Executive Summary of Translation Audit

Sblanchard

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• Publié par: Vuij
• Nombre de lectures: 16
• Langue: English

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I N T E R N A TI O N A L D E V E L O P M E N T R E S E A R C H C E N T R E

Audit of Translation Services – March 2008

E x e c u t i v eS u m m a r y

International Development Research Centre Audit of Translation Services E X E C U T I V ES U M M A R Y In accordance with the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) 200708 Audit Plan, Interis Consulting Inc. conducted an audit of IDRC’s Translation Services.This report summarizes the key findings, substantiating detail and recommendations of the audit of translation services at IDRC. The objectives of this audit were to provide assurance to IDRC’s Senior Management and the Board of Governors that: 1.IDRC is in compliance with the requirements of the Official Languages Act with respect to translation 2.The processes to deliver quality translations and revisions are efficient, effective and timely 3.The performance measurement processes in place are effective to assess and report on results to management The audit covered translations from and into French and English.Although IDRC does coordinate translations into other languages, only the two official languages of Canada were in the scope of the audit.

C O M P L I A N C EW I T HO F F I C I A LL A N G U A G E SA C TW I T H R E S P E C TT OT R A N S L A T I O N

Not CompliantSomewhat Mostly Fully at allCompliant Compliant Compliant x IDRC is mostly compliant with the requirements of the Official Languages Act (OLA) with respect to translation.The existing documentation, processes and capabilities in place enable IDRC staff to comply with the OLA.Nonetheless, through our audit procedures, we identified instances where IDRC was not in compliance with the OLA, in most cases involving the translation of documents communicated internally within IDRC on the intranet site. Clarityon roles, responsibilities and procedures to monitor and ensure compliance with the OLA could be improved.

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International Development Research Centre Audit of Translation Services E F F I C I E N C Y ,E F F E C T I V E N E S SA N DT I M E L I N E S SO F P R O C E S S E S

Fully Not effectiveSomewhat Mostly Effective at alleffective Effective x The processes to deliver quality translations and revisions in a timely fashion are rated as mostly effective.The Translation Group (TG) has well documented and communicated guidelines and processes in place to ensure consistency and quality of translations.The key area requiring improvement is in the timeliness of delivery of service as compared to published standards.

P E R F O R M A N C EM E A S U R E M E N T

Not Effective Somewhat Effective at all x

Mostly Effective

Fully Effective

The performance measurement processes in place are rated as somewhat effective. Some processes are in place and work; however, there is an opportunity to enhance the performance measurement framework to more effectively measure and report on resources employed, timeliness and quality aspects of translation services at IDRC.

R E C O M M E N D A T I O N S Based on the findings of the audit, we recommend that: 1.The Director of Communications clarifies roles, responsibilities and procedures to monitor and ensure compliance with the OLA with respect to translation services at IDRC. Original Management Response: The roles, resonsibilities, androcedures to monitor and ensure comliance with the OLA with respect to translation at IDRC will be clarified. A message will be sent to staff identifin theDirector of Communications as beinres onsiblefor ensurin thatthe Centre conforms to the OLA in all its communications, includin on the Website.An information session will be organized for employees tasked with uloadin contenton the Intranet and the Internet in order to further sensitize them to the OLA.Their respective job descriptions should reflect their Com leted responsibilities for ensuring that posted content complies with the OLA. November 2008 Expected Completion Date: June2008

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International Development Research Centre Audit of Translation Services 2.Director of Communications review options to ensure that translations are completed in a timely fashion to the needed quality standard. a.Develop and adopt a more formal riskbased approach to determine the process to complete translations.This would include developing a protocol to define criteria for the high, medium and low risk levels for documents requiring translation (e.g., areas where timeliness, quality or durability of documents are prominent attributes).For example, documents that are assessed as low risk could be externally translated and returned to clients without a quality review, with clear communication that the translation has not been assessed for quality by TG.This would provide an opportunity to improve the timeliness of the translation process for a subset of the documents sent for translation. Original Management Response: O tionsto ensure that translations are comleted in a timelfashion to the needed quality standard will be reviewed by the Division of Communications. a. Amore formal riskbased aroach to determine therocess to comlete translations will be developed and adopted. This will include developing a rotocol to define criteria for the hih, medium, and low risk levels for documents requiring translation.Documents that are assessed as low risk will be externally translated and returned to clients without a quality review, with clear communication that the Translation Servicesrou hasnot reviewed the translation for quality. This will help increase the timeliness of the translation process for a subset of the documents sent for translation. Occasional sot checks will be done to ensure theualit ofthose low risk Completed translated documents.As well we will enlist the assistance of program staff May 2009 to review the translation of their technical documents. b.Monitor the business model for translation services, including the appropriateness of resource levels and the balance between internal and external translation resources, to ensure that services are delivered efficiently and economically in an environment where costs and volumes are increasing. Ori inalMana ementRes onse: b. TheDirector of Communications will continue to monitor the business model for translation services, includinthe aro riatenessof resource levels and the balance between internal and external translation resources, to ensure that services are delivered efficiently and economically in an environment where costs and volumes are increasing. The Director of Communications willroduce an annual analsis of Completed translation services at IDRC. This analysis will reflect the key areas May 2009 recommended.

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International Development Research Centre Audit of Translation Services 3.Director of Communications enhance the performance measurement framework for the translation function at IDRC. Ori inalMana ementRes onse: The Director of Communications will enhance the performance measurement framework for the translation function at IDRC.As hihli htedabove, the Director of Communications will produce an annual analysis that will provide management with complete information on IDRC’s performance with regard to translation. The following aspects of performance will be addressed in the report: Timeliness andualit oftranslations In Progress Cost effectiveness

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