Speaker: Maha El-Metwally What is remote simultaneous interpreting? Origin and history. Options for organizing an online event with RSI: RSI platforms, Zoom, interpreting using available programs. Upsides and downsides of each option. Hidden pitfalls. What the online event organizer should know about? How to get ready for RSI: necessary equipment, setting up the working process. RSI is not easier than on site interpreting – on the contrary, it is harder! Arguments and how to negotiate with clients. Marketing for remote interpreters. Case studies and practical examples

1. RSI: A new reality
Maha El-Metwally
Tuesday, 21 July 2020

2. About me

3. 3
Client Education
Moving face-to-face meetings to online
meeting is not always straightforward

4. Listen to the client’s requirements

5. Discuss the meeting format
Dialogue?
Webinar?
Panel?

6. Advise on the most suitable fit

7. Explain which equipment they need

8. Share tips
(Be seen, be heard)

9. Insist on a dry run

10. 10
Pricing Your Service

11. Existing pricing models
 Per minute
 Per hour
 Per day
 Name your price

12. How to Price Your Service?
Factors to consider:
 Technical Induction
 Fatigue
 Technostress
 Client Education

13. How to price your service?
 Your own studio?
 Working in a hub?
 Consultant interpreter – turn-key solution
 Project based quote

14. Terms & Conditions
 Amended contract / special RSI contract
 Work hours
 Team Strength
 Liability
 Recording

15. 15
Professional Associations

16.  AIIC held a number of awareness raising, discussion and training
sessions on remote interpreting in several regions like the Netherlands,
the UK, Greece and Germany.
 AIIC issued a set of Guidelines for Distance Interpreting:
https://aiic.net/page/8734/aiic-guidelines-for-distance-interpreting-
version-1-0/lang/1
 COVID-19 Recommendations: https://aiic.net/page/8964/aiic-covid-19-
distance-interpreting-recommendations-for/lang/1

17. The Institute of Translation and Interpreting Position Paper:
 recognises the need for and the potential of remote interpreting,
especially in situations where it is difficult to find local qualified
interpreters.
 welcomes ongoing efforts to create remote interpreting standards
and platforms that offer improved ergonomics for interpreters.

18. Professional Associations - ITI
 However, it takes note of ongoing research showing inter alia that
interpreters working remotely:
 find it more difficult to build rapport with other participants,
 tire more quickly,
 feel more distant from proceedings
 may suffer physical discomfort
 And the quality of their rendition may drop more quickly in remote
interpreting compared to in-person interpreting.

19. Professional Associations - ITI
 The requirements for interpreters in terms of qualifications, experience
and briefing should be identical whether interpreting is provided in-
person or remotely.
 Research should continue towards the creation of internationally
accepted standards for remote interpreting, including working practices
(breaks, equipment, briefing, etc) and psychological support.
 Development on improved ergonomics in remote interpreting should
continue, with the involvement of specialists from all relevant medical
and occupational fields.

20. Professional Associations - ITI
 Remote interpreting platforms and professional associations should
work together to ensure that interpreters working remotely are
adequately informed of the potential and risks involved in providing this
service.
 Remote interpreting should be recommended for use only in such cases
where it is the best viable mode in terms of the location of participants,
interpreter wellbeing and client requirements.
 Remote interpreting should not be promoted as a replacement for or
exact alternative to in-person interpreting.

21.  A good set of recommendations on what the interpreter needs to know
from a technical perspective before offering remote interpreting:
https://askot.cz/en/brief-recommendations-on-rsi-by-the-czech-
association-of-conference-interpreters-askot/

22. The VKD Position Paper:
 Acknowledges that the technology of the RI offers new opportunities to
establish multilingual communication in situations in which this is not
possible with traditional solutions
 Refers to the absence of a standard for RI. One which includes working
conditions in terms of team strength, length of service, etc., will be a long
time coming.
 Legal aspects: permission to record, copyright, liability.

23. Professional Associations - VKD
 RI contracts should cover: working hours / time zones, overtime, loss of
fees, team strength, technical infrastructure and operation,
inconvenience allowances, right to refuse performance or mandatory
test runs and instructions.
 Accessibility. Due to the lack of haptic controls, online solutions are not
accessible and therefore cannot be used by blind or visually impaired
conference interpreters.

24. The Hellenic Association of Conference Interpreters issued a code of
practice for RSI that includes:
 The working day for remote interpreting must not exceed four (4)
hours a day max. including breaks.
 For the interpreters those four (4) hours of work a day are full-time
work and not part-time work under any circumstances.

25.  Interpreters should work in pairs for up to four (4) hours a day, and
after four (4) hours a third interpreter should be added.
 Remote interpreting should be done in a suitably equipped venue
(such as a hub) with technical support and not in venues that are
not suitably equipped.
 The fee for remote interpreting must be higher than that for
traditional simultaneous interpreting.
Professional Associations - SYDISE

26.  RSI does not lend itself to quick exchanges between speakers or
disorderly discussion.
 RSI requires the same preparation as in-person interpreting. The
same price conditions must therefore apply (daily price), with an
increase to take into account cognitive overload and the use of
eventual recording of the event.
 Generally remote interpretation is not suitable for interventions
longer than 2 hours in total

27.  Always reserve the right to interrupt the session if the conditions
are not deemed conducive to quality interpretation (sound, lack
of discipline on the part of participants, non-compliance with
instructions, etc.)
 Do not use conventional videoconferencing services. These
services can only be considered for consecutive interpreting.
Professional Associations - SFT

28. Your Role
• Educate yourself so you can advise your clients
• Be proactive!
• Prepare a guide for clients
• Discuss RSI within your association and with colleagues
=> standards

29. Thank you for your attention
MahaElMetwally
maha@culturalbridges.co.uk
Maha El-Metwally
Maha El-Metwally CI
www.cultural-bridges.co.uk