In today’s global economy, manufacturers often need to prepare technical translations of product instructions (i.e. MSDS’s, technical manuals, user guides) in multiple languages for markets around the globe. This is necessary when a single country has more than one national or commonly spoken language, such as English and Spanish in the United States, or when a company is trying to break into a new foreign market. When translating technical documents, the core of the task is to faithfully convert the words from one language into another so that consumers and local vendors clearly understand how a product works. To guarantee that translations successfully convey the intended meaning, best practice requires the use of professional technical translation services with technical reviewers who are also subject matter experts (SME). An SME helps ensure the accuracy of the final technical translation (e.g. user manual or operator’s guide), and can also help identify issues that may exist with the original documentation.

Engineer-written documentation

Manufacturers are increasingly asking engineers to write user instructions for the products they’ve developed. On one hand, this makes perfect sense. The engineers know the products inside-out, so they can quickly put the instructions together, and there’s no need to spend additional money outsourcing the project to technical writers. On the other hand, a technical document produced by engineers can prove more difficult for the end user to understand and follow. Here’s how:

• Accuracy – The engineer’s area of expertise is engineering – not writing. Engineer-written text may contain grammatical errors or irregularities that even the most determined consumer will struggle to understand.

• Exclusion – It’s not uncommon for an engineer to consider a product’s features and uses to be self-evident, because, to an engineer, they are. It can be difficult for an engineer to accurately identify all the features and concepts that require explanation for an end user.

• Jargon – Engineers may use terminology that a user will not easily recognize.

Improving user manuals with SME’s

Technical translation services can connect you with an SME who is capable of extracting the intended meaning from the original document and deliver it with enhanced clarity in the target language. He or she will understand the subject well enough to recognize when an explanation is insufficient or irrelevant for end users, and can make any necessary refinements. Essentially, an SME translator may need to perform two technical translations:

• one from engineer-speak to user-speak; and

• one from the original language to the target language.

A strong relationship that allows two-way communication and collaboration between the manufacturer and the technical translation service can significantly streamline the document translation process. Technical translation services can help by:

• Providing instruction for engineers who are writing user manuals, or assisting them in the use of Simplified Standard English (STE), a form of writing designed to produce translation-ready text.

• Making sure the engineers have the tools they need to produce a consistently formatted original that follows the manufacturer’s style guide.

• Cleaning up original text to resolve any potential problems prior to technical translation.

Translating text within technical art

An especially difficult issue when translating user documentation is translating the text within technical art, such as figures, diagrams, illustrations, or any other type of embedded graphics. These may have been authored in specialized formats produced by computer-aided design (CAD) software, vector illustration, spreadsheets, or photography applications. A technical translation agency can help devise strategies for translating such text and meticulously preserving its meaning in the target language.

Good technical documentation results in a better user experience

Ease-of-use of a manufacturer’s product is one of the critical ingredients in a positive customer relationship. This leads to repeat business and recommendations that help the manufacturer maintain a reputation for excellence. Putting effort into high quality technical translations that help ensure a rewarding user experience is more than just something a manufacturer is expected to do — it’s a shrewd long-term strategy for success in international markets.

It isn’t uncommon for international corporations to employ an assortment of law firms or outside counsel to meet different local and regional legal needs. In doing so, a significant amount of money will inevitably be spent on legal translation strategy and services for cross-border or multi-country dealings.

Often, corporations leave these legal translations to their outside counsel to handle. While this may seem the simplest solution, it forfeits an opportunity to simultaneously keep costs under control, improve efficiency and data security, and ensure absolute quality across all legal translations. This is where a centralized language service provider (LSP) can make all the difference.

