Collaboration: January 2008 Archives

Most of us have probably encountered user guides and manuals where we would have wanted to add some clarifying points. Even more so when the manual has been translated, sometimes less than accurately (that happens).

Now here is a thought: what if a product manufacturer would put the manual on the Web in a wiki format? That way, the end users could revise the text from the actual end user point of view. Then, an experienced technical writer, editor, or translator would edit the input to produce the "final" version or print, although the process could even be continuous. The result could be a better manual and the manufacturer would get yet another contact point to customers.

A similar model is already used, e.g., in newspapers where readers can enter news through their own blogs, and editors then pick and edit the pieces to be included in the paper. So why not at least experiment with some consumer product manuals? After all, Web 2.0 is a great place to try out new ideas!

More than likely. One of her more famous quotes was:

If Fuller was still alive, would social networking have forged a connection somehow with Jaap van der Meer, Director of the Translation Automation User Society, otherwise known as TAUS? I'd bet money on it.

Long known as a language industry pioneer and visionary, van der Meer directs the TAUS-driven call for knowledge sharing as the driver of change for the translation industry. Efforts such as:

• spearheading a language data sharing initiative, including a planned platform for cross-industry sharing


• providing executive forums to discuss and design new translation business models, and


• mapping the roadmap to share translation memories

Since November 2004, TAUS has managed to bring together more than sixty companies that exchange user cases, best practices and technology roadmaps specific to the language industry. The resulting membership is far from a "weighted" crowd; rather, it is a well-rounded collection of end users, service providers and technology vendors with a shared interest for change.

This mission statement for 2008 defines how TAUS plans driving an "agenda of change" that stimulates innovation, automation and collaboration for the industry. Impressive goals, to say the least. Find out more by requesting a copy of the TAUS Annual Plan 2008. It is an excellent read.

Globalization is a strategy rather than a project. Global customer experience is a mindset, not a deliverable. In turn, supporting these objectives requires complimentary strategic initiatives driven by subject matter experts that utilize a range of rapidly evolving processes and technologies in innovative ways.

Based on our community discussions, organizations that focus on combining the practices of localization design, content management, and translation management achieve results. And that focus in no way equates to a series of siloed application implementations.

We believe there is no better way to demonstrate this truth than by encouraging collaboration and promoting success stories. Agree? Here's two opportunities to do so, in the form of a Call for Papers for synergistic events:

Collaboration yields knowledge. Sharing experiences spurs innovation for all organizations. Here's your chance to contribute -- our experience shows that it's well worth the effort.