3 reasons why CAT tools make for a simpler and more cost-effective translations for eLearning

Did you ever imagine that offering your eLearning course in multiple languages would be so hard? Well, using technology and the right eLearning translation partner can actually make it very simple.

With the use of CAT tools, the entire translation process becomes faster, more accurate and smooths the process.

So, what are CAT tools or computer assisted translation tools? These are software applications that can be downloadable or online as SaaS and increase productivity, consistency on the translations and create cost savings for clients by remembering previously translated content.

So, how do these tools make more cost effective (eLearning) translations?

1. Save time
   CAT tools create a Translation Memory (TM), basically a database or a repository of original and translated content. The TM consists of units such as words, sentences or segments and get stored with their appropriate translations for reuse. Each time a new translation is done, and a word, segment, or phrase previously translated is identified, the tool populates its translation memory and the translator does not have to translate that section again. Many translation companies keep client’s translation memories if they decide to move on with a different company. We grant full rights to our clients so they can continue taking advantage of their translated assets even if they move on with a competitor.
2. Increase translation quality
   One of the reasons translated eLearning content fails is because of a poor review. Use of subject matter expert translators is key of course but a sloppy review of the final course can cause the project to be a failure. CAT tools automate error spotting such as:
   • Verification of completeness: This includes the overall review of exported content to ensure that it has been translated entirely and that there is no missing text anywhere or issues like missing bullets, issues on the dates, currencies or numbers or other common format issues.
   • Verification of Style Guide and Glossary: If the client has a set Style Guide for communications and a glossary of terms, there is a verification scan that automatically finds any discrepancy in regards to guidelines and terms. This process allows us to find and fix any terminology of style guide issue.
   • Grammar and Spell Check Verification: A spell check is run that identifies any typos or grammatical concordance issues.
   • Verification with Quality Assurance Tool: Bilingual files are thoroughly reviewed using a QA module that detects issues such as lack of number concordance, double spacing, source and target inconsistencies and glossary inconsistencies.
3. Ensure consistency
   If you are an eLearning developer, you often come across similar content and you don’t want to lose time or money to have it translated again. With a TM, you just populate the content and that is it. This is a great advantage when working with multiple teams for large rush projects or to maintain content consistency if you decide to drop a translator and use a new one.

In a nutshell, CAT tools make eLearning translation extremely easy, provide a consistent high-quality output and effective learning experience for learners. Without them, you will be risking quality, create inconsistent translated courses, your eLearning courses will take more time to get translated and probably you will have to pay more as repeated content will note be discounted.

When you are ready to work on the translation of your eLearning, make sure your partner uses CAT tools, knows your authoring tool and is familiar with the outputs required for your LMS. The advantage of working with an eLearning specialized company is that you can save both money and time, and you will be investing in an integrated process to deploy global courses regardless of language.

Talk to us to learn more about our eLearning translation services.