Three downsides to uncoordinated legal translations

A corporation that allows outside counsel to handle its legal translation work faces three distinct challenges:

1. Cost — We know of corporations whose network of third-party attorneys contracted up to 140 different translation services in 2021 alone. That’s a significant annual spend! Unfortunately, with translations spread out this way, a corporation has no visibility into cumulative expenditures – let alone an opportunity to benefit from the discounts that such a hefty billing should merit.
2. Quality — With each law firm (presumably) vetting and hiring its translators, the corporation cannot guarantee consistent terminology or accuracy in the translations upon which its business activities heavily rely. In addition to bearing the potential for undermining the success of current activities, inaccurate translations in legal documents can lead to significant problems in the future and potentially hurt your corporation’s reputation. As it has been proven time and time again, word choice can mean everything in litigation, and with each local law firm hiring a different translator, the corporation lacks the means to mitigate such risks comprehensively.
3. Vetting — Lastly, there is no way to be confident that third-party agents are selecting translators strictly based on quality and pricing and not due to some unstated relationship that has nothing to do with the corporation’s interests.

Five benefits of a consolidated legal translation strategy

Corporations that choose to consolidate their legal translation services under a single LSP benefit in the following five ways:

1. Translation projects gain enhanced transparency — On a micro-level, the corporation gains the ability to track the progress of translations during production and to make last-minute changes should a legal strategy shift occur. On a macro level, the large amount of work being tracked across the organization, when combined, can qualify for significant cost savings.
2. Accountability becomes straightforward — By selecting a certified translation service with rigorous internal quality control processes, the corporation recovers control of translation quality, thus ensuring that all legal translations are produced at the highest level and with the maximum protection as they guard against future issues.
3. The corporation gains control of consistency — Corporations can work with LSPs to create customized glossaries that will ensure the constant and correct use of preferred terminology for products and other standard references in every relevant language.
4. Translation memory discounts — Over time, an LSP will be able to incorporate dedicated translation memory tools for further cost reduction through efficiently re-using previously translated material. The longer the relationship between the corporation and the LSP, the larger the company’s translation memory grows and the greater the savings that can be achieved.
5. Centralized & easily repeatable processes — An LSP’s account services may be able to lead the corporation through each project, consulting on best practices and providing advice that helps ensure friction-free, strong, and successful legal translations.

Taking control of translations

International corporations who use outside counsel can make use of these benefits without causing any complex internal changes or creating any additional work for counsel. Choose a reliable and experienced LSP to handle organization-wide translations and then tell each law firm under contract to obtain all future legal translation services from that LSP. Outside counsel can instruct the LSP on your behalf, which will immediately achieve greater efficiency, consistent quality, and cost savings for your corporation.

About Morningside

Morningside, a Questel Company is a recognized leader in comprehensive legal language solutions and eDiscovery services for the legal industry. We provide the world’s largest law firms and corporate legal departments with a full suite of services, ranging from legal document translation, contracts and compliance documentation to full-scale multilingual litigation requiring certified translation and foreign language document review to supporting complex eDiscovery projects. We deliver customized legal document translation solutions based on your case’s size and budget requirements, utilizing industry-leading technology to ensure accuracy, lower costs and faster turnaround times. Find out why 97% of the Am Law 200 and 90+ leading global brands rely on Morningside.

Dylan Blaney

Dylan Blaney, Vice President of Business Development, Morningside, a Questel Company, is responsible for the company's global legal translation strategy and maintaining relationships with the world's largest corporate legal departments and law firms. Dylan expertly advises law firms and corporations on best legal translation practices, specifically implementing workflows and technology that reduce cost, improve quality, and accelerate deadlines. He specifically focuses on international litigation & arbitration, FCPA, patent litigation, M&A, internal corporate communication & documentation to ensure adequate global communication in the legal marketplace.

Regulatory authorities around the globe view medical device labeling as an integral part of the medical product itself. These documents provide critical risk/benefit information as well as clear instructions for safe use. They come in a wide range of formats, including brochures, leaflets, user manuals and videos – basically, any document containing explanatory information geared toward the patient.

When a medical device is introduced to a new market, all labeling content is carefully reviewed for compliance with local rules and regulations. Any problems with the way the labeling is worded could result in a delay in distribution, a product recall or adverse events with patients. That’s why it’s critical that these documents – and all medical translations of them – are as accurate as possible from the beginning. So, check out the following five tips to learn more about overcoming multilingual issues in medical device labeling.

Tip #1: Use accessible language

The efficacy and safety of a medical device is dependent on proper usage. Be sure to avoid jargon and keep instructions simple. Not only will this kind of language make it easier for English-speakers to understand, it will also make it easier to translate medical labels into the other languages required.

