ompany Profile

Established in 1997, Novilinguists is a well ranked localisation company on the international arena. Located in Italy, it was founded by two dynamic and dedicated women who have created a flexible team of language professionals to serve the longterm language needs of clients operating in a global business environment. Our working sectors span from IT and telecomunications, life sciences, pharmaceutical, marketing and advertizing to legal and patenting, automotive and engineering.

Over the years company growth has been steady and progressive thanks to the repeated business of our clients and partners remained with us because we have placed quality and customization as our key assets to consolidate client satisfaction. Today, our internal infrastructure can count on trusted project managers who are in charge of all production tasks and on expert linguists who ensure translated text meets market standards.

Scalable to meet complex customer localisation needs, Novilinguists believes ‘know-how’ integration is the only valuable client-oriented approach which ensures seamless interaction with ideas, processes and quality, thus creating unparalleled added-value to the final product.

Our business has grown thanks to word of mouth of satisfied customers: referral has played a crucial role in the development of the company. In an attempt to offer an even wider rage of services in different language combinations to attract global business, we have created an excellent pool of partner companies that can accommodate comprehensive localisation services into the major European languages.


Our commitment

Our aim is to forge a sound and long-standing working relationship with a pool of chosen customers who understand that localisation is a complex undertaking and requires adequate financial investment as well as continual process improvement for all the stakeholders involved. We assure dependability and utmost dedication to strengthen our partnership in the future and improve our learning curve in relation to client specific requirements. Proactive communication and a caring approach with the client during production and post-production cycle is the key ingredient Novilinguists factors in to generate client satisfaction and in turn repeat business. One of the main challenges in the localisation industry is to make customers aware that a high-quality localized output is very much likely to drive sales abroad yielding a quick and positive ROI.

Why our clients choose to partner with Novilinguists

Novilinguists is unique for its depth of expertise and resources which can be hired choosing from our dedicated global partners.

Novilinguists assets and break-through:

• Owned and operated by experienced linguists and project managers
• Implemented an internal department for Quality Assurance
• Created an internal translation department to handle large localisation projects
• Established a professional and human relationship with resources
• Trusted and loyal to customers
• Concerned with increasing employment for young people
• Realistic and dependable in setting client goals.


Company infrastructure and management tool
Novilinguists has implemented a powerful management tool to cope with its growing infrastructure. Projetex 2006 is a comprehensive and robust solution which allows the company to optimise the coordination of workflow as well as managing and monitoring all translation processes while reducing costs associated with red tape and preserving high quality standards of all production steps.
Operating more efficiently in a global environment is the key goal for Novilinguists. This objective is accomplished through an efficient and scalable IT environment which ensures utmost data protection, traceability and access control with the creation of different profiles. In addition, a corporate FTP has been designed and implemented to allow uploading/downloading of large file kits to our resources who are assigned an ID and password to logon to our reserved area.
Our service portfolio

Services overview
The accurate translation of technical, medical and legal or financial contents demands the efforts of experts with appropriate linguistic and subject-matter knowledge. To preserve the integrity of all technical documentation Novilinguists ensures that only native speakers with applicable subject-matter backgrounds and education are assigned to all projects.
With its comprehensive service portfolio Novilinguists provides their customers with continued support, consultation, language technologies and educational information that constantly enhances the effectiveness of their international communication.
Novilinguists translators are bound by a confidentiality agreement as well as a corporate non-disclosure agreement. All translations remain strictly confidential. Privacy, confidentiality and security play a crucial role in our company policy.

Localisation services
Internationalization definition

Internationalization (sometimes shortened to "I18N , meaning "I - eighteen letters -N") is the process of planning and adjusting software products and services, still in its original language, so that they can easily be adapted to specific local languages and cultures. A successfully internationalized and localized product will always give companies an added competitive advantage on the international arena.

Internationalized products interact seamlessly with local language operating systems and will:
• Display times and dates according to local custom
• Format currencies as they are understood locally (not just adapting to the comma or decimal, but accommodating the local currency symbol)
• Sort alphabetically as per local convention.

Localisation Definition
Localisation (L10n) is the adaptation of products or services to the cultural, legal, linguistic, and technical requirements of a specific locale. Novilinguists provides large multilingual vendors as well as IT companies with localisation services for software, product documentation, marketing materials, training content and websites to ensure a consistent user experience for a global audience. Localisation is a complex process involving many steps. At its simplest, it involves the extraction of translatable text from source applications, submitting it for localisation and rebuilding the application in any target language. Localisation involves complex and technical tasks performed by a pool of seasoned specialists including translators, engineers, graphic designers, programmers and project managers. Effective and seamless integration of these skills determines the success of any localisation project.

