New innovation in healthcare needed best-in-class translation solution

Winning new business with the right language skills

Executive summary

CPSL approached MedaPhor back in April 2012, anticipating a potential need for translation support. It was perfect timing. MedaPhor was developing a virtual simulator called the ScanTrainer, which teaches doctors and sonographers ultrasound scanning skills ithout the need for live patients or lengthy tutor time. See the MedaPhor ScanTrainer here.

CPSL could see the potential for such a revolutionary product, and we made sure that we contacted the client early on so that, when the time was right, they would be ready to discuss localization. That time came two years later.

Challenges

As MedaPhor had already had limited localization success in Japan, the company needed a team who understood the specific challenges of the project. This involved gaining hands-on experience with the actual product. We at CPSL dug in, so we could see how it worked and how the training content would be viewed on-screen in the various languages. We started with a small pilot project for some simple French translation. Then, after the initial meeting, CPSL evaluated a large set of XML and other files, in order to quote for the first language (Japanese), allowing us to identify any potential localization teething problems. From there we would move on to other languages for the ScanTrainer, providing localization in German, Spanish, French and Simplified Chinese.

Both the initial briefing and subsequent conversations highlighted a complex problem in determining which files needed translation, which tags to avoid, and how to work within the client’s own tool specifications, which they had developed to facilitate the localization process and manage the content. One of the main issues was that MedaPhor had a lot of content that was essentially the same string with only 1 or 2 words changed. Since no Translation Memory existed, the translation software was indicating a high number of “new words.” This meant the quotes were coming out relatively high.

How CPSL Helped

We at CPSL are experts in global translation and the tools we use to do it. We investigated the use of our Translation Memory tool, and focused our time on exploring whether there was another way to analyze the word counts, to benefit MedaPhor.

After some reworking of the quotes, we found that a new feature of the CAT tool allowed us to obtain “internal fuzzy matches” even when no Translation Memory was yet available, as was the case for these three languages. Most translators did not yet have access to this version, as it was a recent innovation.

The project manager (Elena Twose) was extremely sensitive to this client’s highly specialized needs and adopted a serious problem-solving attitude. As a result, MedaPhor had nothing but high praise for her and the CPSL team’s efforts.

Results, Return on Investment and Future Plans

We saved the client around 25% in costs on a number of quotes working this way, so they were very happy as our solution was based on a deep understanding of their needs and a focus on where we could cut costs.

Understanding complex projects is second nature to the CPSL team, but it can be a refreshing change for our clients. It’s testimony to this great customer experience that MedaPhor will continue to work with CPSL on their projects. Since then, we have won a new language (Russian), and we have discussed the possibility of providing voice-overs or subtitling for some of their YouTube videos as well. Since we first started working with them, MedaPhor has been floated on the stock market, and there is a great deal of growing interest in the ScanTrainer. They are also selling the product in more countries. CPSL now has in-depth knowledge of their product and their way of working, so we hope to continue as their sole localization partner and do the best job we can to help them gain a global market for the ScanTrainer.