Tip #2: Provide documentation electronically

Some regulatory authorities require medical device labeling to be provided online, and it should be clear to the end-user where that information can be accessed. Digital deployment makes it easier to provide labeling in multiple languages without adding bulky documentation to the device packaging. It also makes it easier to keep information up-to-date.

Tip #3: Use graphics liberally

Medical device labeling is a classic case where a picture is worth a thousand words when incorporated effectively. Try making graphics large enough to convey the focal point. Use dark, sharp lines for good contrast, and add cues such as circles or arrows to highlight key information.

Tip #4: Use internationally recognized symbols and icons

Many symbols and icons have become standardized and should be used wherever possible in medical device labeling to overcome language barriers. However, it is incumbent on the manufacturer to ensure that the symbols and icons will be properly understood by any given target audience – which is why pretesting and localizing of medical labeling content is critical.

Tip #5: Use videos or animations

Supplement classic instruction manuals with engaging videos or animations that contain minimal text and maximum imagery.

Start early, finish ahead

The complicated process of medical device labeling is easier to manage if its multilingual components are addressed strategically from the beginning. Clearly translated medical content and a rich array of graphical elements will ensure that the labeling makes sense across a wide range of target languages. If you need help translating your medical device labeling, reach out to Morningside below. Our team has in-depth industry knowledge of country-specific regulations, global markets, and the entire life sciences commercial supply chain.

You may have noticed that it can take more words to say something in one language than in another. For example, it takes three words in French (s’il vous plaît) to accomplish what you can with one word of English (please). Text expansion and contraction has a direct impact on the cost of translation, and it plays an extremely important role when considering design for multilingual websites, marketing campaigns, presentations – and pretty much any project that needs to be available in multiple languages.

What is text expansion and contraction?

This is a term used in the translation industry to account for the increase or decrease in a document’s final word count when it is translated. For example, French and other romance languages are known to be wordier than English. A document with 1,000 English words translated into French will convert into approximately 1,150 target words — a 15% increase in the document’s word count. That is text expansion. Asian languages like Chinese, Korean and Japanese will usually convert into fewer total words when translated into English. That is text contraction.

How does text expansion and contraction affect pricing?

Calculating expansion or contraction during translation is not an exact science. Most language service providers use ratios based on typical expansion/contraction rates for different language pairs. For example, in English to German translation, the word count usually contracts by 20%, and therefore this is the ratio that most translation companies use. (If you have ever seen a German compound word like Donaudampfschifffahrtsgesellschaftskapitänsmütze – which translates to “Danube steamboat shipping company Captain’s hat” – you’ll understand why.) Pricing can also be affected by a document’s subject matter, terminology, and the quality of the original writing — all of which can cause the text to expand more or less than the ratios predict.

How does text expansion and contraction affect design?

Let’s say you have a short product description in English (100 words) that needs to be translated into French for a PDF brochure, a video advertisement, and a software app. Here’s what could happen: A one-line English headline in a cleanly laid out PDF brochure can turn into a two-line French headline that bumps the rest of the copy down or even off the page. A video with music and graphics synced to English text can become unsynced when the text is translated to French. The menu buttons on a software app can end up expanding awkwardly or displaying incomplete words, causing a major UI problem. So, as you can see, translations that result in text expansion or contraction can have a very real impact on design quality. That’s why it’s important to work with a localization expert to ensure all of your materials are not only translated accurately, but visually adapted as well.

Trust a localization expert

Morningside has 20 years of experience working with businesses to linguistically adapt products, documents, websites and software applications for target markets around the world. It’s a process we call localization, where translation is just the first step. We then work to adapt layout, design and graphical elements to properly fit the translated text. Our team includes expert linguists, DTP specialists, voiceover talent, and dedicated project managers experienced in providing multilingual localization services in 200+ languages. If you have any more questions about text expansion and contraction, or localization in general, contact us below.

