Technical Manual Translation – Get it Right
by brenton
Technical manual translation is a very common process for a number of reasons. Perhaps the client base is international and speaks multiple languages. Maybe the manual has been written in a different country, or maybe even the product has been designed in a different country to cut costs. No matter the reason for translating a technical manual, it must be accurate. Software or the internet will rarely, if ever, effectively accomplish this goal. It’s always best to have it done by human translators. Here’s why.
Safety
Technical manuals are often written for products that could be dangerous in some way. It may come with minor dangers of cuts and bruises, or it may have the potential to cause death if used incorrectly. In any case, it is imperative that the manual be accurate, which requires an accurate translation.
Clarity
A customer’s enjoyment of a product can be directly tied to the clarity of the manual. If the manual is unclear, the user will have a hard time using the product. If the manual is clear, however, the user will have a much easier time with the product, and will therefore be much happier with the purchase.
Appearance
Even if the product is easy to use, a customer is likely to glance over the manual. A technical manual can have a surprising impact on the opinion of a consumer, especially if the product is complicated or expensive, like a computer or piece of machinery. A manual that seems poorly written will also make the product feel poorly made, even if it is not. A well written manual, however, will make a mediocre product seem above average, and a great product seem perfect.
Ease
Having a technical manual translated by human translators may seem complicated and expensive, but it can actually be relatively simple, and doesn’t have to break the bank. If you create multiple products that require manuals, it can come to be even simpler, because once you’ve found a company that works for you, you don’t have to go through the search process over and over.
Do you have one or more technical manuals that you think would look better and be clearer if they were translated by humans rather than a machine?
Contact us. We can help you with that and a number of other services.
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