A Subject Matter Expert (SME) is a person who possesses expanded knowledge or special skills in a particular industry, job, or specialty. Their total immersion in a subject far surpasses a surface or rudimentary knowledge. Therefore, they can provide expert service in a chosen field, including document translation services.
Translators who are also subject matter experts typically hold advanced degrees and have extensive work experience in their field of specialization, as well as a fluency and working knowledge of a particular language and culture. This greatly enhances their value and usefulness to professional document translation services.
Why Only the Best Document Translation Services Use SMEs
The best and most reliable professional document translation services employ subject matter experts as translators because they know that they improve accuracy.
Subject matter experts providing document translation services are fully able to capture both the essence and the details of original source materials. For example, when translating clinical trial records on a medical device from German into English, a translator who is also a subject matter expert in medical device manufacturing will possess the technical training and education necessary to comprehend the message and produce an accurate, reliable translation.
Compare the likely results with a translator who possesses only a rudimentary knowledge of the healthcare industry. Unique words and phrases, common in medical device manufacturing, might be confusing, taking longer to translate and raising the risk of a poor or completely inaccurate translation.
In addition, subject matter experts maintain an up-to-date level of expertise by continuous study in their field. This ensures that a SME maintains current and complete knowledge of their specific area of expertise, therefore guaranteeing you a high level of accuracy and reliability for your document translation services.
Why Should You Invest in Document Translation Services That Work with SMEs?
Subject matter experts are vital to your document translation services. By employing their expertise, your translation services provider can substantially enhance their translation efforts and reduce project turnaround time. The SME can leverage their complete understanding of the content, language, and specialized requirements for your target market, shortening translation timelines, saving costs, and ensuring an unsurpassed level of accuracy.
Whether it’s for a patient IFU or a complex manufacturer’s operating manual, a subject matter expert ensures that your translation is clear, professional, and accurate, conveying your message exactly as you intended. Their work is quick and efficient, because they don’t have to pause every few words or phrases to research something that’s unfamiliar.
When research is warranted, an SME knows exactly what resources to seek and where to locate them. Even if it costs a bit more to contract document translation services that use SMEs, the investment will ultimately save you time, resources, and many headaches. It is well worth it to protect your investment in product development and ensure a successful outcome.
Not only do ILS translation specialists provide native translation expertise in over 180 languages worldwide, they’re subject matter experts who combine industry expertise with a keen understanding of a wide range of highly specialized industries. Contact International Language Services to learn more about how we can help with your next technical translation project.