Madeline Sturdivant

Madeline Sturdivant, Brand Marketing Manager at Morningside, a Questel Company, is an accomplished marketing professional with over six years of experience in digital marketing, branding, events, and strategic communications. She leads global marketing strategies, driving brand growth and managing multi-channel campaigns that connect with diverse audiences. Passionate about storytelling, Madeline excels in creating compelling content that resonates with customers and stakeholders. With a proven track record of enhancing brand visibility and fostering engagement, she leverages data-driven insights to craft strategies that exceed business objectives.

Did you know that 75% of online shoppers prefer to browse websites published in their own language? In fact, 60% of those surveyed by CSA Research said they rarely or never buy from English-only sites.

As a result, a key component of a company’s ability to penetrate new markets is the language of its online content. And while website translation certainly has its challenges, it is perhaps the most critical and worthwhile strategy for increasing global revenue.

In this blog post, we’ll look at four of the most common website translation challenges we see from our clients and explain how you can overcome those hurdles with some basic planning and preparation.

1. Using Proper Terminology Consistently

Many companies have specific product and/or industry terminology, and these terms need to be translated correctly – on the first instance – so that they make sense for each target language website. We recommend creating a glossary of common terms, or a termbase, before beginning the actual website translation process. Creating a termbase has its upfront costs, but it will ultimately save time and money down the road as you continuously update your online content. Here’s how it works:

• Extract a list of terms that are commonly used throughout your source language website.
• Provide that list to your translation company, along with some context to help the translators.
• The translation company will input the terms into a terminology database, where subject matter experts will add the correct translation for each term and language.
• When the termbase is complete, your company can review the work and make any necessary changes before signing off.

Once this process is complete, translators can dig into the full website translation – but words and phrases from the termbase will become available for reference in a box on the side of their work screens. Then linguists can simply select and insert the correct translations for specified terms without spending any additional time researching those phrases. After the translation is complete, QA checkers will make sure your preferred terminology was used and, if not, they can apply corrections as necessary. Following this process ensures consistency within the project, as well as across other translated assets, which ultimately saves time and reduces your costs.

2. Adapting the Content to Each Locale

Ideally, your original content tells a clear and succinct story with minimal idioms, slang and/or local references. However, this isn’t always the case, which is why translation is just the first step in the localization process. Highly trained linguists will look for the intent of your source language and then convey that message in the right context to the target audience. (GoogleTranslate cannot do that!) Additionally, you need to consider adapting your:

• Layout – Does the translated text fit properly on the screen?
• Design – Are the colors and photos culturally appropriate/sensitive?
• Local requirements – Are there references to local regulations or legal requirements?
• Formatting – Are conversions required for local currencies, units of measure, dates, addresses or phone numbers?

3. Completing Multilingual GUI Testing Before Release

Before localized websites are released to the public, they need to be tested and reviewed. First impressions mean a lot, and if there are mistakes, you could lose the interest of potential customers. That’s why it’s always a good idea to check with your translation company to ensure that they can perform UI/GUI testing and QA on translated websites.

Ultimately, every word should make sense in context and all functional and cosmetic aspects of the site should look right and work properly. For example, it’s hard to see things like text expansion (some languages require more words) until you view the translated content in the graphical user interface. How does it look? Are any words or lines cut off? Does every button and link work properly? Overall, is the site easy to browse and intuitive to use?

4. Keeping Your Published Multilingual Website Up-to-Date

Releasing your multilingual website is a major milestone. Once it’s available to the public, it’s important to keep each language updated with your most current content. Managing this process can be tricky, especially if you update your website frequently, so here are two technology tools that can help you:

• Translation plugins – If you manage or operate a website powered by WordPress or Drupal, consider using an automated translation plugin like Morningside Translator (for Drupal) or WordPress Multilingual. Both work to build a bridge between your website’s source language content and Morningside’s network of 8,000+ native linguists and subject matter experts, all while allowing you to monitor the status of projects, submit & approve quotes, and review & publish translated content in the plugin dashboard. Take a closer look at these two options here.

• Translation proxy solution (TPS) – A TPS like Sitelingo is another great way to handle web updates. Sitelingo can scan your website on a regular basis (either daily, weekly or monthly) to detect new content, and then it automatically kicks off the translation process. You don’t have to search the site for what’s new, save the content in a spreadsheet, send language files back and forth, etc. Instead, a TPS provides a very efficient, low maintenance approach to updating and maintaining multilingual websites.

