What Does Project Management Bring to the Project?

Project Management brings several key benefits to the work process:

1. Organisation & Planning:

- It establishes a detailed work plan, allocates resources effectively and defines realistic timelines for each phase of the project.

- It enables an efficient distribution of tasks and responsibilities to ensure optimal workflow and the achievement of objectives.

- In tandem with the client, the parameters of each project are defined so that the client's specific expectations are met.

2. Efficient Coordination:

- It facilitates communication and collaboration between the teams involved, such as localisation engineers, translators, designers, typesetters, proofreaders, and others.

- Coordinates the different activities involved in the project in a harmonious manner to ensure smooth and seamless execution.

- It answers doubts and serves as a link with the client so that everything is resolved at the right time, without affecting the correct evolution of the project.

3. Quality Control:

- It implements rigorous quality control processes to ensure linguistic accuracy and consistency, as well as respecting the original message.

- It ensures that the client's instructions are followed to the letter and that the project parameters are always tracked during the execution of the project.

- Uses proofreading tools and techniques to ensure translation quality and client satisfaction.

4. Resource Management:

- The use of human and technological resources is optimised to maximise productivity and minimise the costs associated with the project.

- Each task is efficiently assigned to the proper resources, thus ensuring the optimal use of translation tools and related technologies.

- It supports the different resources, as it creates a communication channel between them and a single point of contact.

5. Adaptation to Specific Requirements:

- The project approach is adjusted according to the client's specific needs, such as cultural location, delivery format or urgent deadlines.

- Project-specific requirements are met to improve customer satisfaction and strengthen long-term business relationships.

- Any type of incident that may occur during the delivery of the project is resolved to guarantee the final satisfaction of the client.

Types of Project Managers

Within the field of Translation Project Management, it is common to find different types of PMs, each with specific skills and responsibilities. Although a PM can be multidisciplinary, it is important to distinguish between the different types as they have different profiles and skills.

The most relevant ones are mentioned below, with some examples of the type of projects they manage:

1. Language Project Manager

- It focuses on the coordination of linguistic aspects, such as translation, proofreading and terminology management.

- They can manage projects in any area of expertise, mainly involving translation and proofreading tasks.

- The tools used by this specific PM will be those in general use in the industry: Project Management tools, CAT tools, terminology databases, etc.

2. Technical Project Manager:

- They specialise in projects that require technical expertise and involve tasks that are not considered strictly linguistic, such as design, layout, pre-translation, post-production, etc.

- They manage projects and coordinate larger teams of professionals from different areas of expertise.

- The tools used by this specific PM will be, in addition to those in general use in the industry, those required by the project depending on whether it involves design, layout, post-production, voice-over, dubbing, etc.

3. Localisation Project Manager:

- It can manage localisation projects for software, video games, mobile applications, websites, and multimedia content.

- Gestiona proyectos y coordina equipos más amplios de profesionales de diferentes áreas de especialización.

- They handle the same tools as language and technical PM, as well as version control tools, file management, string analysis tools, language environment simulators and localisation testing tools, among others.

4. Vendor Manager:

- Although the Vendor Manager has a separate and very defined profile on its own, its work and description are strongly linked to those of the Project Manager.

- They manage the human, technological and financial resources of the project to ensure its success.

- Due to their level of knowledge and handling of databases of different resources, they are able to manage large-scale projects that require coordination of multidisciplinary teams, such as localisation and translation projects in multiple languages, with tight deadlines and high demand for resources.

Each type of PM brings specific skills and knowledge that are fundamental to the effective management of translation projects and to ensuring high quality results and client satisfaction.



Conclusion

Translation Project Management is essential for the success and quality of projects.

Experienced PMs with technical translation skills efficiently coordinate all stages of the process, from receipt of the original document to final delivery. Their mastery of specialised tools, rigorous quality control and adaptation to specific client requirements ensure accuracy and fidelity in every translation.

They also optimise human, technological, and financial resources to add value to the project and guarantee customer satisfaction and excellence in the final results