How to Price eLearning Translation Projects
eLearning translation projects can entail multiple categories of language attention. Among these are:
1) Translation of text. Printed source material exists in whatever the source language might be.
Text translation is priced according to the number of words by most professional translation companies. Keep in mind though that not all per word pricing is a straight up comparison. Some per word rates include a higher standard such as proofreading by a second translator. Other per word rates include only translation with no proofreading.
2) Spoken audio. eLearning course materials sometimes have spoken instruction or narration.
Spoken audio such as narration must first be translated in written form to produce a script in the target language (the language translating into). Professional voiceover work can be priced according to the duration of the required audio. Another option is possible and that is adding sub-titles, written text that appears across the screen when the audio content remains untranslated in the source language.
Text translation is priced according to the number of words for most translation companies. Not all per word pricing is a straight up comparison.
3) Graphics and illustrations. Graphical elements sometimes have brief text segments associated with them. Translation and editing of the graphics text can be required.
Translation and editing of graphics can be priced based on the number of graphics, assuming an average calculation per image as to the degree of attention required.
4) Course integration. eLearning course material can require integration within a proprietary application (e.g., Articulate Storyline or Articulate Rise) once the various inputs are translated. Supplemental printed material (handouts) may require formatting within a desktop publishing application such as Adobe InDesign.
Course integration pricing scales with the scope of the course and the complexity of the translated inputs that require incorporation into the eLearning environment. The scope of this effort can be thought of as a hourly based pricing metric since a time requirement is implied.