Conclusion

Translating your website can open up many new opportunities for your business. It’s not without challenges, but with a little planning and preparation you can overcome them. As a website translation company, we have experience localizing content in over 200 languages. If you have any more questions, please contact us below.

Medical translations are a specialization that require high-quality work. There is zero tolerance for error — even a missing decimal point on a document could cause harm or death. That’s why it is absolutely critical to work with a medical translation company certified to the latest ISO standards. Applying for these certifications is voluntary and time-consuming, not to mention expensive, so not every translation company chooses to complete the process. Those that do are providing you with a signed commitment to delivering first-rate products/services, and that should give you confidence in the company. Now let’s take a look at three ISO standards that a medical translation company should have and the value that they bring.

Three Key ISO Certifications

A translation company that specializes in medical document translations (e.g. clinical trial documents, regulatory submissions, or labeling & instructions) should have the following ISO certifications:

• ISO 9001:2015 – This is an internationally recognized standard that outlines general processes and procedures for maintaining a quality management system (QMS). It applies to any business in any industry.
• ISO 17100:2015 – This standard is intended specifically for translation service providers. It outlines specific processes, resource requirements and other stringent guidelines for the delivery of high-quality translation services.
• ISO 13485:2016 – This standard defines the requirements of a QMS for companies that are in the medical device industry. It outlines obligations for manufacturers and service providers to monitor and control both internal processes and outsourced processes that affect product quality. This is where translation and localization companies come in – if a medical device manufacturer outsources their translation process, the manufacturer must be accountable for their supplier. Thus, many large medical companies will also require their translation company to have achieved ISO 13485:2016 certification.

What is a QMS?

A QMS is a formalized quality management system that documents processes, procedures and responsibilities for meeting quality objectives. A QMS provides many benefits, including improved processes, reduced waste, reduced costs, and optimized resources. In addition, a QMS directs a company in how to best achieve customer requirements. To obtain ISO certifications, and to get re-certified, a company must have good management and quality practices.

A Deep Commitment to Clients in the Medical Industry

Obtaining the three ISO certifications above, especially ISO 13485:2016, shows that a company is deeply committed to serving the medical device market. To obtain the certifications, a company must meet the strict requirements of the standard, go through a rigorous auditing process and become re-certified on a routine basis. It’s a laborious process that requires significant resources and regular maintenance. It’s also a voluntary process, so a company that obtains these certifications shows a true commitment to quality control.

Translation Tools and Technologies Drive Efficiency

As part of their QMS, a translation company should have professional translation tools and technologies such as:

• Translation memory (TM) – A translation memory is a repository of original content and the translated versions of that content. A TM reduces costs, increases consistency and reduces time to market.
• Terminology management and glossary tools – These tools manage client-specific terminology, including branded terms, products/services and industry terms. Managing terminology helps to maintain consistency across translations, while simultaneously reducing costs and time to market.
• Client Platforms – A client portal (or platform) is a tool for clients to access and manage their translation projects at any time. Portals usually have features such as initiating and tracking projects, communicating with team members and downloading reports.

These types of tools drive process efficiency and bring numerous benefits to clients and the company.

About Us

At Morningside, we’ve been providing high-quality medical translation services for over 20 years and we have obtained all three of the critical ISO certifications described above. Our quality assurance process includes many layers of controls, including editing and proofing with built-in redundancies. To learn more about our high-quality translations, contact us today.

Many types of life sciences documentation require translation as outlined by each country’s governing medical agency.

Some content that may need to be translated includes clinical trial instructions, medical device IFUs (instructions for use), software that runs surgical equipment, medical textbooks and more.

If you’re responsible for procuring professional medical translation services in this unique and highly regulated industry, here are seven things you should know:

1. Absolute accuracy

Medical translations are a specialization, and they require high-quality work. There is zero tolerance for medical translation and editing errors—even an accidental numerical error on a pharmaceutical document could cause harm or death.

