedure, with slight variations depending on the model at hand. The Saarbrücker Pipeline Model, for instance, consists of six steps: 

1. Speech recognition: Spoken input is first converted into text.
2. Tokenization: Each sentence of input is divided into words and groups thereof.
3. Morphological analysis: Personal forms and case markers are analyzed and words are reduced to their basic forms.
4. Syntactic analysis: The individual words are analyzed to determine their structural function (subject, object, article, verb, and so on).
5. Semantic analysis: Meaning is attributed to the sentences or parts thereof.
6. Dialog and discourse analysis: The relationships between the consecutive sentences are identified.

Dealing with grammar mistakes and typos 

As if all that weren’t enough, chatbots also need to be able to handle input that contains errors in grammar or spelling and spoken input from non-native speakers with accents, as well as from people who talk in a local dialect. Not everyone speaks the Queen’s English and when typing in a hurry on a phone, one’s fingers don’t always find the right letters. 

How chatbots combine linguistics and technology 

Thanks to advances in deep learning and machine learning, the algorithms chatbots run on are now much better (and faster) at comprehending human speech and the intentions behind it. 

Let’s take a look at a simple example: weather forecasts. There are myriad ways to ask what you can expect in the days ahead: 

• “How’s the weather going to be tomorrow?”
• “Is it going to rain tomorrow?”
• “Will it rain on Tuesday?”
• “Will I need my umbrella tomorrow?”
• “What’s the chance of rain tomorrow?”
• “Any rain tomorrow?”

Along with an extensive vocabulary that covers all the relevant situations, a chatbot needs to be familiar with a wide range of syntactic structures, various modes of expression, and different registers – from laid-back to strictly formal. In the case above, the bot will also require information regarding the user’s location. 

All this means that chatbots need access to a comprehensive database of sentences that mean the same thing, but use different phrasing. A compendium like this takes time to build, as well: A good chatbot should know at least 50 expressions for a given intention. 

Meanwhile, there are two types of linguistic experts who play key roles in designing chatbots and making them user-friendly: 

• Conversation designers give chatbots a voice, shape the progression of their dialog, and compose the texts they use. They also determine the personality of each bot by choosing whether to give it a sense of humor, the ability to use slang, and formal or informal responses.
• Computational linguists are the ones who lay the groundwork for chatbots. They develop the lexical resources a chatbot uses in a particular language. In this context, the term “lexicon” refers to both the entire vocabulary of the language in question and the specific terms used by the company and industry in question. In other words, a chatbot for a car dealer will be very different from one used by hair salons.

Lexsys: the partner you can count on in chatbot projects  

Here at Lexsys, we can provide you with a wide variety of content and language services that will support you in dealing with your communication-related challenges. We speak your customers’ language and can help you make sure your message gets across just as it should – including in the automated responses your chatbots provide.

We’d love to hear what your experience has been with chatbots and what you think of them in general. Perhaps you’d like to leave us a comment below…?

Want to learn more about how Lexsys can help you overcome the challenges chatbots present? Get in touch with us today, and we’ll be happy to set up a consultation.

However, this division of labor doesn’t necessarily benefit the consumer, and it isn’t a very efficient approach for companies, either. Instead, they should try to bridge the gap that often exists between technical writing and marketing in order to pool their resources and tap into related synergies. Collaborating more closely in these areas also aids in designing more effective marketing copy and more user-friendly technical documentation.

What’s the difference between technical communication and copywriting?

While technical documentation and marketing texts are both geared toward consumers, each has to meet the varying expectations of different target groups:

• Customers (or anyone who makes purchasing decisions):
  To appeal to this group, you need creative content that clearly demonstrates the added value of your product or service and gives people a positive feeling about it. This is traditionally a job for copywriters and other marketing specialists.
• Users of products or services: These readers want to obtain technical information in a clear, precise format that enables them to get started as quickly as possible. Technical writers have a knack for explaining complex operating structures in ways that are easy to understand.

