Managing Complexity: A Technical Communication Translation Case Study in Multilateral International Collaboration

Abstract

This article discusses the largest and most complex international learning-by-doing project to date—a project involving translation from Danish and Dutch into English and editing into American English alongside a project involving writing, usability testing, and translation from English into Dutch and into French. The complexity of the undertaking proved to be a central element in the students' learning, as the collaboration closely resembles the complexity of international documentation workplaces of language service providers.

Keywords:

• intercultural and international collaboration
• technical writing
• translation
• usability testing
• virtual teams

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Bruce Maylath

Bruce Maylath is a professor of English at North Dakota State University, where he is the director of graduate studies in English. His current research focuses on translation issues in technical communication.

Sonia Vandepitte

Sonia Vandepitte is a professor of English at the University College Ghent, Belgium, and a research guest professor at Ghent University, Belgium. She has published on corpus and process translation studies and international teaching projects.

Patricia Minacori

Patricia Minacori is a senior lecturer and director of the Professionalization Department at the University of Paris—Denis Diderot, France. She researches assessment, phases of translation, and exchanges between technical communicators and translators.

Suvi Isohella

Suvi Isohella is a lecturer in the Department of Communication Studies at Vaasa University, Finland, where she coordinates the interdisciplinary technical communication program. Her research interests include user-centered technical communication and knowledge communication.

Birthe Mousten

Birthe Mousten lectures at Aarhus University, Denmark. She teaches courses in English for science and technology, trade and industry, and Web-related text production. Her research focuses on English for special purposes: translation and localization.

John Humbley

John Humbley is a professor of applied linguistics and terminology at the University of Paris—Denis Diderot, France, where he directs the master's program in applied languages. He researches terminology, lexicology, and translation studies.