You're drowning in feedback while translating. How do you maintain quality without getting overwhelmed?

I have never drowned in feedback. To avoid this, you should be a professional and try to work with professionals. If you do, their comments are sensible and there are not too many of them. There can be a lot of terminological edits in the first phase of a big project, but that's no reason to drown in them.

Feedback is invaluable in any context, though I believe it is sufficient to guide me through only if it is provided by professionals currently in the industry. As there are numerous glossaries in the translation industry, they are updated on a daily basis. Therefore, I believe it is more beneficial to seek feedback from professionals actively involved in the industry, as it allows me to enhance my skills. However, I do not allow myself to become overwhelmed by the sheer volume of feedback.

Organize Feedback: Categorize the feedback into different types, such as grammar, terminology, style, and accuracy. This will help you address each type systematically and avoid missing important points. Prioritize Issues: Identify and prioritize the most critical feedback. Address major issues first, such as those impacting accuracy or meaning, before dealing with minor ones like stylistic preferences. Create a Feedback Log: Maintain a log or checklist of feedback items and track their status. This helps ensure that all feedback is addressed and prevents you from revisiting the same issues multiple times.

Sort the feedback by importance and relevance. Focus on major content issues, inaccuracies, or misunderstandings first before moving to stylistic preferences or minor edits. Address the most critical feedback first—those that could impact the overall accuracy or tone of the translation. Keep track of all feedback and the changes made. Use tools like spreadsheets or project management software to document what feedback has been addressed and what is pending. Use version control to manage different drafts of your translation. This helps you track changes and revert if necessary.

Suggestions must be ordered in terms of importance. For example, a suggestion about using a certain term is more important than one dealing with formatting. Once the former is sorted out, the latter can be handled.

In managing client feedback, clear and structured communication is essential to ensure it enhances rather than hinders the translation process. I recommend establishing a feedback mechanism where input is welcomed at specific stages, such as after partial deliveries. This allows for adjustments without overwhelming the team or causing delays. It's crucial to communicate to clients that while their feedback on terminology, style, etc., is invaluable, it must be channeled through agreed-upon points in the workflow. This approach prevents feedback from becoming an obstacle and ensures it remains a constructive tool for improving the final product.

Feedback, while seemingly straightforward, only truly serves its purpose when it functions as a tool for learning and continuous improvement. It's crucial that feedback is communicated effectively and applied not just to correct past translation decisions, but also as a guide for future work within the same project and in ongoing client relationships. When working with repeat clients, incorporating their specific preferences and feedback is vital for enhancing the quality of your translations over time. This not only improves your work but also strengthens your relationship with the client, ensuring long-term collaboration and success.