While technical communications are created for a narrowly defined user group with particular needs, copywriters often produce content for a diverse target audience. The style favored for these types of material differs accordingly:

• Technical documentation is clear, concise, and logical. It therefore features short sentences, simple words, and uniform terminology.
• Good marketing and advertising copy is vivid and dynamic. Using longer sentences and illustrative language, it seeks to establish an emotional connection with the reader.

How technical writers and copywriters complement one another

If you’re looking to implement a more efficient content strategy, you should rethink the traditional line between these two domains. Marketing copy and technical documentation can actually enhance one another in very persuasive ways.

Consider this example:

A manufacturer of wireless doorbells commissions a technical writer to create an operating manual for one of its new models. The writer proceeds to compile a clinical, factually accurate guide that is then included with every purchase.

After buying one of these doorbells, a customer takes a look at the user manual but loses interest after the first few sentences and decides to install the doorbell on their own. They unwittingly make a mistake in the process, however, and the bell doesn’t work. Disappointed, they contact the manufacturer’s customer support department. The situation results in a frustrated customer and unnecessary costs for the seller.

Consumers’ expectations for a given product are the highest when they find themselves alone with it for the first time. Companies can use this phase to shape the perception of their brand with compelling content and establish closer ties with customers.

Now, let’s rewind the above scenario and have the technical writer collaborate on the doorbell manual with a professional copywriter. A marketing expert like this can provide creative input to give the guide a bit more pep and make it more appealing to the reader. Meanwhile, the technical writer is there to make sure all the facts and terminology are correct. Together, they come up with a manual that actually encourages users to read it all the way through.

When marketing specialists and technical writers work hand in hand, they can highlight the value of a product in a way that’s both practical and user-oriented. This makes a user manual (for example) a key component of the marketing mix. After all, it’s also a form of advertising that’s sure to reach the customer directly.

In this ideal scenario, the company in question has both in-house technical writers and an internal marketing department. But many small and medium-sized firms have their technical documentation and marketing copy created by external service providers, and they usually aren’t the same agency.

This can lead to problems: When the writers need to have complex processes explained by technical experts, for instance, there are often delays, and key information can get lost. Holding separate briefings for writers in different organizations also entails more effort and higher associated costs. And finally, there’s always the risk that writers will come up with content that sounds great but happens to be complete nonsense from a technical point of view.

How both sides benefit  

A collaborative effort between these two realms doesn’t just benefit the technical side, either. A copywriter who understands the technology behind complex products can also create more convincing marketing material. Once they have been trained to do so, technical writers can influence the marketing process by advocating for the user’s perspective, as well.

The advantages of a cooperative approach are clear:

• Faster, more efficient content creation
• Less friction between the two sides
• Opportunities to enhance marketing copy with practical use cases
• User documentation that serves as a marketing tool

If you don’t have the option to create such content yourself, it’s definitely a good idea to find a service provider that specializes in both technical documentation and marketing copy. You’ve already come to the right place in Lexsys: Our growing team of experienced marketing experts and technical writers will work side by side to ensure that all the material they produce meets (or even surpasses) your high expectations.

We’d be thrilled to be your one-stop shop for everything from technical marketing to technical translations. The specialists at Lexsys have many years of combined experience in both technical writing and text production in general. Why not take advantage of these valuable synergies yourself?

If you’d like to learn more about how Lexsys can assist you in creating both technical and creative content, get in touch with us today to set up a consultation.

With a systematic content strategy, you can succeed where others have fallen short. In this article, we’ll explain how SMEs and family-run companies can leverage the benefits of quality content in seeing through their own digital transformations.

Why digitization founders so often at SMEs

According to an Accenture study, four out of every five digital transformation projects fail at small and midsize enterprises. The company points to the lack of a coherent through line that ties individual digitization efforts together as the main reason for this, along with a shortage of specialists who know how to digitize business processes.

