In today’s translation process, the inspection of deliverables plays an important role. Although Comsus has highly skilled and experienced translators, we need to be sure that the end product we deliver always meets the high quality standards of our clients.
When translated text was typed on paper before we were able to enjoy the convenience of computers, we had to rely on our translators to maintain the required quality level. The quality assurance process was minimal on the part of administrators. Once the use of computers became widespread and all source materials were digitalized, the reviewing process became more sophisticated. However, the quality control process was still time consuming for reviewers who had to cross check source text and translated text to find mistranslations, incorrect use of terms and other errors. A lot of after-hours work was required for quality checks.

To streamline the translation process, Comsus incorporated into our work environment a Trados TM (translation memory) / MT (Multi Term) server, which allow translators to access the same translation memory on the server so that more than one translator can work simultaneously on the same project. Conventionally, splitting one assignment among multiple translators led to discrepancies in styles, word usage, and the overall quality level of the translation. However, by sharing the same translation memory, translators are able to see the work of collaborating translators, and subsequently match styles, use the same terms, and otherwise ensure translations are as uniform as possible. In addition, Comsus now has a unique quality assurance tool - developed in-house - and is able to provide translations with the highest-ever quality level.

This innovative tool has been developed in various stages over four years and now has a wide range of functions. The tool has been installed into the PCs of all translators and reviewers working with Comsus.
Let us introduce some of the key functions of this tool. Because this tool was developed to comply with our business needs, it has every function necessary to fulfill Comsus’ quality assurance requirements. It has basic functions such as a spell-checker, a grammar checker, and a number/symbol-checking function that checks for discrepancies in numbers and symbols in the source file against those in translated text. More sophisticated components include a function that identifies incorrect term usage, and a function that picks out translated text that does not match the existing translation in the TM for the identical source text. All problematic items are listed and, by clicking on any pertinent item, a translator can jump to the sentence in question in the relevant file.
Here is a screenshot of the main menu.

Remarks from Checkers/Translator/Project Manager

Checker Fox
I always sort the list of problem items in order so that I can group entries related to the same issues. I like the function to open the relevant file containing a problem, too.

CheckerSea Otter
I use the general check function to list spelling errors and find duplicate entries. I deal with each of the listed problems consecutively. Duplicate entries are sentences that have been translated differently even though the source text is the same. I go through each listed entry carefully in order to correct them.

TranslatorIguana
When I translated IT-related files in the past, I was nervous about incorrectly copying sample codes, numeric values, etc. into the text I translated. Now that I can run the tool after I finish translating, I do not have to be too careful about numbers and codes while I am translating and I can concentrate on the actual translation itself.

Project ManagerWhite Bear
I created the tool, which is still being developed and evolving. When users let me know what additional functions they want, I do my best to incorporate them.