Meet Kristina Olsson, one of our technical editors and project managers in Lund, Sweden. Kristina has a background in the mobile phone industry. She started to work as a technical communicator and editor 20 years ago. Over time, she has developed solid competence in localization and terminology. Kristina has established the terminology management process and the terminology database in 39 languages for one of our MedTech clients. We asked Kristina a few questions about the importance of terminology management.
Why is it important to work consistently with product terminology?
Because of quality, time, and cost. Consistent terminology gives users a better understanding of a product since the same term for the same concept is communicated in all channels. Having correct terminology in place, different departments within an organization can speak the same language. By reusing the same words and texts, you save time and money during content creation and translation. Consistent terminology helps to achieve clear and correct texts in source and target languages and may strengthen a brand.
Which company departments/functions should be involved in the terminology management process?
It is best to start defining terminology as early as possible and involve both Development, Legal, User documentation, and Marketing.
Translation agencies are also included in the terminology process. The quality of translated terminology is an important factor for the user experience of customers.
What are the common mistakes that a company might make when setting up terminology management?
If there is no terminology tool, there is a risk of multiple Excel lists being sent around without any track of term changes. This does not promote consistent terminology.
Term entries without definitions can cause misinterpretations. The term entries need to be clearly defined.
Poor communication is a common mistake when establishing product terminology. If you want to spread the word of terminology in a company, you need to communicate.
Would you like to know more about terminology management and how an information expert can support your business challenge? Read more about our services in the product information.