Furthermore, employees are often skeptical about new ideas. People are creatures of habit, after all, and we usually don’t relish stepping outside of our comfort zones. When companies don’t effectively communicate the reasons behind planned digital changes and the benefits they’re meant to achieve, they’re bound to face some internal resistance.

For SMEs, avoiding problems like these requires a well-thought-out strategy. A 2018 study shows that getting employees on board at an early stage makes it twice as likely that a digital transformation project will succeed. Your company can accomplish this by coming up with a strategic approach to communication that accompanies your workforce along your transformation journey.

How content can aid digital transformation in the world of work

The right content is essential in making information palatable to your target audience and influencing decision-making processes. When you make an active effort to involve employees in digitization processes, they will respond more positively and be more willing to adapt. Placed in the proper context, such content can even help you enlist your staff’s support in driving your company’s digital transformation.

Unfortunately, SMEs in particular often don’t have the time or the in-house skills necessary to produce high-quality content. Not everyone is a born wordsmith, of course, and for those who don’t have a nuanced feel for language, authoring even the shortest message can be quite a chore.

Challenges for international organizations

Things are even more complicated for SMEs that operate in multiple countries and therefore need content in several languages. From simply getting things wrong in translation to lacking an awareness of the finer points of local culture, there’s definitely no shortage of ways to put your foot in it. If you’re lucky, faux pas like these will only result in a few chuckles among your target audience. In the worst case, however, you can do lasting harm to your company’s reputation.

Even though more and more SMEs are taking advantage of the possibilities afforded by digitization to gain a foothold in the global market, localized content is currently still more the exception than the rule. When information is provided in multiple languages at all, it’s generated all too often by machine translation programs.

This is a weakness that forward-thinking companies can exploit to set themselves apart from the competition. In both internal and external communications, content that’s properly written in the respective local language is more likely to gain readers’ trust and get them on board.

How language service providers can assist SMEs in their digital transformation

For many companies that operate beyond the borders of their home country, communicating in multiple languages is a complex affair. While large multinational corporations often have in-house content and localization experts to fall back on, SMEs typically don’t have the resources this requires – nor do they deal with the type of volume that would justify setting up a language service department of their own.

This doesn’t mean that the employees of smaller companies need to start adding content creation or translation skills to their profiles, however. When you need to present a brand to an international audience or provide important internal information in foreign languages, a level of cultural awareness and linguistic finesse that only comes with years of experience is essential.

This is where professional language service providers can offer the help of seasoned experts who are familiar with the nuances of foreign languages and the customs of the people you want to reach. Content creators worth their salt are capable of producing all types of internal and external communication materials, from newsletters to training videos. With their assistance, you’ll also be able to assemble a consistent content strategy across all your target markets.

A growing need for content at digital businesses

The ongoing digitization of business processes affects all areas of communication. At the same time, a company’s need for mono- and multilingual content, localized material, and other translations depends to a large extent on its size and level of maturity.

In both its internal and external communications, an international, publicly traded company with locations in several countries has to factor in target groups that speak different languages. Even though most companies opt to establish a single corporate language, it’s generally a good idea to have important process documentation available in several different versions. This approach fosters understanding and a general willingness to engage with the content in the first place. Meanwhile, marketing and advertising material obviously needs to be adapted to each target market, and technical documentation has to be written in the languages required.

But what about a young startup with international ambitions that wants to start by focusing on a multilingual website and social media presence? At digitally minded companies like these, the most common types of suitable content include the following:

• A corporate website and blog
• Social media posts
• Marketing assets
• Advertising
• Press releases
• Annual reports
• Newsletters
• A company app
• Explainers and how-to videos
• Specification sheets
• Risk assessments
• Test reports
• Knowledge databases
• Assembly instructions and directions for use
• User manuals

Even if a midsize company does have an in-house writer or foreign-language correspondent at its disposal, they most likely aren’t well-versed in all the necessary areas. Depending on the industry, various documents might require highly specialized knowledge of a particular field. While creativity and a clever way with words are key when adapting a slogan, creating or translating an operating manual, for example, takes technical expertise.

