using controlled language to improve content re-use and global-readiness

Using Controlled Language to Improve Re‐Use and Global Readiness

Link to YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nMLXtoK0hY&feature=youtu.be

Kit Brown‐Hoekstra, Comgenesis, LLCVisiting TC Dojo Master

7 March 2016(c) 2016, Comgenesis, LLC 1

Kit Brown‐Hoekstra• Principal, Comgenesis, LLC• STC Fellow• STC Immediate Past President• Editor, The Language of

Localization (coming Fall 2016)• 25 years in Tech Com and

localization, primarily in life sciences

• Blog: www.pangaeapapers.com• Twitter: @kitcomgenesis

(c) 2016, Comgenesis, LLC 27 March 2016

Some Qs for You

• Where are you in the decision‐making process regarding terminology management or controlled language?

• What CMS are you using?• What are your top challenges with localization and content development?

• How many languages do you currently localize into?

• What percentage of your customers are ESL?

7 March 2016 (c) 2016, Comgenesis, LLC 3

Agenda

• Definitions and Context• Risks of Getting it Wrong• Best Practices • ROI


Definitions and Context

“Terminology is like laundry. Just when you’ve got everything cleaned up, it’s time to do it again.”

—Val Swisher, CEO Content Rules


Controlled Language

“Controlled natural languages (CNLs) are subsets of natural languages, obtained by restricting the grammar and vocabulary in order to reduce or eliminate ambiguity and complexity. Traditionally, controlled languages fall into two major types: those that improve readability for human readers (e.g. non‐native speakers), and those that enable reliable automatic semantic analysis of the language.”‐http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Controlled_language


Brief History


AECMA Simplified English(European Aerospace Industries Association (AECMA))

Controlled English(CE)

International Language for Service and

Maintenance (ILSAM)

Caterpillar Technical English

(CTE)

ASD Simplified English (ASD-STE100)(Aerospace & Defence Industries Association (ASD))

Caterpillar Fundamental English (CFE)(Caterpillar)

Basic English(Charles Kay Ogden)19

321970

1972

/199

01980

2005


Some Context


EnglishNumber of English words: 1,035,877*

*As of January 1, 2016 according to the Global Language Monitorhttp://www.languagemonitor.com/number-of-words/number-of-words-in-the-english-language-1008879/


Other Languages

Depending on whom you ask:• French: 500,000‐700,000• Spanish: 300,000‐350,000• Chinese: 100,000‐150,000


Number of Native Speakers*

1. Chinese: 1.3 billion2. Spanish: 427 million3. English: 339 million4. Arabic: 267 million5. Hindi 260 million6. Portuguese 202 million_________

13. German: 77 million14. French: 76 million

*As of 2016, from Ethnologue.comhttp://www.ethnologue.com/ethno_docs/distribution.asp?by=size


Comprehension

• Basic Oral: 2,000 words• Basic Written: 3,000 words• Basic Technical: 4‐5,000 words• University‐Level Text: 10,000 words• Fluency: 20,000 words• Native speaker (adult): 30‐40,000 words

From http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/ETD/image/etd518.pdf


Complexity of English

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the 500 words used most in the English language each have an average of 23 different meanings

•“SET” has 446 definitions• “RUN” has 396 definitions• “GO” has 368 definitions• “TAKE” has 343 definitions• “STAND” has 334 definitions

Risks of Getting it Wrong

“Often, the idea that there can be a wide range of translations of one text doesn't occur to people ‐ or that a translation could be bad, very bad, and unfaithful to the original.”

‐‐Lydia Davis



Translations Gone Wrong

Images: www.engrish.com


Inconsistencies Cost Money

Best Practices (aka How to Get it Right)

“Every day that we spent not improving our products was a wasted day.”

— Joel Spolsky



Management Buy‐in

Image: vichie81 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net


Cross‐Functional Teams

Image: jscreationzs / FreeDigitalPhotos.net


Documented Plans & Processes

Image: renjith krishnan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net


Change Management

Image: ningmilo / FreeDigitalPhotos.net


Style Guides & Templates

http://mfgblog.maryjanesfarm.org/Uploads/Image/Culinary%20Carpentry/cutting%20out%20templates.JPG


Terminology Management

• Early in process• Master glossary• In‐country reviewer buy‐in• Technical terminology differences even in English dialects


Good Tech Comm Practices

Image: Simon Howden / FreeDigitalPhotos.net


QA & Periodic Audits

Image: jannoon028 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net


Measurable Results

Image: Grant Cochrane / FreeDigitalPhotos.net


Cost/Benefit Analysis

Image: dream designs / FreeDigitalPhotos.net


Training

Image: renjith krishnan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net


ROI Projection


Survey ResultsA survey amongst HyperSTE users showed that the use of HyperSTEresulted in the following benefits:

Up to 30% in cost savings on translation and localization

Up to 40% in reduced word count

Quality improvement in writing and translations

Up to 30% in reduced product cycle time

Up to 40% reduction in overall documentation cost

Efficient conversion of legacy documents


Implementation Checklist

• Get buy‐in from upper management and cross‐functionally

• Create a transition/implementation plan• Do training and change management (the human kind)

• Build extra time into the schedule for the initial projects

• Consider using tools to support and automate your efforts

Additional Resources• ASD‐STE100 specification: www. asd‐ste100.org• Brown‐Hoekstra, Katherine. (2013) “Benefits of Using Controlled Language”, GALA blog:

https://www.gala‐global.org/blog/benefits‐using‐controlled‐language• Dublin Core:

http://dublincore.org/resources/training/dc‐2004/english/DC‐2004_Tutorial_4_en.pdf• Google Site on Controlled Language:

https://sites.google.com/site/controllednaturallanguage/• Muegge, Uwe, November 2013, “Implementing Controlled Language is Now Cheaper and

Easier Than Ever!”, TCWorld (http://www.tcworld.info/rss/article/implementing‐a‐controlled‐language‐is‐now‐cheaper‐and‐easier‐than‐ever/)

• Muegge, Uwe, April 2009, “Controlled Language—Does My Company Need It?”, TCWorld(http://www.tcworld.info/e‐magazine/content‐strategies/article/controlled‐language‐does‐my‐company‐need‐it)

• NPR: http://www.npr.org/2010/12/16/132106374/google‐book‐tool‐tracks‐cultural‐change‐with‐words

• Plain Language Initiative: http://www.plainlanguage.gov/• Porter, Alan (2012) The Content Pool. XML Press.• Rockley, Ann and Cooper, Charles (2012) Managing Enterprise Content, 2nd edition. New

Riders Press.


Questions?

Kit Brown‐Hoekstra@kitcomgenesis

[email protected]+1 303.243.4452 (cell)


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