Terminology Management at PTC
Track: Advanced Localization Management | AL3 |
Wednesday, June 9, 2021, 1:30pm – 2:15pm
Held in: Jujama 3
Presenter:
Belén Rubalcaba - PTC
PTC implemented a terminology program in 2003 to improve usability and user experience by ensuring terminology would be accurate, consistent, and translatable. The terminology cross-functional team was established to provide a forum to discuss new terminology and to troubleshoot existing term issues. The ideal terminology management process pushes terminology upstream, with terms being collected and validated when new functionality is developed. Development epics and stories include terminology approval as part of the definition of done. Additional processes are needed to identify and align terminology when companies are acquired or partnerships established. PTC’s terminology program has evolved and extended over the years, from collaborating with user experience design to providing support and guidance in recent inclusive terminology initiatives.
Takeaways:
- Terminology management is not a translation activity. Term translation is only one of the final steps of the terminology management process, which starts with the source terms and it must be managed at the global, corporate level.
- A mature terminology management process cannot rely solely on writers or translators to identify terminology. It’s critical to engage the product teams within R&D to identify new terms during development on new functionality. Additional processes are needed to harvest and align new terminology when acquisitions occur or partnerships are established.
- Terminology tools are required to enforce the use of correct terminology and to make terminology available throughout the enterprise.