2. Subject matter expertise

Given the nature of the content, medical translations can’t be done by just anyone. Medical translations require translators, editors and proofreaders to be highly experienced subject matter experts in the specific medical field.

3. National translation requirements

The international medical industry is highly regulated, so be sure you work with a language services provider (LSP) specializing in medical translations. In most countries, clinical trial documentation and medical labels (on containers, packaging and inserts) must be translated. However, the requirements for translations in each country vary and are regulated by local agencies. For example, countries in the European Union follow the Medical Devices Directive 93/42/EEC, which defines translation requirements based on the type of content and user type, and also outlines requirements for countries with more than one official language. An LSP that specializes in medical translations will know what’s required in each country and can help you successfully navigate the requirements.

4. Proper documentation

Within the medical field, the pharmaceutical industry may be the most specialized. This industry requires detailed documentation of all processes and products, with regulatory requirements requiring translated content to advance between stages. Translators should come from the pharmaceutical industry with experience translating a range of pharmaceutical content & documentation.

5. Cost considerations

High-quality medical translations need to be performed and proofread by subject matter experts in the relevant medical field. Some translations must undergo the additional step of linguistic validation, depending on their use. Don’t compromise on quality by selecting the cheapest translator – when it comes to medical translation, quality has to be perfect.

6. Confidential information

Depending on the confidential nature of your content, you may need to ask your LSP to secure confidentiality agreements from the team members working on your project. An LSP should be able to accommodate this request.

7. Terminology management

Using correct, consistent terminology is a critical part of producing high-quality translations. If you don’t have one already, your LSP can help you develop a glossary of terms that will be used throughout your translation project/s. Establishing these terms before translations begin increases translation consistency while also saving time and money.

If you’re considering expanding your business into foreign language markets, a translation memory (TM) is one of the tools you can implement with your translation services company. A TM helps translators work more efficiently to reduce costs, increase consistency and reduce time to market. Here’s a closer look at all you need to know about TM.

What is Translation Memory?

A translation memory is a repository of original content and the translated versions of that content. For each new project, the translation services company inputs the new content into the TM, and the TM identifies repeated or similar content. Translators can then reuse previously translated content stored in the TM during future projects. As more content is translated, the TM continues to grow — so the more you put into the TM, the more you get out of it.

How Does a Translation Memory Work?

The TM compares existing content to the new content and identifies three types of segments:

Repetitions/100% match – This type of segment occurs when a new word segment matches exactly with another word segment in the TM. For example, let’s say that you previously translated this sentence: “To complete the installation, you need two AA batteries.” If this sentence exists in a new translation project, it would be identified as a repetition/100% match. The translator still needs to review the sentence for context and quality, but this type of segment takes the least time of the three to translate.

Fuzzy segment – This type of segment occurs when a word segment partially matches another word segment in the TM. Per the previous example, let’s say that your TM contains the following sentence: “To complete the installation, you need two AA batteries.” Now let’s say that your new translation project contains this sentence: “To complete the installation, two AA batteries are required.” In this case, the TM will recognize the sentence as a fuzzy match because the first part matches an existing segment exactly, but the second part is somewhat different. A fuzzy match takes the translator less time to work through than brand new content, but obviously it takes more time than a 100% match.

New segment – A new segment is one that either doesn’t match any existing segments or it matches a segment at less than 50%. A translator will have to translate this segment from scratch.

Note: A translator will see both the original content and the highlighted 100% match/fuzzy/new segments, and then decide whether to accept the translation that’s in the TM or modify it. Upon completion of any translation project, the TM will need to be updated so that it contains the latest information.

Benefits of a Translation Memory

A TM has three main benefits:

It Saves You Money – When repetitions/100% match and fuzzy segments are identified, they will have lower translation fees than new segments. If you’re working in an authoring environment where you have a content reuse strategy, you’ll probably have a lot of 100% match segments. If you don’t have a content reuse strategy, and/or if you have multiple writers, chances are that there will be a lot of fuzzy segments along with some 100% matches. In either case, a TM will make your translation projects more cost-effective due to its ability to recognize word segments.

