Looking back at my first memory of employing technical translation skills, it was completely unintentional and adaptive. I was trying to explain to an internal stakeholder why we couldn’t advance to the next phase of a project before finishing some key foundational elements. In his mind, these components could be worked on concurrently, thus expediting the overall delivery time. However, as the developer, I could foresee issues popping up down the road if we didn’t fully spec out the requirements first. After much back-and-forth, I came up with an analogy: “Think about making a cake. You cannot assemble a cake and frost it until you have weighed the ingredients and baked it. Otherwise, your cake will be horrible and no one will be able to eat it. Similarly, if we don’t ensure the foundations of this project are solidified first, we will not have a sustainable product”. The analogy became somewhat of an inside joke between myself and that colleague; we would often exclaim “think about the cake!” while working together in the future. 

Jargon is a familiar concept to all of us, regardless of background. As organizations grow and evolve, it is inevitable that some sort of proprietary language will develop in order to increase efficiency and encourage internal alignment. However, this can become a challenge when bridging the gap between R&D and the end user. Oftentimes, there are many steps between the engineer and the client; thus, there are many opportunities for technical concepts to become jumbled or misconstrued. This is where strong technical translators become key players in an organization’s success: the ability to tailor messaging to the correct audience is crucial to garnering stakeholder buy-in and developing trust over time. The ability to share knowledge on a broader scale has an echoing effect that ultimately leads to a higher availability of expertise and increased collaboration.

Keys to technical translation

There are a few things to bear in mind when assuming the role of technical translator in any initiative. Though it will be subjective depending on the context and who the audience is, shaping conversations around the below tenets is a great starting point for flexing one’s technical translation muscles.

Plan it out

Before jumping into any technical conversations with stakeholders, do your best to determine what the objective is and what outcomes you would like to observe. Setting an agenda, gathering supporting materials and preparing any necessary visuals/demos will help guide you and keep you on track.

Meet people where they are

Knowing your audience is a crucial component of technical translation, and approaching conversations with empathy can help with mapping out your strategy. Tailoring your communication style to the audience’s current knowledge level about the topic at hand prevents the audience from being overwhelmed or confused, and thus increases your chances of gaining their buy-in. As you continue to work with these stakeholders, it is natural that their understanding of the subject will evolve. Follow the audience’s lead and increase the complexity/depth depending on their level of comfort. 

Take your time

There are many instances where it is best to revisit a topic at a later date when you are able to understand it better or prepare supporting materials. One of the prime examples of this is using email for communication — there are many cases where things get lost in the mix, and a verbal conversation would be more productive. On the flip side, there are also times where it makes more sense to draft a written document with visual aids rather than explaining highly technical concepts on the fly via phone or video call. Deciding on the communication medium is often a judgment call, and is worth revisiting if progress is negatively affected. A good rule of thumb is to plan ahead to the best of your ability in order to mitigate this risk. If the audience still ends up showing signs of confusion to the point that conversations stall, suggest that you all regroup in the near future and take the time in between to rethink your communication strategy.

Solicit feedback

Check in with your managers and mentors and ask if they have any feedback on your communication style. Ask them if they have any tips for communicating technical concepts to specific stakeholders, and be open about experiences where you feel you could have communicated better. Some of the most valuable learning experiences I have had throughout my career have come from simply having conversations with my colleagues and asking them how they would handle certain situations; these end up serving as ad hoc case studies where you are able to use real experiences as an opportunity to grow. 

We should all be technical translators

Technical translation is an undervalued skill that can be tempting to push to the wayside in favor of other skill development. In reality, being able to explain complex technical concepts to any audience is something that takes years of practice and refinement. Investing in this skill not only improves business relationships and drives efficiency, but also sets well-versed practitioners up for long-term success in their careers. By approaching technical challenges with curiosity and empathy, we can foster an environment of strong communication that ultimately leads to our clients’ success.