In this issue…

Defining Multimedia Localization • David Murdock, International Production Manager, Disney Interactive
Director’s letter • Michael Anobile
The Web RFQ Process • Rebecca Ray, Senior Product Manager, Remedy Corporation
Localization: R.I.P. 1999 • Alex McDonnell, Pervasive Software
Only Connect • Deborah Fry, Fry & Bonthrone Partnerschaft
Building Machine Translation on a Firm Foundation • Professor Alan K. Melby, Brigham Young University, Provo, USA
Translation Quality: The Customer Makes the Difference • Yann Meersseman, Yann Meersseman & Associates

Director’s letter

Michael Anobile

Dear LISA Members,

First of all, thank you to all of you who completed last year's Membership Survey. Your feedback has helped LISA identify management priorities for 1997 and beyond. In keeping with the survey results, this will be a year of implementing a longer-term strategy for growth and administrative efficiency. We will continue to run the LISA Forums with a global focus on the localization business.

A key 1997 action item is to upgrade the LISA Web site to help members access business information and global technology resources while reducing distribution costs. The Web will also facilitate exchange between members, SIGs and other specialized localization resource and standards groups. LISA will remain dedicated to its role as the information resource for the localization industry.

Based on a successful 1996 Forum strategy, LISA will also put greater emphasis on interactive work groups, panel discussions and technology and skills workshops. The management issues associated with industry consolidation, implementing new technologies, standards and business models, will be reviewed in detail. Experts from the IT and other industry sectors will be called upon for their views and experience with these and other salient issues. In response to member requests, we will also be increasing the scope and content of LISA Workshops through collaboration with third parties and relevant technical associations. Please refer to the announcements in this issue for details of Project Management workshops and other 1997 LISA events.

Preceding our European Forum in Mainz on March 5-7, which is being hosted by LionBridge Technologies and SAP, LISA is sponsoring the first international workshop on Multilingual Information Management (MIM). Beginning on March 4, this two-day program is designed to provide managers interested in implementing MIM systems with concrete examples and pragmatic information on which to base decisions. In addition, the format of our internal Forum workshops is being extended to include user-oriented presentations on NLP tools and systems. The European Forum has been organized in conjunction with the Unicode Conference, whose meeting is being held in the same hotel on March 10-12.

This year's Forum schedule also includes the 1997 LISA Annual Meeting in Washington D.C. on June 4-6, at which our hosts will be the Trados and Logos Corporations. We recommend early registration. On August 6-8, the LISA Forum - Asia will be held in conjunction with the Second International Conference on Terminology, Standardization and Technology Transfer (TSTT '97) in Beijing. This program is being hosted by the WORD HOUSE organization and the China State Bureau of Technical Supervision. We strongly recommend that you register early in order to receive a business visa from the Chinese State Department. Further information on workshops and any special regional events will be posted on the Web and announced in the LISA Newsletter.

In closing, I would like to thank the LISA membership for its continued support of the Association's evolution and growth.

Mike Anobile signature
Mike Anobile
LISA Managing Director