Client requirements: Style Guide, terminology and more

As with any assignment, translation/localisation (translation with regard to cultural context) needs some ground rules laid out in order to fulfill the Client's expectations.

These usually come in a form of a Style Guide created either by the Clients themselves, or by translators. In case of the latter, the document needs to get approved by the Client, so that all the important points are agreed on. Once created and approved, the SG can be edited to include more specific instructions, important new information or other requirements the Client sets forth with regard to translations.

Basic terminology is also of great importance. Does your industry require specialist terms to be used? Did your Company create products that belong to a field so specialised that you require relevant terms to indicate this? Please be sure to let the translator know about it! Glossaries can be provided in as simple a format as xls file or converted into termbases with CAT tools. In some cases, translators themselves maintain glossaries and provide them to their Clients in the primary and/or converted formats. With the use of the SG and the Client-approved glossary, the translator can then make sure the text fulfills the Client's requirements as per country standards and terminology.

Clients may also wish to communicate any additional requirements they have with regard to translation: length limitations may be a must for software, global/specific keywords might be required in Help and for website content: using particular calls to action or brand-related discourse may do well as a factor increasing brand awareness.

All this information needs to be provided to the translator at/around the start of the assignment for the end product to be tailored to the needs of the Client. The more information that is RELEVANT, the better, because deeper understanding of Clients' requirements drives better end results, not only for translation, but also in terms of other services.