It Improves Quality – Using a TM will increase consistency across different projects. It makes for a better customer experience when things are translated the same way across all documentation, websites and software applications. Even if more than one translator is working on a project, the suggestions from a TM can help translators remember which specific words to use. This can be especially handy if there are certain standard terms for your industry, product or service. If you work with your translation company to capture this terminology and get it translated before a project begins, you can incorporate it into your TM. A TM and a glossary of standard terms are two good tools to use together for the highest quality translations.

It Decreases Time to Market – A TM prepopulates new content with previously translated segments. A translator can then simply approve those segments and focus their energy on new content. You can really see the benefits of using a TM whenever content is repeated a lot, such as with technical documentation, or with larger projects such as website and software localization. With a TM in place, you can expect faster turnaround time and therefore decreased time to market.

Does the prospect of selecting a medical device translation company fill you with anxiety? The right company can do wonders for your brand, while the wrong translation company can cause major damage to both your reputation and bottom line. It’s an important decision to make and not one to be taken lightly. These five tips will help you select a translation company that can localize your medical device materials professionally, accurately and according to local laws and regulations.

1. Do Your Research

This cannot be emphasized enough. Only look for translation companies that offer medical translations as a specialty or as their core competency. Since this area is so specialized, you should only rely on experts who understand the complicated process. Medical translators must be subject matter experts, or even doctors, who know the regulations and certifications that are required in each country.

Check references to make sure that the vendor has plenty of subject matter expertise and that it has accumulated loyal customers over the years. Also, make sure the medical translation company you’ve chosen has a dedicated project manager who is responsive and available to you as needed.

Tip: If you’re new to medical translations, you’re going to need time to understand the process. It’s OK to ask for explanations and to expect a high level of responsiveness and customer service from your vendor.

2. Look for ISO Certifications

For medical devices and other medical translations, you should expect a translation company to have the following ISO certifications: 

• ISO 9001:2015 – This is the international standard for quality control. It specifies general requirements for setting up a quality management system (QMS) that meets customer and regulatory requirements. This standard is intended for any organization of any size in any industry.
• ISO 17100:2015 – This standard is similar to ISO 9001, but it’s geared towards the specific processes required to deliver quality translation services.
• ISO 13485:2016 – This standard outlines specific quality management system requirements for companies providing medical devices and related services.

Tip: If a medical device manufacturer outsources its translations, the manufacturer will be held accountable for the work of the translation company. That’s why many medical device companies require translation vendors to obtain the ISO 13485 certification.

3. Gather Bids

When you’re researching a medical device translation vendor, it’s a good idea to seek a few different bids. This does not have to be a formal RFP process, but it’s important to make sure you are comparing apples to apples. For example, when speaking to different translation companies, make sure you provide clear and consistent project instructions and then ask for a full explanation of how the vendor will complete the required tasks, how long it will take to do so, and what the cost for services will be.

It’s especially important to understand the vendor’s quality management system. If a vendor only has one quality control step, ask why. At Morningside, our quality assurance process includes multiple rounds of editing and proofing with built-in redundancies to ensure accuracy, proper terminology and correct localization for the target audience.

4. Don’t Expect Cheap and Fast Translations

Have you heard of the project management triangle? It’s a concept that’s been around since the 1950s. In this model, there are three key elements – good, fast and cheap. Your project can be any two of these – but it’s impossible to achieve all three.

With medical device translations, the work must be good – there is simply no room for inaccuracy in this industry. If you cut corners to save money and time in the short term, you will pay for it later (products will be pulled from shelves and costly litigation can take place).

That leaves you with a choice to make about cost. If you want your project completed quickly, it’s not going to be cheap. Rush fees will be applied. However, you can save money (and avoid rush fees entirely) if you plan a project timeline with your vendor well in advance of your deadline.

5. Talk to Fellow Industry Professionals

Are you in touch with fellow medical device colleagues at other companies? Are you attending an industry trade show in the near future? Try asking fellow professionals which translation vendor they’re using and whether they’ve learned many helpful lessons along the way. It’s always better to learn from others than to experience issues first-hand.

Invitation to Connect

If you’d like more information about medical device translations, feel free to reach out to us today or request a complimentary quote. As a medical device translation company, we have all three ISO certifications and 20 years of industry experience.

