This document summarizes a presentation by Dan Emery and Ryan Shandley of TransPerfect on designing e-learning content for localization and multilingual audiences. TransPerfect is the world's largest provider of language services, specializing in multilingual e-learning solutions. The presentation covers localization best practices, common content creation mistakes to avoid, and cost-effective localization strategies. It emphasizes using consistent terminology, involving in-country teams, and testing localized content in the target environment.

1. Design and Development
for Multilingual E-Learning
Presented by:
Dan Emery &
Ryan Shandley

2. TransPerfect Overview
 World’s largest privately held provider of
language services
 Specialize in multilingual e-learning and
training solutions

3. TransPerfect Overview
 Founded in New York City in 1992 on the
following business principles:
 Creating a new standard for client service in
the international communications industry
 Employing only the most highly competent
linguists
 Developing customized solutions for clients by
staying at the forefront of technology
innovation within the industry

4. TransPerfect Overview
 Over twenty years and 20,000 clients later:
 More than 3,500 employees
 Over 200,000 projects handled per year
 More than 170 languages supported by our
rigorously selected linguistic resources
 Stable and growing company
 Partnerships with the majority of Forbes Global
2,000 and
Fortune 500 companies

5. Global Locations

6. Learning Expertise
 Types of Content
 Corporate and K-12 learning materials
 Technical, business, and soft skills
 ILT, CBT, blended
 File and Data Formats
 Lectora, Captivate, Camtasia, PowerPoint,
Articulate FrameMaker, Quark, Word,
InDesign, PhotoShop, Illustrator, Flash,
PageMaker, RoboHelp, Webworks, Flare
 DLL, Resource Bundles (Java Properties files,
Resx files, etc.), CSV, EXE, ASP, ASPx, JSP,
JS, HTML, XML, CFM, PHP, PERL, JHTML,
SHTML, INC, CHM, HLP, FM, QXD, QXP,
PM, INDD, AI, EPS, FLA/SWF, WAV, DOC

7. Services
 Translation
 HR materials
 Internal communications
 Newsletters
 Website
 Intranet
 Product packaging and
labels
 Staffing Solutions
 Full- and part-time
positions
 Contract, contract-to-hire,
and direct-hire placements
 Cultural Consulting
 Training and Learning
 SCORM-compliant courses
 Self-paced assessment
programs
 Learning/content
management systems
 Enterprise language testing
 Multimedia development
applications
 Voiceovers/subtitling
 Technical Writing
 Multicultural Marketing

8. Topics
 Localization basics
 Content creation blunders
 Content creation best practices for localization
 Localization best practices for e-learning
 Localization pitfalls and ways around them
 Use of voiceover in e-learning
 Efficient rich content localization for e-learning
 Summary/Q&A

9. The Basics
 Translation
 Localization
 Internationalization
 Translation Memory
 Locales
 Unicode

10. Now the real reason you are
here…
數位學習

11. Content Creation Blunders:
Inconsistencies
Styles
Fonts
Word terms
Glossaries
Messaging

12. Content Creation Blunders:
Cultural Gaffes
 Cultural sensitivity
 Importance of punctuation and word
emphasis from market to market
 Using images in L&D materials

13. Content Creation Blunders:
Structure
 Course duration
 Too many images
 Content delivered in specific sections
 Interactive features

14. Content Creation Blunders: Too
Many Words
 Learning and retention of content reduced
significantly
 Short, and to the point

15. Content Creation Best
Practices Translators may be the only people who read
every word of your work, so make it good.
 What does good mean?
 Be clear and succinct
 Avoid passive voice
 Use a simple writing style with short sentences
 Avoid humor
 Avoid ampersands (&) and strokes (/) to combine
terms
 Avoid jargon, slang, and buzzwords
 If a term is not listed in a current dictionary or
your specialized glossary, don't use it

16. Content Creation Best
Practices
 Control terminology
 Adopt a content re-use policy
 Don’t depend on culture to transmit
information
 Make sure structure supports other
languages
and formats

17. Localization Best Practices
 Make an e-learning localization kit
 Establish terminology (and follow it!)
 Involve your in-country team members
 Test on target environments and operating
systems

18. Localization Kits
 Include information about tools, fonts, key
players, and:
 Course objectives
 Voiceover requirements
 Target output information
(e.g. Flash, HTML, SCORM, etc.)
 Software localization information
(OS/hardware requirements)

19. Terminology
 Flat files for terminology don’t work…
 Flat files are not linguistic tools
 Not able to capture all types of language
 Cannot be effectively shared
 Centralized repository is essential
 Multiple users need to be able to enter terms over
multiple access methods
 Cannot be protected
 Limit editorial rights to safeguard data and workflow

20. Use Your In-Country Team
 Get the team's buy-in early
 Create and review a glossary before the
project starts
 Review the translated content before it's
integrated back into the course
 Send VO samples for the talent selection
process

21. Translation and Review Portal

22. Testing
 Mimic the learner’s use case
 Is the course run from a CD or DVD?
 Is the course going to be accessed through
an LMS?
 Is the course downloaded and then opened in
a localized environment?
 What is the learner’s environment
(software/hardware, surroundings,
connectivity)?

23. Localization Pitfalls
 Assuming the exported course material contains
all of translatable course content
 Translation of the software after the training
material is finished
 Assuming all dialog is in the script
 Assuming the script matches the final product
 Assuming script timings match in all languages
 Not accounting for learner’s data entry

24. Considerations
 Pros and cons of using voiceover
 Cultural considerations for audio and video
 Reshooting video
 Dubbing vs. subtitling

25. Additional Considerations
 Flash
 Environment/layout constraints
 Testing and knowledge assessment
 Use of web connectivity
 Screen captures

26. Cost-Effective Localization
 Video
 Limit the use of actors in video
 If you do have videos with actors, subtitle the video
 Limit the use of voiceover
 If you do use voiceover, limit the number of voices
 Achieve course objectives with as few screen
captures
as possible
 Use common tools to create content (Lectora,
Captivate, Camtasia, HTML, XML)
 Use common output formats (SWF, HTML)
 When possible, reuse content from other
sources (training, documentation, etc.)

27. Questions?

28. CONTACT US
Dan Emery and Ryan Shandley
TransPerfect Learning Services
+1 312.578.0887
demery@transperfect.com
rshandley@transperfect.com