Though I don’t act as any project manager in any one localization translation company, here would like to raise the following suggestions for the project manager, since I’ve ever worked in one localization translation company for a long time.

Project manager (PM) plays an important role in the localization translation company. Once the PM received one project to handle, he/she need to analyze the source file, and should know the translator how to complete the project, e.g. which translation instrument should be applied; and ensure if the translator could use the instrument expertly, PM need to communicate with the related translator for the above. Thus, the translator could implement the project smoothly.

For PM, cannot take it for granted that to assign the project to the translator is over. It isn’t over just beginning, PM also need to follow the process of the project in pending, and to ask the translator for the progress time by time. If PM don’t have enough time to do it when he/she has lots of projects to handle and assign, but he/she need to make sure the translator could handle the assigned file smoothly at the beginning, it is very important, because PM could assign the file to another translator to complete it quickly when he/she got to know the previous translator cannot handle the file, so that don’t waste unnecessary time and delay the delivery.

When PM received a huge project, with lots of word count and tight time to handle, so will have to divide the whole source file into many small parts, when to divide the file, PM at least read the whole file once and assign the part with high repetition rate to the same translator, it would be better to let the same translator to handle the above mentioned part, at least could ensure the translator to use the same translation for the same terminology, and avoid to let the editor update the inconsistent terminology and take lots of time.

Secondly, it is also very important to follow the progress of the project, at least PM should know which parts have been completed, and when the all parts could be completed, don’t leave too few time for the next loop, and make the related colleague to work on the files under high pressure.

And PM also need to transfer the feedback or queries from the translator to the client, so that the translator could use the applicable translation terminology for the queries and meet the client’s demand.

Anyway, we should always remember ‘Client is first’, after all, the localization translation company belongs to the service industry, so we should have the service attitude and provide the dedicated service to our every client.

And if PM get the complaint from the client, then need to contact the related translator or other colleague involved in the specific project in the first time, and try to redeem the company’s honor.

Welcome to the different voice from the PM colleague, after all, all of you have actual experience in managing the project.