Communicating with your global workforce is crucial for employers who want to keep their employees motivated. Creating a sense of belonging through a shared mission – with regular communications – is critical for employee satisfaction. It can go a long way towards promoting productivity and increasing employee engagement. For multinationals, it’s vital to devise a strategy for communicating with your global workforce to ensure connectivity across locations and cultures. This helps produce a consistent on-brand internal voice and project the company image you want your employees to have. Follow these eight tips to ensure you communicate with your global workforce as effectively as possible.

1. Define your mission and goals

A comprehensive corporate communications strategy can’t be effective without a defined mission statement. If you don’t already have one, take some time to write up the mission of your company, firm or organization. Clearly explain what you’re about and state some short and long-term goals. Then, think about what you need to achieve those goals, measure progress, and how an effective communications strategy can help you. For example, do you want to encourage teamwork? Gratitude? A little healthy competition? The more specific you can be about your goals, and the more you can quantify them, the easier it will be to measure success and failure down the road.

2. Know your audience

Familiarize yourself with the culture of each foreign office, and communicate with employees in a way that respects their culture. A straightforward example is the holiday season: not everyone celebrates the same holidays simultaneously. Instead of sending a generic “Merry Christmas” greeting to all company offices, send holiday-appropriate cards to overseas employees for Ramadan, Rosh Hashanah, or Chinese New Year.

3. Mobile accessibility

More people view content on their phones than on desktop computers in today’s world. Corporate communications should be designed to work optimally on mobile platforms – especially if your organization has remote workers or employees who are often traveling on business. To ensure an optimal mobile viewing experience, ensure your content is responsive and let your employees know about any relevant mobile apps they need to download for proper viewing (e.g., Outlook, Salesforce, etc.).

4. Snackable bites go down easy

Try to write and send snackable content: “short, sweet, and extremely filling,” per branding and marketing agency The Halo Group. One great way to accomplish this is via infographics. Why? Because research shows that 65% of people learn better visually and tend to process images up to 60,000 times faster than text. As such, corporate communications have the potential to be a form of marketing the company to itself, also known as ‘internal marketing.’ This means you should invest in making your internal resources as visually pleasing as possible. Think like a marketer and try using bright, colorful and professional-looking graphics. Tip: Check out these tools for assistance in creating awesome infographics, and here is an article on the psychology of colors when marketing.

5. Keep it simple

Don’t waste employees’ time with company-wide communications that no one cares about. Make sure every communication is relevant and targeted to your audience. Employees will probably welcome insights about how the business is doing overall and specific company goals. Reporting industry trends and competitors can help employees place their efforts within a larger context. Of course, you’ll also want to announce any special events you’re planning, such as seminars, professional development opportunities or social gatherings. Talk to team leaders to see if they’d like the chance to regularly update the rest of the company on their department’s activities and accomplishments. Bottom line: In a multi-site company, put an extra premium on identifying content that interests all of your employees, not just those who work out of HQ.

6. Call to action

Where possible, implement calls to action in your communications. Asking an employee to do something — ideally something easy — helps get them invested in the content. For example, when you post a new blog, share the link internally and ask your employees to like or share it on social media if it speaks to them. Suppose there is an introductory seminar or update to company policy. In that case, a survey or quiz is a great way to engage employees and ensure that they review and understand the new rules or policy.

7. Speak their language

Work with a Language Service Provider to ensure that employees in all offices understand your communications, especially critical communications like updates to the employee handbook. Translating important employee communications is legally required in many countries. An LSP can also help assess the appropriateness of text, images and colors for different cultures. Sending out culturally appropriate content in your employees’ local languages will ensure compliance with local language laws and make everyone feel valued and included in the company culture.

8. Communication is a two-way street

If an employee responds to your communication, you need to have a quick mechanism to respond quickly. Employee feedback can be a fantastic way to identify unseen opportunities for collaboration between teams or sites, strengthen company unity and spot issues brewing below the surface. It would be best if you also considered setting up a way for employees to provide feedback anonymously. You can address anonymous comments or suggestions during internal global calls or internal all-office emails.