Language service providers can slot seamlessly into internal gaps like these to provide both linguistic skills and area-specific insights. 

What SMEs should look for when choosing a language service provider

In the digital age, the search for any service provider typically begins online. It takes just seconds to find dozens of candidates promising to provide appealing content that will guide your company to international success.

Here, knowing what’s important when working with a language service provider can save you a great deal of time and aggravation. In our view, dedicated contacts, defined processes, and tailored solutions are right at the top of the list.

In addition, modern language service companies rely on a mix of automation, AI technologies, and other cutting-edge tools like authoring systems, video editing programs, and audio recording software. The most professional providers also have native-language copywriters and linguistic experts on staff who concentrate on specific fields. The texts they produce are thus guaranteed to reflect the right vocabulary, area-specific knowledge, and an awareness of conditions in the local market at hand.

How SMEs can optimize their collaboration with language service providers

The more information a company can provide to its language service provider of choice, the more seamless their collaboration will be. What target groups need to be addressed? Through what channels is a particular text going to be published? What tone is the company hoping to strike?

Questions like these need to be answered before the work begins and compiled into a guideline for the content creators to follow. Even when existing texts are to be translated into other languages, an in-depth briefing like this is worth the time and effort because it minimizes follow-up questions and related delays. If you need assistance in putting together a project brief of this kind, Lexsys will be happy to help.

With a fine-tuned content strategy guiding your efforts, you can support your company’s digital transformation and put successful change processes in place. No matter whether you need content in one language or several, or original texts or translations – Lexsys is the only partner you’ll need. We’ve spent years writing and translating texts in virtually every area of business. If you’re interested in working with us to drive the digital transformation at your midsize company, why not get in touch today?

The right content can be a highly effective means of communication. Whenever a decision is to be made, a well-thought-out content strategy presents opportunities to influence the outcome. A customer journey – that is, a customer’s entire experience, from an initial impulse to their decision to make a purchase and the subsequent support they receive – can be guided down to the last detail with the help of tailored content.

At the same time, however, high-quality content enables you to provide essential support for internal processes, as well. It can serve as a strategic instrument in change management and help optimize product launches. To find out how you too can steer decision-making processes by presenting the right information at the right time, simply read on.

How a decision gets made

A decision journey comprises a series of stages, from initial connections to final confirmation:

1. Awareness: Getting the ball rolling
2. Evaluation: Providing information that gets you taken seriously
3. Conversion: Bringing the decision home
4. Retention: Ensuring loyalty

Next, we’ll take a closer look at these stages and show you how you can reach your target audience in each of them with highly customized content.

1. Awareness Stage

Every decision starts with an impulse that leads to a potential customer’s first contact with your brand or offering.

In the case of a customer journey, the catalyst is usually a problem of some kind. The customer starts looking for a solution and comes across information on how you might be able to help. If you present the right content at this stage, you can turn an opportunity into a qualified lead.

In the context of change management within a company, a conscious effort is typically made to generate awareness. If a firm is planning to introduce a new employee program, for example, it will probably send an e-mail to its workforce well in advance. This will make the employees more receptive to the pending changes.

Getting all stakeholders on board as early on as possible is helpful in the case of a product launch, as well. Bringing something new to market is a complex affair, and the sales team responsible needs to have enough time to prepare.

At the beginning of the awareness stage, target groups often know little or nothing about the subjects companies want to bring to their attention. They also wouldn’t search for information on these topics; they simply don’t have them on their radar. This is why it’s important to pique their interest and present content that encourages them to explore the material at hand further.

In this stage, the following types of content are particularly effective:

• Social media posts and e-mails that address new target groups
• Content that’s both informative and entertaining, such as videos, podcasts, or animations
• Search-engine-optimized web content that attracts new visitors to your website
• Infographics

2. Evaluation Stage

The next stage is about nurturing the interest you’ve attracted. To that end, you provide the leads you generated in the first stage with relevant information that will encourage them to consider your offerings.

