Interview with a CyraCom Translation Project Manager

Written by Lindsay Lawson | Nov 17, 2022 3:15:00 PM

CyraCom is proud of the quality assurance process we’ve developed for our translation clients—what better way to learn about it than from one of our Project Managers?

Yoshie DeWeese is a Senior Project Manager about to start her fifth year on our team. With prior experience as a software localization Project Manager and a translator, as well as a passion for linguistics, Yoshie is excited to share her insight into CyraCom’s thorough translation process.

Hi Yoshie! It’s so great to have you join us. Let’s start off with how you would describe your role as a Project Manager (PM).

Thanks for having me! PMs oversee the entire translation process, from reviewing the submitted documents and providing quotes all the way to the invoice. We consult with clients to determine the requirements for each project and notify them regarding the translation team’s progress when requested. PMs answer questions, keep projects on track and help our clients receive the most accurate translation possible by the agreed deadline.

What can clients do to receive the best translation possible?

The first thing is to review your primary text for any errors. If the English version of a document isn’t as polished or accurate as you need it to be, the translation may have the same issues. Additionally, we prefer access to the original format, as opposed to a rendered format such as PDF, though we can work with PDFs too.

It also helps our team when we have a few details about your target audience. Beyond translating into another language, think about your readers' education or literacy levels, where you’ll distribute your content, and any other relevant details that could impact the overall tone.

What are some of the benefits of working with CyraCom?

The most significant benefit is CyraCom’s Translation Portal because everything a client needs is in one place. You can request a quote, track project progress, and easily access invoices. CyraCom’s healthcare clients like the portal because it keeps their data secure while saving time. Plus, the portal is easy to use. When you request a quote, it’ll prompt you to give us the detailed information we need to deliver a quote.

Other than the client portal and our ISO accreditations, I would say that our team makes a big difference in the quality of our work. Most PMs are bilingual or have worked as translators; that extra experience helps the quality assurance process go smoothly. We bring a ton of experience and passion for linguistics to work with us daily.

What is CyraCom’s quality assurance process?

First, the PM analyzes the quote request and compiles a list of questions to help us get started. If needed, we’ll schedule a kickoff call to better understand the project’s scope, but we typically provide an estimate within one business day.

CyraCom uses two linguists for each translation project—one to translate and one to edit. After editing, a proofreader reviews the project with intense attention to detail. Usually, the PM acts as the proofreader, looking for any inconsistencies in page numbers, formatting, etc., so that we avoid simple mistakes.

Tell us about a time you caught a mistake while proofreading.

We had a project translating birth certificates, immunization records, and other documents for a set of twins. While reviewing the source documents, I noticed small details were repeated for both twins when they should’ve been different—the exact same weight for both babies, etc. The client was grateful we pointed out the inconsistencies so they could request new documents.

What do you wish clients knew about CyraCom?

Many people don’t know about all the services we offer—we can do more than translate forms and documents. I’ve helped clients localize websites, transcribe Braille and large print, and delivered voiceovers and captions for videos. We really are a one-stop shop.

CyraCom offers fast, free quotes for translation projects!

Contact us at translation@cyracom.com to get started.