Your next device or therapy will be available for commercial use in markets outside the U.S. and you have been tasked with finding someone to translate the Instructions for Use. You know you need a professional translator whose work will pass regulatory requirements, so you do a little research online and find a vendor with a decent website and respectable client roster. Great! Before you call, prepare yourself to provide key information that your new translation vendor will need.
Do you know which languages you’ll be translating into? You may only want to translate one or two foreign languages at initial launch, but have you considered subsequent version releases that will include more languages? This is important, because it will help you determine the size and format your IFU should be.
Foreign languages expand with translation – a standard rule of thumb is about 30%. Your printer can help design the appropriate format, such as map fold or booklet, and provide specifications.
Make sure the source file and specifications are available to the translation vendor at the onset of the project; a pdf is a good reference document, yet it won’t help with multilingual translation and lay out. It may seem counterintuitive to include your printer in translation issues and yet they go hand in hand.
By planning a few key elements before actual translation takes place, you can save time and money.
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