CLEAR WORDS
TRANSLATIONS

All News

February 10, 2021 | News

How Desktop Publishing (DTP) Is Used in Translation Projects

More often than not, translation projects involve a lot more work than simply hiring someone to recreate a text in a different language. This is particularly true when considering translation and localization projects that are large in scope and include graphics and multiple file formats. Desktop Publishing (DTP) is required to ensure that a translator can effectively complete their job and that a project is delivered with high design quality in the right format.

What Is Desktop Publishing (DTP)?

We’ve already discussed the importance of developers, vendor managers, and project managers in translation projects. But, Desktop Publishing can be equally vital as well. Without, it, in many cases, a project would be significantly held back – or require a lot of lengthy manual work. Moreover, the formatting would likely be incorrect or incomplete without the skills of a trained DTP professional.

Desktop Publishing isn’t only about ensuring that the translated text fits the original format correctly (such as in a marketing brochure or book). DTP is often required at the very beginning of a project to allow translators to extract the text for translation. 

Imagine that a client sends the material to be translated in PDF format, for example. You need a Desktop Publisher who can readily convert the text to a format that allows your translators to get to work. 

DTPers are responsible for the file preparation and post-DTP tasks using the appropriate software in order to assure high-quality graphic design, translation-related design services, and graphic localization projects delivered with fast turnaround and quality.

Ensuring a Quality Translation Project 

DTP is essential in offline print materials such as marketing materials, newspapers, magazines, books, user guides, manuals, and so on. These types of documents contain many more elements than plain text that need to be perfectly sculpted in the finished version – whether it is replacing icons and colors or ensuring that the translated text fits in the parameters of the design.

A DTP specialist uses a host of different programs and tools to ensure that high quality is maintained. They must possess advanced skills in programs such as MS Office, InDesign, Flash, Illustrator, Photoshop, Acrobat, FrameMaker, AutoCAD, PageMaker, QuarkXpress, CorelDraw, and any other software related to Desktop Publishing services.

They’ll also need a good overall knowledge of CAT tools such as SDL Trados Studio and MemoQ, as well as experience in DTP for the translation/localization industry so that they understand how to support and help translators and developers. All DTP professionals must pay painstaking attention to detail to ensure that the finished documents have no design flaws, no text going outside of parameters, or any other issues.

This is a common problem that arises when translating texts into a different language. French or Spanish translations, for example, will typically run around 15 to 30 percent longer than English texts and, for Dutch or German, that number can rise to as much as 35 percent or more. 

This can be a real headache for DTP specialists who have to use creativity and common sense to know where texts can be shrunk to fit the format, certain design elements can be moved around, or whether it should be handed back to the translator to reword.

Translating Offline Materials

Any offline materials that need to be printed out to look exactly the same as the original will require DTP services – and DTP skills are usually outside of the scope of a freelance translator. But, the good news is that you don’t have to search for qualified people individually to complete your translation job. 

When you work with a reputable language services provider, you’ll have access to all the right talent in-house who can deliver your content in the format you require – ready to be delivered to an international audience. This goes from book translation to pharmaceutical, workplace manuals to product instructions, marketing brochures to billboards, and much, much more. 

Depending on your unique requirements, we have the DTP specialists available who can work on all types of different file formats and ensure that they create a mirror replica of your original document. 

Clear Words Translations Is Hiring

With the continued growth of the translation industry and the ability to work online, Clear Words Translations is expanding our talented team of DTP publishers. If you have the skills mentioned above and at least one year of DTP experience in the translation and localization industry (or related industries), we want to hear from you!

Simply send your resume along with a cover letter, with your name and the position – DTP Professional – in the subject line. We’ll be in touch if we think you’re a good fit who can help us go from strength to strength and keep exceeding our clients’ expectations this year.