For a customer journey, this means taking potential customers by the hand and guiding their decision-making in your direction. You’ll need to highlight the advantages of your solution and clearly show them how you can improve their current situation.

In the case of change management, explaining the underlying reasons for the changes planned is key, as is underscoring the improvements that can be expected.

In the process of launching a product, this stage is the right time to give your sales team more details on the plan you’ve put together. When exactly is the launch expected to start? What target groups is it meant to address? What marketing activities are planned?

To get people excited about your brand, product, service, or proposal at this stage, consider the following ideas:

• Brochures, flyers, landing pages, product presentations, and similar content that contains detailed information
• Easily digestible information in the form of videos, animations, interviews, or FAQs
• Case studies, white papers, press releases, newsletters, articles, blog posts, materials for employee communications
• Training courses, webinars, podcasts

3. Conversion Stage

Once you’ve managed to bring potential customers this far, it’s important that you reinforce the faith they have placed in you. This is the only way to coax them into taking the final step, whether it’s making a purchase decision or becoming an eager participant in what you’ve proposed.

In this stage, those in the middle of their customer journey are especially receptive to success stories and reviews from other customers. The goal is to convince them of the benefits of your solution and how serious your company is.

In change management processes, you’ll need to identify challenges and provide answers to potential problems. Make it clear to your employees that you’re prepared to tackle such obstacles and have the resources required to do so.

A product launch also presents opportunities to dispel any remaining concerns and stoke enthusiasm. Here, you can show your sales employees the materials and other resources you plan to support them with during the launch. By reducing your team’s workload, you’ll increase their commitment to the process.

When it comes to winning people over, the right content is crucial:

• White papers, case studies, press releases, articles from opinion leaders and other sources
• Internal communication campaigns
• Sales tools and guides
• Training courses
• Personalized offerings

4. Retention Stage

You’ve done it: The customer is reaching for their credit card; your new employee program has been rolled out; your latest product is out there on stores’ shelves. While the bulk of the work is now done, you can still incorporate content into your communication strategy in beneficial ways.

The customer journey is an area where the retention stage plays a particularly important role. It offers the chance to turn one-time customers into loyal brand ambassadors. To pull this off, you need to be ready to provide help and support in solving the problems they may encounter. User-friendly guides and service hotlines are just two examples of how you can have a positive influence on customers’ experiences with your brand after they’ve made a purchase.

Maintaining employee loyalty in a change management process is a tricky subject. Changes in the workplace can lead to frustration and disappointment. In the worst case, employees may find themselves no longer identifying with your company, or the changes themselves may founder. To prevent this from happening, be responsive to your employees’ gripes, establish settings where they can share their experiences, and appoint staff to serve as points of contact.

To promote loyalty within your sales team following a successful product launch, it helps to keep your ears open. What went well – and what could have gone better? By taking advantage of your team members’ experiences, you can further hone your ability to design future launch processes.

The following types of content are well-suited to fostering loyalty:

• How-to guides, instructions, training materials, and so on
• Best practices and FAQs
• E-mail newsletters
• Exclusive content and offers
• Brand communities
• Databases that compile the collective knowledge of all participants

The possibilities are virtually unlimited

When utilized properly, content can strengthen buy-in, engender trust, and help build relationships. International companies should also bear in mind that localization lowers the threshold for internal and external audiences to understand and apply your carefully created content. To guarantee flawless communications that these target groups are sure to understand, leave it to the specialists in transcreation and multilingual content writing. This will extend your reach and enable potential customers around the world to connect with your message.

With sophisticated content at your disposal, you can cover a great many bases and help your business get ahead. To maximize your success in doing so, you’ll want to align all your activities within a holistic content strategy. This is another area where Lexsys can help: Our content experts know how you can effectively address your audience in every stage of their decision-making and guide them from one stage to the next.  

To find out how you can tap into the full potential of your content marketing, why not get in touch with us today?.

• What is transcreation? 
• What’s the difference between transcreation and translation? 

