Quality Assurance (QA) of Terminology in a Translation Quality Management System (QMS) in the Business Environment

Abstract

The main objective of this paper is to identify the various levels of the Quality Assurance (QA) process as part of the Quality Management System (QMS), in relation to the regulatory framework and applied to the translation and terminology management process. The paper also outlines the main principles of quality management. The QMS is intended to be an integrative element which brings together aspects of the company, the core business domain and customer satisfaction, integrating people (skills, roles and responsibilities), processes (workflow, interactions), regulatory requirements, technology, risks and opportunities, with the main purpose of delivering the best product. This paper provides an insight into the importance of terminology management at a corporate level from the perspective of business communication and the benefits that it can bring to a company. Terminology management is closely interlinked with the translation process, insofar as it has a bearing on the quality of the translation product, but it can also be considered an entirely separate process, one that is carried out in line with the needs of a company or its customers. QA focuses on the planning and documentation of all activities, with the aim of preventing errors and achieving overall quality. The QA process encompasses project management, the pre-, post-and actual production phases, and the follow-up to specific activities, phases or processes. In this paper, three steps in the optimisation of the terminology management process are presented. QA,