ISO 9001 – what does this mean for translation quality?
Blue South is the first translation service company in New Zealand to achieve an externally certified quality management system. Certification in accordance with ISO 9001:2000
means that Blue South has a Quality Management System that works and can be relied upon to produce consistent quality.
Aspects of our operation that are covered by the Quality Management System include;
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- Translator approval process plus their ongoing assessment
- Identification of client needs and communication of these into the project management system
- Communication of job details to suppliers
- Quality control procedures for checking of incoming work and handling of any quality issues
- Documentation control procedures
- Project management procedures, authorities and responsibilities
- Data security
- Staff training
- Continual improvement of processes
- Delivery performance
Blue South is regularly audited for continued conformity to ISO9001:2000.
How do I get started? To discuss your translation requirements call us on 0508 443 613 or Email Us
QA Procedures
Blue South’s Quality Assurance procedures are defined in the Operations Manual (as certified according to ISO 9001:2000) which specifies the procedures to follow for every step of the project. These include the following;
- Based upon a thorough understanding of client requirements, we select Topic Targeted Translators from the Blue South list of Quality Assured Translators.
- Translators are thoroughly briefed and all relevant reference material made available.
- Translators translate text, undertaking research as required. Any issues requiring clarification are checked with the client.
- Another native speaker linguist independently proof reads the translation, checking for accuracy and that style and feel of original have been faithfully reproduced
- The proof reader works with the Translator to refine the final text and completes an assessment form which is filed with the job.
- Blue South check the format complies with client requirements, proof the translation and make final checks against a check list prior to delivery.
- Following a format change such as putting the text into a website or typesetting for print, the original translator will undertake a final proofing prior to finalisation.
How do I get started? To discuss your translation requirements call us on 0508 443 613 or Email Us
Quality Assured Translator Approval Process™
Translation is a profession in its own right. In addition to a degree or post graduate degree in translation, translators need a broad set of skills - from the obvious linguistic ability, to being able to cope with a wide range of software applications and most importantly, being a good business partner.
Less than one in ten of the professional translators who start the screening and evaluation process become a Blue South approved translator.
To ensure that only the very best translators from around the World are selected, the Blue South translator approval process comprises;
1. Screening:
All potential translators are initially screened against a very particular set of criteria. This screening ranks translators on areas which include;
- Experience/qualification in translation
- Professionalism
- Linguistic skills
- Linguistic qualifications
- Specialist area
- Work and qualifications in areas outside of linguistics to back up their area of speciality
2. Evaluation:
Short-listed candidates are then evaluated in more detail using methods which include a combination of references, independent evaluations and more detailed screening.
3. Identification of strengths:
Via the screening and evaluation process, we can determine the real subject area strengths of the translators, e.g. IT software, mechanical, pharmaceuticals, copywriting, etc.
4. Ongoing assessment:
As required by our certified Quality Management System (ISO 9001), all approved translators are subject to ongoing assessment.
How do I get started?
To discuss your translation requirements call us on 0508 443 613 or Email Us
Project management
Projects often involve multiple source documents, 10+ languages and a change of format such as typesetting or input into a website. Close Project Management is essential to ensure that the job is delivered on time, on budget and meeting or exceeding client expectations.
Project Manager responsibilities
At the start of a project, a Project Manager will be assigned to take sole responsibility for managing the project through to completion. This means that clients have a single point of contact for that project.
Understanding client requirements is critically important to the whole process. The Project Manager will clarify technical and project related issues and will ensure that the client is kept fully informed about project status.
Operations Manual
The Project Manager will work according to the Blue South Operations Manual (as certified according to ISO 9001:2000) which defines procedures to follow for every step of the project. More>>
Security of data
Procedures for ensuring security of data have been written into the company’s Operations manual. To protect data, files are backed up daily and completed jobs are archived to two different storage media. Back up tapes and all archived material are stored off site when office is closed.
Further, to protect against system crashes, we have redundant systems/hardware to avoid time being lost in the event of a system failure.
Confidentiality
Blue South will treat any client information which it acquires in the course of undertaking translation work as a professional secret and will not divulge such information to any other parties.
Clients new to translation
For new clients, we will take time to explain the process beforehand.
How do I get started?
To discuss your translation requirements call us on
0508 443 613 or Email Us
Consistency
Translation quality benefits significantly from a consistent approach, not only of resources but also of processes. We ensure this through the following;
- For ongoing jobs, we learn the client’s preferred terminology, style and other specific requirements. Once a translator has been established on a job for a client, we will use the same translator again for the next job to ensure consistency.
- Translation memory software enables re-use of repeating segments, throughout all documentation for which the memory is being applied, with significant benefits to consistency. More about Translation Technology »
- We work with customers to create glossaries of terminology per language pair. These are used during the translation process (and grow as required) to further aid consistency and most importantly, reduce the amount of time required for external reviews. To create glossaries of terminology, we can use smart software to generate source language terms for each product group and work with clients to manage the production of multi-lingual glossaries which will grow with the product range. More about Translation Technology>>
How do I get started?
To discuss your translation requirements call us on 0508 443 613 or Email Us