• How does transcreation differ from localization? 
• When is transcreation the right way to go?

What is transcreation?

Transcreation refers to a freer approach to translating texts that takes the culture of the target market into account. As the term indicates, it combines the act of translation with the creation of new copy. Transcreation is often the method of choice in international marketing and the translation of advertising material. It’s useful in more than just creative campaigns, however; this approach can benefit any type of communication that can affect the image of a company or an individual.

The concept of transcreation is nothing new. Language service providers have been offering this service under different names for years. Whether it’s “marketing translation”, “creative translation”, or “cultural adaptation”, the goal is the same: coming up with copy that engages international audiences as effectively as the source material does in its original market.

The demand for this type of service has grown tremendously in recent years. Due to the ongoing process of globalization, more and more companies are developing an interest in creating international texts, translating their advertising, or localizing their websites. People are also becoming increasingly aware of the notion that cross-cultural marketing requires a more creative translation approach.

iWhat’s the difference between transcreation, translation, and localization?

These three terms are often used more or less interchangeably. But what exactly does each of these services involve? At the end of the day, they all attempt to make content accessible to foreign audiences. Where they differ is in the amount of nuance in their respective approaches.

Translation

The translation process is about converting a text into another language while remaining as true to the source as possible. The texts involved typically contain a large amount of information, but aren’t designed to win the reader over – think technical documents, medical reports, user manuals, white papers, and the like. Here, translators need to have technical knowledge of the field in question and the ability to reproduce the tone and style of the original material.

Localization

Localization takes translation a step further. Besides taking on the language of a given target market, it factors in cultural aspects and other local characteristics, from units and measurement and the way prices are quoted to appropriate metaphors and the colors chosen for layouts. Meanwhile, the translator ensures that the text content meets all the expectations of its intended audience.

Consider this example: A company wants to take an ad campaign designed for the United States and localize it for the European market. The U.S. version includes a reference to the Super Bowl – which is quite the spectacle in American football, but more of a niche interest across the pond. After conferring with the customer, the translator therefore replaces the reference with one to a sporting event that draws a similar amount of enthusiasm in Europe: the World Cup. This helps the campaign resonate better with its new target audience.

The localization process also takes culture-specific associations into consideration to avoid negative perceptions. In Japan, for example, chrysanthemums are a symbol of happiness and prosperity. They would have a very different effect in an ad campaign in Italy, however, where they represent death and mourning. An awareness of such stark differences in meaning is essential in global marketing.

Transcreation

The third and most nuanced level is transcreation. This service is best suited to content that really needs to be compelling and emotionally evocative. Instead of adapting existing text as in the case of translation and localization, the creative simply uses the source material as inspiration to write new content of the same level of quality for international marketing and advertising purposes. Since this frequently involves changing the structure of a text or the less important parts thereof along with the language itself, the source and target material can end up being quite different. The only thing they both need to convey is the same underlying message.

A good transcreation is on par with content written by a native speaker in every respect. For those who do this type of work, insights into the home and target markets at hand are just as essential as technical expertise and linguistic finesse. Transcreation specialists also need writing skills similar to those of marketing and advertising experts who work in one specific language. Their job is to present a source text in a new form that will engage the intended audience on an emotional level.

In the case of our Super Bowl example, a transcreation would go further than localizing the sporting event in question. The entire campaign might be realigned to elicit feelings of fun and excitement in the target group in a different way.

Meanwhile, there’s another difference between translation and transcreation: In projects of the latter variety, the customer is usually provided with several proposals for certain elements – especially taglines, headlines, and slogans. They can then make the final decisions and retain control of their campaign’s creative direction.

When is transcreation the right way to go?

As a general rule, if you want to impress, convince, or motivate your target audience, transcreation is what you need.

