LISA Forum Asia - China Focus

In today’s global market, technical documentation needs to be useful not only for the readers in the country where its product was developed, but also needs to be useful after it has been translated and localized for all countries where the product is sold. Many processes and procedures can be lost in translation if they were not clearly communicated at the start.

Clearly written technical documentation is a challenge in the best of circumstances, but becomes even more of a challenge as companies outsource their documentation to take advantage of cheaper labor markets. Some companies have found the results to be less than what they expected and are frustrated because they do not understand why. Other companies have found the research and delivered documentation to be acceptable but requiring heavy editing.

In an attempt to use single sourcing as a globalization solution, many companies are writing their source documentation in English and then localizing and translating into the necessary end-product languages. English is a difficult language to master, for native and non-native speakers alike. With product- and industry-specific terminology and word usage to complicate matters, it is no small task to produce technical documentation that is accurate, easy to read, and easy to understand.

American English differs from U.K English in spelling, grammar, and usage, and a company needs to decide early on which version of English it wants to use as its standard. This workshop assumes American English as a writing standard.

This workshop will teach you how to organize information and communicate it more clearly and concisely so that your technical documents meet the needs of their intended audience(s). This workshop

Defines rules for clear, active writing
Identifies common usage mistakes and common writing mistakes that Asian writers who have learned English as a second language make
Highlights some differences between U.K. English and American English
Provides an overview of the writing process, which extends beyond just putting pen to paper or text on a screen
Discusses considerations when developing writing standards for a project
Helps you to determine and understand the intended audience(s) for a document
Discusses best practices for planning to localize documents
Addresses items to consider when writing content for the Web
Uses relevant examples and exercises to reinforce learning for the material presented in the workshop

Who will benefit from this workshop and why?

Anyone involved in designing, compiling, and writing technical information in English will learn effective strategies for communicating information effectively, clearly, and concisely. Clearly written documentation facilitates localization and translation for global audiences.

Who:	Interested in...
International managers	Understanding the importance of well produced documentation that is grammatically correct and useful to readers Knowing when to outsource , when to hire editors, and when to hire native English speakers to write technical documentation Learning the difference between “technical writer,” “writer,” “subject matter expert,” and “native English speaker” (not all native English speakers can write!)
Localization service providers	Helping their clients streamline information and reduce translation issues Helping their clients better prepare for localization and translation of documents Advising their clients on how best to reach their intended audiences for documents Reducing the time spent resolving problems with poorly developed documents
Product managers	Learning the complexity of the documentation process and why it is important to involve the technical writer(s) as early as possible in the product development cycle Developing a consistent, integrated approach to producing documentation that is easy to read, easy to understand, and easy to localize and translate Decreasing the time spent in localization and translation as a result of poorly written English documentation Learning how documentation prepared for one product or audience can be effectively leveraged for other products or audiences
Technical writers/Web designers	Improving quality and consistency across products and document suites Providing clear, concise, active documentation that is easy to understand and translate Organizing information so that it is where the reader needs it when the reader needs it Decreasing time spent reworking completed documents to resolve issues with clarity and accuracy that arise during the translation process
Translators	Developing style guides and terminology standards for translation Recognizing when to send documentation back for rework rather than attempting to translate Working with documentation developers to reduce translation effort

About LISA Workshops

LISA Workshops make use of presenters with real-world experience in the subjects they teach about. Workshops do not pitch any products or services, but instead provide a general overview with candid and practical evaluations of tools and products that impact your business.

About Melanie G. Flanders

Melanie G. Flanders is Chief Information Architect with KnowledgeMasters, Inc., a company based in Houston, Texas that provides information architecture, design, and development services, training, and consulting. Ms. Flanders has resided in Nanjing, China since April 2005, where she currently teaches at Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics and provides consulting services. Before relocating to Nanjing, she spent five years as an adjunct professor at University of Houston–Downtown and instructor for Houston Community College, where she taught business and technical writing, electronic publishing, software manuals, and FrameMaker. She continues to serve on the Houston Community College Curriculum Advisory Board.

Ms. Flanders has over 30 years’ practical experience as a technical communicator and is an Associate Fellow in the Society for Technical Communication. She is currently finishing a book entitled Unleashing the Power of FrameMaker: Mastering the Basics, ISBN 1-929907-50-8.

Localization Standards Industry Association

This program is developed by LISA.