Quality assurance
In order to guarantee the best translation quality, Black Kite follows a set of best practices described below.
The native speaker principle
I only translate from English into Dutch, my native language. I outsource translation work from Dutch into English to trusted colleagues who are native speakers of English.
Translation expertise
I only accept translation projects in the fields I feel familiar with.
Continuing professional and organisational development
I maintain and enlarge my specialist expertise with carefully chosen ongoing training in areas including: regular expressions and wildcard characters, HTML and CSS, CAT-tools (memoQ certified), internet of things (IoT), domotics, blockchain and cryptocurrencies, copywriting, content overhaul, software localisation, artificial intelligence (AI), technical writing, renewable energies: wind power & solar power, industrial materials, the automotive industry, software translation, Simplified Technical English (STE), industrial safety, app localisation, final editing, transcreation, terminology management, customer satisfaction, project management, post-MT editing, website translation and more.
Editing and proofreading
The quality of a professional translation can be measured using objective linguistic criteria, such as whether it adheres to basic rules for grammar and spelling. However, the spelling and grammar checking functions in text processors are never fail-safe. Consequently, I subject all of my English to Dutch translations to an additional round of editing.
Automatic Quality Assurance
I use the QA-tool Verifika to automatically check the translation for QA-items, including consistent use of terminology as stipulated by project or client specifications and accurate transposition of numerical data from source to target.
The QA-check is a standard part of my translation workflow and improves the quality of the final document significantly!
Clarification
I deliver an accurate and well-researched translation. In case of doubt, I'm not shy to ask the client for clarification.
CAT-tools
CAT tools or Computer Aided Translation tools improve translation project turnaround times and ensure consistent terminology use within a text. I have used memoQ Translator Pro for several years now and am Level 1 certified.
Professional reference material
When translating, I draw from my hands-on experience and the specialist knowledge I gained during my training (see my summarized CV). I also consult general and specialised technical dictionaries, monolingual and bilingual glossaries, corporate glossaries and specialised translation forums.