Here are some examples of content that benefits from a more creative approach to translation:

• Press releases 
• Corporate brochures 
• Websites 
• SEO content 
• Subtitles 
• Social media posts 
• Direct marketing mailings 
• Newsletters 
• Articles in periodicals and trade journals 
• Job postings 
• Résumés and job applications 
• Product catalogs 
• Posters and flyers 
• Presentations and speeches

Examples of successful transcreation campaigns

Many international marketing campaigns have succeeded because some wise soul made the decision to forgo a literal translation. The slogan used by the German candy company Haribo offers a well-known example. You might have to trust us on this, but the direct English translation – “Haribo makes children happy, and adults as well” – isn’t quite as catchy as the original German (“Haribo macht Kinder froh, und Erwachsene ebenso”). Instead, the company opted to let its translators get creative with the jingle, which eventually resulted in “Kids and grown-ups love it so, the happy world of Haribo”. This captures the same sing-song quality of the German version while retaining the enjoyment-for-all-ages message.

Sometimes, even brand names can be transcreated. Coca-Cola, for instance, has adopted a slightly modified trademark in China to evoke positive emotions. The brand’s Chinese characters are pronounced “ko kou ko le”, which roughly means “delicious delight”. This makes for a more attractive brand.

Unfortunately, there have been other situations in which companies failed to recognize transcreation as the ideal solution. As long as we’re in China, let’s recall the time when KFC was attempting to gain a wing-hold in the country and needed a memorable translation of its famous English slogan, “Finger Lickin’ Good”. It certainly succeeded with “Eat Your Fingers Off”, but probably not in the way it had hoped.

Tips for successful international texts

Creative translations take time, effort, and talent. The more information is provided along with a request, the better the end result will be. Just as those who write ad copy use briefings from customers as guidance in their creative process, transcreation specialists need the same kind of orientation to understand their customers’ intentions and underlying brand values, as well as the expectations of the target audience at hand. If you give them as much corresponding information as possible, you’ll save time and the effort it takes to do related research, which ultimately keeps costs down.

To ensure the success of marketing translations, these briefings should cover the following:

• Background information on the company and the project in question 
• Further information on the product or service to be advertised 
• Insights into the personality, values, and positioning of the corresponding brand 
• The desired tone of the content 
• The readership/target group the customer hopes to reach 
• The intended message 
• The planned sales channel for the text produced 
• Image material that will accompany the text 
• Explanations of specific terminology, cultural references, and image material 
• Reference materials

Collaboration is key

When it comes to marketing translations and other image-relevant localization projects, it helps when customers work closely with their language service providers. The process is more extensive than in normal translation projects, but it pays off in the end. After all, your brand’s image is one of your most important assets, and you don’t want to put it in the wrong hands.

Lexsys can help you find the right service for your next global marketing campaign. Our team is made up of highly qualified translators, localization specialists, and transcreation experts with many years of marketing experience. If you’d like to discuss how we can help you carry out international advertising and image campaigns that will really resonate with your target markets, get in touch with us today.

The answer lies in post-editing. To find out how you can use this process to improve the quality of machine translations and when the combination of MT and post-editing is the right choice, simply read on.

What is machine translation post-editing (MTPE)?

Machine translation uses translation software or an (often free) online translation service to convert text from one language to another. Unfortunately, this fully automated process seldom delivers flawless results. Stilted sentences and improper terminology are quite common, and there’s no way to tailor a text to a particular target audience.

This doesn’t mean you should write off MT tools entirely, though. With a little human assistance, you can turn machine-generated texts into usable content. This is where post-editing by a qualified language expert comes in.

In post-editing, we distinguish between two levels of quality:

1. Light PE: Here, the goal is just to make a text understandable. Style and flow are disregarded entirely, and a certain amount of typos is even tolerated.
2. Full PE: In this case, readers should no longer be able to tell that the text in question was originally produced by a computer. All aspects of style and quality should be on par with translations created by human professionals.

Post-editing can therefore be considered a combination of proofreading and translation.

What advantages does post-editing offer?

Due to the regularity of updates that need to be made available in multiple languages as quickly as possible, software is one prominent area in which machine translation is now indispensable. It would be logistically impossible to have that much text translated by people on such tight deadlines.

