Market responsiveness expanded through multilingualization of user manuals - The key is high-quality translation, DTP, abundant industry case studies, and proposals for utilizing translation memory | Case Studies

Interview Cooperation: THERMOS Corporation
(From left to right) Mr. Hiramatsu, General Manager Staff, Marketing Department; Mr. Suzuki, Product Information Group, Marketing Department; Mr. Ida, Product Information Group, Marketing Department

Thermos Corporation Overview

・Established: 1980

・Capital: 300 million yen

Business Overview: Manufacturing and sales of household goods, mainly stainless steel vacuum flasks and vacuum insulated cooking devices. (https://www.thermos.jp/)

Services Utilized

・Translation of user manuals - Japanese to English/Chinese (Simplified)

Project Background and Challenges

--HS: Could you tell us about the project you commissioned to Human Science?

Mr. Hiramatsu: We manufacture stainless steel thermoses and household cooking utensils, but until now we have only provided instruction manuals in Japanese. However, with the increase in foreign visitors to Japan and foreign residents, we felt the need for multilingual support and began a full-scale translation project last year. We are currently working on producing English and Traditional Chinese versions.

--HS: If you have any challenges you have been facing while working on the project, please let us know.

Mr. Hiramatsu: The issue is that the existing user manual was only in Japanese, which has made it insufficient to meet the needs of diverse customers. Due to a lack of translation experience within the company, external professional support was sought.

Reasons for Choosing Human Science - The Deciding Factors are Three Strengths

①High-quality translation and DTP
②Abundance of industry examples
③Proposals for the effective use of translation memory

--HS: Could you tell us how you came to request Human Science, or how you found us?

Mr. Suzuki: I learned about your company while gathering information on seminars related to manuals, and I found out on your website that you can handle both translation and DTP, as well as being a company with a wide range of achievements.

--HS: We are very pleased to hear that you appreciated our ability to handle both translation and DTP, as well as our track record.

--HS: I understand that you compared two aspects: translation and DTP. What criteria did you use to select your partner companies?
Mr. Hiramatsu: Well, I searched for "manual translation" on the web and compared several companies. We considered two companies, including yours, but we placed importance not only on translation but also on whether they could handle DTP.

――HS: What were the key points that influenced your decision?
Mr. Hiramatsu: To name a few, I first felt that the cost performance was good. Additionally, the wealth of case studies across a wide range of industries, including manufacturers, IT, and public institutions, was also a significant factor in our experience.

--HS: We also discussed suggestions for utilizing translation memory.
Mr. Hiramatsu: Yes, that was also a point of evaluation. The proposal to accumulate and utilize translation assets was specific, and the ability to respond to minor changes in the product contributed to a sense of understanding. Other companies made similar proposals, but your company's explanation was the most convincing.

--HS: Are there any other points that were evaluated?
Mr. Hiramatsu: The proposal materials were quantitative and persuasive. I also had a strong impression that they would sincerely engage with future work. Additionally, while it is natural to incur initial costs, there was an expectation of long-term efficiency improvements.

――HS: What was the final decision?
Mr. Hiramatsu: The high standards of both translation and DTP, proven results across a wide range of industries, and proposals for improving the efficiency of repetitive tasks were the deciding factors. We made our decision based on a proposal that was convincing.

Implementation Effects and Evaluation of Human Science Co., Ltd.

--HS: After the delivery of the translated instruction manual, did you receive any feedback?

Mr. Hiramatsu: Although it is currently limited to a few models, the English and Simplified Chinese versions of the user manuals have been released. While the deployment is still limited, we are definitely feeling the effects.

--HS: How was our response until delivery?

Mr. Hiramatsu: The translation work progressed very smoothly. Thanks to your company's use of translation memory, there were parts that became more efficient, weren't there?

--HS: Have you noticed any areas for improvement in our services or support?

Mr. Hiramatsu: The communication itself has been smooth, and the revision instructions have been appropriately reflected, making it very easy to work with. However, there are cases where the same original text may vary slightly by product, and it can be difficult to understand those differences from the translation alone. In such cases, it would be helpful if you could provide additional comments to clarify the intent and background. Additionally, there are instances where different words or expressions are used, and I think it would be even better if there were explanations for why the expressions change even though the meanings are the same.

――HS: Translation memory is a database of previously translated content, which applies existing translations based on the match rate with the original text. When the original text that perfectly matches the memory reappears, the corresponding translation is automatically inserted as is.
On the other hand, if there are some discrepancies in the original text (e.g., part names or particles), the match rate of the translation memory may not reach 100%, and the translation may be expressed differently at the translator's discretion.
If changes are made at the translator's discretion, we will consider supplementing the intent and background of the changes with comments or other means.

――HS: It was a project for the translation of a user manual, but are there situations in your regular work where translation is needed?
Mr. Ida: When communicating with overseas factories, English may be required.

Future Prospects

--HS: Could you share your vision and outlook for future utilization?

Mr. Hiramatsu: Yes. We are focusing on a product line centered around "stainless steel vacuum flasks" and cooking utensils. Currently, we are mainly concentrating on the category of "vacuum insulated travel mugs" (portable water bottles), but once this cycle is complete, we would like to consider expanding into the next category.
Additionally, the languages we currently support are "English" and "Chinese (Simplified)", but we are also considering expanding our supported languages in the future.

--HS: We would appreciate any feedback or comments you may have regarding our proposals or issues other than translation.

Mr. Hiramatsu: Yes, for example, if there is a system that utilizes translation memory to clearly distinguish between existing translations and new parts when checking translation results, I believe it would significantly reduce the effort required for checking. Currently, everything is checked manually, so I feel there is room for improvement in efficiency. Additionally, I think there is a possibility of utilizing new technologies such as generative AI to provide a report that checks the translation results with AI along with the delivery.

--HS: It would be convenient to have a system that allows you to easily see which parts of the translation memory have been reused, right?

Mr. Hiramatsu: Yes, I believe that by graying out that part and emphasizing new sections in bold or red text, it will become visually clearer and allow for more efficient checks. I hope you will consider this as an idea to help improve your company's services in the future.

--HS: Thank you for taking the time today.
It was very meaningful to gain a deep understanding of your company's initiatives during our conversation. I wish you continued success in the future.

From Human Science Representatives

We are truly honored that you have chosen our company as your translation partner for the Thermos project. Thank you very much. We will continue to strive towards advancing the project.
At Human Science, we provide comprehensive support not only for translation work but also for DTP and suggestions for file formats suitable for translation. Additionally, we conduct research, verification, and utilization related to generative AI.
We appreciate the feedback regarding the use of AI, and we will take it as valuable input while continuing to improve our services in the future.