Signals of Shift in the Language Industry: Are You In or Are You Out? Renato BeninattoCEO – milengollcATA ConferenceNew York 2009Twitter.com/renatobeninatto#ATA50

Deodorant TestHow many of you are on Twitter?Who was born after 1984?Who used WordPerfect?Who used 3½” floppy disks?Who used 5¼” floppy disks?Who used typewriters?Who did handwritten translations?YOU ARE OLD!

Recap from Previous ConferencesTranslation is like toilet paper: Cheap Only important when absentQuality doesn’t matter: Good haircut or bad haircut? Not a differentiatorHuman-delivered service Not all translations equal

Cheap

Only important when absent

Good haircut or bad haircut?

Not a differentiator

Human-delivered service

Not all translations equal

Dominant Model: Focus on Catching ErrorsHuman nature: introduce errorsUnbalanced skillsTranslator has more information than reviewer, when it should be the oppositeNo real teamworkThe blind leading the ignorantNew Model: Do it Right, Always!

Evolution and InnovationCompetitive markets resist innovation.Companies investing in the existing technologies, processes, and standards don’t think that change will happen and feel safe with their offerings.

Three dogmas prevented innovation in translations

Dogma #1:Translation memories are an asset.

Dogma #2:More eyes improve quality.

Dogma #3:Fewer translators produce more consistent output.

Resources Don’t Grow In TreesTranslators are scarceFormation takes timeDemographic and cultural limitationsAging population in advanced economiesCan’t buy Norwegian translations in UgandaVolumeProductivityPriceTranslators Can double volume in one year, but not resources. Natural environment for automationTime

Can double volume in one year, but not resources.

Natural environment for automation

Disruptive innovation comes from players outside the industry.

Just as we don’t use typewriters anymore, we won’t use Trados.

Slide on GTT

Just as we got used to using Google for search, we will all use Google Translate.

PredictionsBefore 2015, Translation Memory Tools will be free or irrelevant.Most large translation projects will be collaborative in nature, with multiple people working on the same files, online and in real-time.Translator productivity will be measured in tens of thousands of words per day.Companies that get it: Google, Lionbridge, Lingotek, Sajan, Elanex.Biggest loser: SDL

The paradox of the visionary“The closer your vision gets to a provable future, the more your are simply describing the present. In the same way, the more certain you are of a future outcome, the more likely you will be wrong.”Wacker& Taylor, The Visionary’s Handbook

Thank you.Renato Beninatto renato.beninatto@milengo.com+1 (617) 398-0880Blog: http://renatobeninatto.blogspot.comTwitter: renatobeninatto