To a translator, technical writer or terminologist, the importance of proper terminology management is self-evident. However, conveying this idea to colleagues, managers, and decision makers is not always as simple as it should be. In order to sell the ideas terminology and terminology management, we need to go beyond our own understanding of terminology and be able to express it in terms that people with a different background can understand and relate to, before using ROI and cost/benefit analysis arguements.

1. Proactive Words
Selling Terminology
TC World Wiesbaden
8 November 2013
Term 12, DeAnn Cougler

2. Overview – about me
Professional translator and consultant for
terminology and translation management
issues
 Expanding translation capacities in documentation
 Centralization of translation activities
 Translating
Langolution.com
2013
2

3. Overview - objectives
Convey the
importance of
terminology –
target audience
Langolution.com
Develop a
solution –
determine scope
required
Demonstrate
feasibility of
working with
terminology
2013
3

4. Overview - situation
 Who we are
 Who they are
 What is terminology
 What the sales divide is
 Why do want to implement a terminology solution
 Where should this be based
 When should it be implemented
 How will we do this
Langolution.com
2013
4

5. Overview - approaches
Importance of
terminology
• Definition
Costs and
investments
• Tools
• Implementation
• Integration
Selling
approaches
• Soft approach
• Hard numbers
Langolution.de
2013
5

6. Who?
Who are you
Who are they
Who needs terminology
Who will use terminology
Who can you reach
Langolution.com
2013
6

7. Who – uses / needs terminology?
Who needs managed terminology?
 Everyone, you, your employer, your customers
Who is it feasible to reach?





Your customer
Your boss
Your department
Your purchasing
Your developers ….
Langolution.com
2013
7

8. Who(m) – is the terminology
for
 For the company
 For a product
 For a special customer
 For a department
 For fun?
 Clarify the objectives of the terminology work
Langolution.de
2013
8

9. Where – do we want to use it
 Internally
 For the company
 For vendors
 For a product
 For customers
 For a special customer
 Special departments
 For a department
 Personal use
 For fun?
 -> type of solution (cloud,
inhouse, hosted)
 Clarify the objectives of the
terminology work
Langolution.de
2013
9

10. How to cross the divide
What are you trying to convey?
 What do you need to convince “them“?
Why?
 How can you build the bridge?
 How can you open the bridge for use (and
keep it open)?
Langolution.com
2013
10

11. Clarifying “Terminology“
Back to the
basics
• What – defining it
for non-specialist
• Why – intrinsic
and extrinsic
advantages
Langolution.de
How – can we
(both) benefit
2013
11

12. Clarifying “Terminology“
1. What is Terminology work?
What processes are involved
Whose job is it?
Research and why?
Langolution.de
2013
12

13. Importance of Terminology
2. Why – what are the benefits?
Soft Benefits
Quality
Corporate language
 Improve quality
(In the context of translation as well as definition)
 Brainstorm!
Langolution.de
2013
13

14. Importance of Terminology
2. Why – do some companies/customers see
the light?
 Product placement – localization
 Technical complexities
 Innovations
 Methodical approach – cultural German vs. English example
 Experience
Langolution.de
2013
14

15. Importance of Terminology
2. Why – what does management / customer think?
Managers said assumed “terminology” would contribute to:
Save time in communications and writing
86%
Ease work requirements, staff
87.7%
Large scale QA improvements
96.9%
More convenient for customers
96%
* „Erfolgreiche Terminolgiearbeit im Unternehmen, 2010, Straub, Schmitz
Langolution.de
2013
15

16. Selling – perceived benefits
 Translation awareness
 Why do German
companies use terminology
more?
 Also
 Technical complexities
 Variety of innovations
 Methodical approach
Langolution.com
2013
16

17. How can we sell it?
Approaches
 Intangibles
 Who
 When
 How
Langolution.de
Hard or soft aspects
 Costs, ROI
 Quality
 Workflows
 Trust
2013
17

18. Selling – to whom
Obvious?
 Define terms to define
products
 Easy to provide
 Understandable
…
Quantifiable?




Langolution.de
Investment
ROI
Time
…
Works for




Terminologist
Translator
Technical writer
PM?
 PM
 Management
 Accounting
 Customer
2013
18

19. Selling - approaches
 Deficiencies – areas for improvement in existing configuration
 Risks – potential problems with new product
 Corporate image
 Why not numbers?
Langolution.com
2013
19

20. Selling - approaches
Deficiencies
 Areas for improvement in existing configuration
 Quality assurance
 Customer experience
 ERP integration
 Time to market
Langolution.de
2013
20

21. Selling - approaches
Risks
 Lack of terminology
management
Import / Export issues
 Customs forms
 Parts ordering (component or
assembly)
 Synonyms
several names for one term > translations
 Homonyms
several concepts with same
name -> incorrect translations
 Unclear, unintelligible names
 Copyrights?
Sales brochures / Contracts /
Support documentation
Cougler.com
2013
21

22. Selling – approaches
Again, the Germans report:
 84.2% - realize that different departments and people use
different terms for same thing
 70.7% report that various documents use different terms for
same thing
 47.1% of staff don‘t always understand immediately what a
term means
 51.1% of staff have to keep asking what the correct name for
something is.
* „Erfolgreiche Terminolgiearbeit im Unternehmen, 2010, Straub, Schmitz
Langolution.de
2013
22