The fully automated translation of software documentation – without any human revision whatsoever – is actually now part of the daily routine in the IT industry. In this context, quantity definitely trumps quality.

Meanwhile, machine translation is gaining importance in other sectors, as well. In combination with post-editing, it offers a balance of quality and affordability:

• Simply put, automated translation is usually cheaper than hiring a human translator.
• Post-editing safeguards certain standards of quality.
• An MT system can translate thousands of words in mere seconds, which speeds up the process of bringing products to market.

When does it make sense to post-edit machine translations?

Is post-editing the right option for your texts? When making this decision, you should keep a number of factors in mind.

• Is the text in question meant for internal or external purposes? Translations that only need to provide information to an internal audience are often solid candidates for neural machine translation with light post-editing. If a text is meant for public consumption, however, you should consider full PE – or in some cases, professional translation right from the start (see below).
• What’s your budget? If you’re dealing with large volumes of text, many different languages, and/or a tight schedule, MT might actually be your only viable option. Remember, though, that full post-editing will take a great deal of time and could eat up the savings you were hoping to realize on the translation side.
• How complicated is your source text? Is it clearly written and easy to understand? Is the context readily apparent? Ambiguities and complex structures in your original content can be too much for MT systems to handle. Words with multiple meanings also pose a challenge to these systems, especially when the frame of reference isn’t 100% clear. For example, is the word “table” referring to surface for eating or a chart of figures?
• Does your text contain a lot of repetitions? If phrases, sentences, or even entire paragraphs come up time and again in the same exact form, machine translation can be a sensible option – even in combination with full post-editing. This is particularly true when you have translation memory databases to fall back on.

When should you avoid machine translation?

The tandem of neural MT and post-editing isn’t always enough to ensure that a text will have the desired effect on its target readership. Marketing and advertising content offers a perfect example: In the vast majority of such cases, revising an automated translation doesn’t save much time at all. Going this route can even be more involved – and thus more expensive – than going with a professional from the beginning!

As a general rule, if you want to get an emotional message across, win people over, or maintain your brand’s good image, machine translation systems simply aren’t up to the task.

Furthermore, the use of online tools raises questions related to data privacy law. These free services store the data users enter on the servers of the respective providers, after all, where it’s typically processed further. Of course, confidential information, personal data, and content under copyright should generally not be put online in the first place.

Tips on ensuring quality texts with MTPE

Have you decided to give machine translation and post-editing a shot? The following recommendations can help you increase the quality of automatically translated texts while reducing the overall costs involved.

1. Memento GIGO

The computer scientists out there will already be familiar with the axiom “garbage in, garbage out”, and the same applies to MT: The better your source texts are, the better your results will be when using automated translation.

This is another reason to make sure that your original content is as flawless and comprehensible as possible. More and more technical documentation is being written in plain language, for example, which offers advantages both to users and in the translation process itself. When you invest more time in your texts, it usually won’t take as long to translate and post-edit them.

2. Don’t lose sight of your text’s purpose and audience

With every translation, it’s important to be aware of the intended readers and how you want them to use the content in question.

• Machine translation and light post-editing can suffice for purely informal texts that are meant solely for internal purposes.
• For translations that contain key details or are designed for a more critical audience (or the general public), full PE is essential.

3. Choose your post-editing specialists with care

Post-editing isn’t the same as normal proofreading. Since computers make different mistakes than people do, polishing up machine translations requires particular qualifications and training. The keen-eyed specialists in this area are often translators, but not every translator makes a good post-editor. The requirements a sound post-editing process should meet are defined in ISO Standard 18587:2017.

Our translators are experts in their respective fields, which range from finance and technology to marketing and PR. If you’re playing around with the idea of entrusting your translations to a computer, get in touch with us. We know how machine translation can be a key resource on the path to international success, and we’ll be happy to advise you on the different MTPE options out there. Together, we can fine-tune your texts to your target audience in line with your budget and timeline.