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GFT

Translation Management

Project management has the option of improving translation quality through proofreading

What to expect.

What is particularly important in our project management for translations? For our clients, who are mostly companies in the technology sector, meeting delivery deadlines is paramount. This requires effective translation management. We often have only a few days or even hours available to translate, for example, technical manuals, marketing materials, or legal texts.

This short required response time can be explained by the fact that translation is very often the last link in the production chain . In technical fields, for example, translations are frequently only requested shortly before delivery or assembly of machines or systems. There have even been cases where a technical translation was missing when crossing customs because it was forgotten by the machine manufacturer. Importation into the country was only permitted once the corresponding translation was available. Such an error can very quickly lead to high costs.

Many requests to our experienced translators pose no problem and are part of our normal daily routine . A document of just 250 words to be translated from German to Turkish can be completed within an hour without proofreading by a second translator. However, in many cases, we have to meet the specific requirements of a particular department or those of the client. This may significantly extend the delivery time of an entire translation project – but a good project manager can easily manage this.

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How is the delivery date of a translation determined?

The time required for a translation and the delivery of the finished target text is significantly influenced by the following factors :

  1. What is the length of the translation (words or pages)?
  2. Which languages ​​are needed?
  3. What subject area is the translation in?
  4. In what format are the source texts available?
  5. How good is the layout in the source text?
  6. In what format does the customer want the target text?
  7. Should the layout be revised after translation?
  8. What quality should the translation be? With or without proofreading?
 

An experienced translator can produce up to 10 standard pages (approximately 2,000 words) per day in their field – including proofreading. The translator is supported by a translation memory that also contains the terminology from the relevant language pair. However, in addition to the translation volume, many other factors determine the delivery date.

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Languages ​​and subject areas in translation management

For the major European languages, project management has no problem finding a suitable specialist translator for any subject area. These include, for example, the “global languages” English, French, or Spanish, regardless of whether the field is technical, legal, or marketing.

Things become more complicated with some Scandinavian languages ​​or translations intended for the Asian market. Compared to the European market, there are only a fraction of translators in these regions who possess the necessary professional and linguistic qualifications. These translators are not always readily available, as they are in high demand. Even the lengthy search for a suitable Chinese translator in a highly demanding technical field can delay a translation project. Therefore, it is essential to determine the languages ​​you require translations in early on to ensure planning security for both you and us.

01

Format and layout in project management for translations

 

Handling different source file formats is no longer a major challenge in translation—modern tools allow translators to easily work with formats like InDesign, FrameMaker, or PDF. Only scans still pose difficulties.

However, some challenges remain:

  • Hidden text in images or graphics must be manually extracted, translated, and reinserted

  • Layout adjustments can be time-consuming, especially when translated text expands

Another key issue is tight deadlines. When companies don’t allow enough time, it can negatively affect translation quality. With better planning, translation managers can choose the best translators, translators can work more carefully, and there is more time for feedback, layout, and proofreading—leading to higher-quality results overall.

02

The quality of the translation – proofreading according to DIN 17100?

Project management has the option of improving translation quality through proofreading – although this will extend the delivery time . If the client only needs a document for internal company use, then the two-eyes principle is perfectly sufficient and standard practice for professional translations anyway. In this case, a qualified specialist translator independently checks the target text for errors after the translation process. They are supported in this by appropriate software.

The four-eyes principle according to DIN 17100 should always be used when the translation is intended for review by others, such as marketing translations, business reports, website content, or operating instructions and manuals. In these cases, proofreading is carried out with the help of a second qualified and/or experienced translator.

03

The selection of translators in project management

When selecting translators, the translation management team needs as much important information as possible that the client can provide. This is because the selection is clearly based on the required language, the subject area, the target audience, the target country of the translation, and many other specific client requirements – e.g., with or without proofreading, certified or non-certified, machine or human translation, etc.

For successful and sustainable collaboration, translators, project managers, and clients must be a well-coordinated team. Our practical experience tells us that new clients, in particular, value the ability of project management to assemble the right team of specialist translators right from the start of their translation projects. Ideally, this collaboration will then continue for years to come.

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The translator's qualifications

The most important criterion when selecting a translator is their subject-matter expertise, which they gain through formal training and years of professional experience.

Professional translators typically specialize in specific fields, developing not only the correct terminology and methods but also a deep understanding of the industry itself (e.g., how machines work in technical fields). They also build strong skills in using translation tools.

Based on this specialization, project managers assign translators to projects that match their expertise. A translator focused on a niche area—such as agricultural mechanical engineering—would not be assigned to unrelated fields like marketing, or even to other technical areas where their specific knowledge doesn’t fully apply.

01

The mother tongue principle

For most translation projects, companies assign native speakers of the target language with expertise in the relevant field. This ensures accurate use of terminology and natural language, which is especially important due to each language’s unique grammar, idioms, and cultural nuances—making it the standard approach, particularly in marketing.

However, this principle is not always ideal. In highly technical fields (e.g., mechanical engineering), translators must also deeply understand the source language and its specialized terminology. If they don’t fully grasp the original text, the translation quality suffers.

Therefore, project management must evaluate each project individually to decide whether prioritizing a native speaker or deeper technical understanding is more important.

02

The destination country principle

The target country principle means that translators live in the country of the target language (e.g., UK vs. USA for English). This helps them stay up to date with linguistic and cultural nuances, often improving accuracy and stylistic fluency beyond what the native speaker principle alone ensures.

However, its importance has decreased due to global access to media and cultural content. It can also unnecessarily limit the pool of qualified translators. As a result, the native speaker principle is generally considered more important, although translators based in the target country can still be used if required.

Another key concept is the use of regular translators. When a translator consistently works with the same client:

  • They become highly familiar with the company’s terminology and expectations

  • Communication becomes more efficient

  • Translation quality improves over time

  • Translation memory grows, saving time and costs in future projects

Because of these advantages, clients often prefer to wait for their regular translator if they are unavailable. If not possible, a carefully selected substitute with similar expertise and style is used to maintain quality.

03

Professional project management for translations for industry

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Have a question?

Simply contact us, and we will schedule a consultation to discuss your project and how we can help bring your vision to life.

Translation management is the coordination of all processes involved in a translation project, including planning, resource allocation, quality control and delivery, ensuring projects are completed efficiently and on time. 

Delivery time depends on several factors, including text length, language combination, subject matter, file format, layout requirements and whether proofreading or additional quality checks are required. 

GFT uses experienced project managers who coordinate qualified translators, optimize workflows and allocate resources efficiently to meet even tight deadlines reliably. 

Translators are selected based on their language combination, subject-matter expertise, experience, target audience and specific client requirements to ensure the best possible match for each project. 



Early planning allows project managers to select the best translators, ensure proper terminology alignment, allocate sufficient time for proofreading and layout, and ultimately improve overall translation quality.

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