23. Selling – first steps
 Know WHAT you want to sell
 Know WHO you want to sell it to
 Know WHY you want to sell it to them
Langolution.de
2013
23

24. Selling – first steps
 Raise awareness of the issue
 What the problem is,
 Why it‘s a problem,
 How it affects the person, company,
department, etc.
Langolution.de
2013
24

25. Selling – next steps
Who should you be convincing?
? Boss, next boss, colleagues?
Selection of key people might not be obvious
 Experts – not just terminologists
 Credibility – people who have a say
 Leadership – might be management, people with access to
management, people management listens to
Langolution.de
2013
25

26. Selling – moving forward?
Work with team to develop
Focus – where, scope, start
Clarification – definition of objectives
Relevance
 Developers
 Product managers
 Localization in development cycle
Start doing it
Start small but effectively – fastest and most visible improvements
Langolution.de
2013
26

27. Selling – moving forward?
Start doing it
Start small but effectively – fastest and most visible improvements
Walk the walk, don‘t just talk the talk.
Show how easy it is –> clear demonstration of benefits.
Record times and data
Langolution.de
2013
27

28. What about the numbers?
 How much will it cost?
 What is the investment?
 How much will we save?
25000
20000
 When is the projected ROI?
Total
15000
Dept 3
Dept 2
10000
Dept 1
5000
0
1993
Langolution.de
1996
1998
2000
2005
2013
28

29. Numbers and decision
makers
 Intangible
 Instinctively “know“
 Expert opinion
 Disadvantage of numbers
 Numbers used to say no ,
rarely to say yes
 Trust
Langolution.de
2013
29

30. Importance
Basic financial aspects
 Reseach
 Time
 Corrections
Numbers!
 Time is money
 How? Benchmarking
 Time tracking
 Compare time with dictionary
and googling
 Reuse of dictionary, reuse of
google
 ...
Langolution.de
2013
30

31. Determining Costs, Savings
 Time spent on research
 Time spent on re-researching
 Time on corrections
 Translation costs
(one wrong term)
Langolution.de
2013
31

32. Determining Costs, Savings
 Costs for tool
 Fixed investment (one off)
 Costs for implementing
project
 Project planning (time, one
off)
 Daily costs
 PM (constant)
 Costs per entry
 Time, averages
Langolution.de
2013
32

33. Determining Costs, Savings
ca. 10 h
ca. 30 h
Implementation costs
Maintenance
ca. € ?…
Publication
Centralize
ca. 500 h
Implement
80 h
Consolidate
60 h
Plan
Define scope
Take stock
Mar
Jan
Jun
Sep
Langolution.de
Dec
2013
Progress
33

34. Determining Costs, Savings
Daily costs
 Project management – like housekeeping?
 Dedicated resources – as required (one person, part of job)
 Priority time
 Termbase entries
 Recording savings and effects
Langolution.de
2013
34

35. Determining Costs, Savings
Costs for one term entry
 Calculating costs
 Time for average entry
x average personnel cost
/ planned number of entries
 Variations
- Type of entry
- Completeness of entry
- Definition, research, etc.
Langolution.de
2013
35

36. Determining Costs, Savings
 Time savings




Less research time
Shorter correction times
Faster translations
More precise translations (lower error quota)
 QA results
 Less correction work, editing
 Order placement, customs
 Hotline, shorter hotline times
Langolution.de
2013
36

37. Keep selling
Evaluate
Plan
Implement
Repeat*
Langolution.de
2013
37

38. Tools
Know your tools before you sell others on
them
 Tools on market?
 Terminology tools and translation tools
 Regional/customer preferences
Langolution.de
2013
38

39. Tools
Selection Criteria – individual
 Current use
 Potential use
 Budget
 Ease of use
 Compatibility
 ...
Langolution.de
2013
39

40. Tools
Costs
 Listed price
 Training
 Service or support
 Transition
 Maintenance
 ...
Numbers important!
Langolution.de
2013
40

41. Tools
Selection criteria matrix - example
Tool
A
Tool
B
Tool
C
Tool
D
Tool
E
Use
N
Y
Y
Y
N
Budget
Y
N
Y
N
N
Ease
Y
N
N
Y
Y
Compatible Y
N
N
N
Etc
N
...
Langolution.de
2013
41

42. Terminology Tools
Langolution.de
2013
42

43. Selling it
Selling yourself, selling your work
 Useless if not used – Work it!
 Financial support – budgets
 Integrating active support
Langolution.de
2013
43

44. Implementation - evaluate
Take stock
Terminology
Terminology
 Word lists
 Paper distribution
Terminology
Terminology
Terminology
Determine scope
 Degree of centralization
 Amount of documentation
Langolution.de
Terminology
Terminology
2013
44

45. Implementation - repeat
Repeat and expand
 Consolidate
 Centralize
 Publicize
Your customers, your department, your company, your
co-workers
Feedback!
Langolution.de
2013
45

46. Work it!
 Keep selling it
 Show the benefit
 Expand on it, grow it, resell it
 Always selling, matter of course
 Not a sales pitch anymore
Langolution.de
2013
46

47. Conclusion
Define terminology and work
Determine scope
Plan, Develop, Sell
Keep building bridges
Langolution.de
2013
47

48. Questions?
Thank you!