Activities encompassing localisation
The scope of localisation starts with English content development and preparation of that content for international markets (Internationalisation). This is carried out in close cooperation with content development and engineering teams. Next, our services step in involving translation or localisation of the content into target languages, testing, engineering and desktop publishing, ensuring the quality and relevance of the localized product for the given target markets. The actual content can be in the form of a software application, website, technical document or multimedia.

Some key services provided in relation to localisation:

• Liguistic content management (creation of glossaries, style guides, translation memory maintenance, linguistic proofing and editing)
• Localisation of softare, help and documentation
• Localisation of websites
• Localisation of SAP, CRM, accounting and management applications
• Localisation of CAD tools and translation of 2D-3D drawings
• Localisation of e-learning courses
• Localisation of video games
• Translation of marcom material, press releases and packaging

Localisation of video games
Novilinguists provides a complete set of services for the localisation and testing of games on a variety of platforms.
• Console games
o Microsoft Xbox
o Nintendo GameCube
o Sony PlayStation
o Nintendo Wii
• Computer-based games
o Windows
• Mobile games
o Cellular phones
o Nintendo DS and Game Boy
o Nokia N-Gage
o Sony PSP
o PDAs
o Other portable devices
We translate various in-game text and scripts which require extensive rewriting for the target market.

Sound Recording Capabilities for the entertainment industry
Many games require sound recording. Novilinguists provides voiceover work for clients giving them two options.
1. We can use professional voice talents contracting external studios, and
2. We can use internal linguists to record inhouse the less formal passages through our audio recording softwares. The appropriate method is chosen based on client requirements and budget.
Cultural assessment
Definition
Cultural assessment is the process of evaluating your products and supporting materials within a target market to identify and compensate for any potential cultural barriers, prior to launch, that may compromise your success.
Key activities involving cultural assessment
Novilinguists can deliver an accurate local market evaluation of your brand. Before you develop sales channels and carry out expensive advertising campaigns, Novilinguists will help you understand how your brand or product will be perceived by your target customers.
Tasks carried out for a cultural evaluation:
• Cultural point-of-view analysis to uncover historical, social, or commercial conflicts
• In-country focus groups to measure the readiness of your products and supporting content to enter new markets
• Brand surveying to measure the current level of integrity and suitability of your brand in its target market
• Brand perception testing to identify unwanted connotations associated with your images, colour choices, etc.

Transcreation
This translation approach is the ideal solution Novilinguists offers to their international customers to provide successful marketing and advertising translations. It involves safeguarding the original message and adapting it to the final user's cultural context through the use of skilled copywriters, translators, project managers, proofreaders, and localisers. Novilinguists not only offers a sheer translation but a completely brand new text where the core is sized and messages are as fresh and effective as the original.

Definition

Transcreation is the term we use to refer to a bundle of services aimed at those operating in the advertising sector. It consists of the complete set of translation, localisation and copy editing services. Transcreation is a more complex service as it involves the creativity and discipline of professionals whose core activity is content adaptation.

Marketing translations

Our translation service applies to any international advertising and marketing copywriting project:
1. corporate communications
2. direct marketing
3. brochures and catalogues
4. packaging
5. press releases
6. corporate websites
Any marketing, technical and institutional content targeted at an international audience should meet requirements of the specific country it addresses by complying with national customs, regulations and standard forms of communication. In the case of such texts whose sole purpose is communication, the message must be effectively and quickly conveyed to target readers, without losing or altering the original meaning. Such a professional outcome may only be achieved through editing reviews. In a nutshell, the translated output must be reviewed by a local reviewer who will change the shape of the translation adapting it to the company’s needs.

Selection criteria for Marcom content

Before allocating the Marcom content to our resources, our expert Project Managers arrange a meeting with the customer aimed at understanding the general picture of the company and to gather as much information as possible on its products and target audience. Novilinguists’ objective is to create the background of information required to select the most suitable resources providing them with appropriate information and knowledge base so that the project will run smoothly.

Legal and financial translations

Novilinguists offers a complete range of services, serving the needs of legal/fiscal entities and credit institutions alike who are performing their activities on the international arena.

We translate various kinds of specific documentation: company charters, articles of association, analyses, financial reports, funds, stock exchange bulletins, financial statements, patents, contracts, applications, intimations, prosecutions, civil actions, etc.

Certified documents
Sworn translations, legalizations and Visa applications
Sworn translations (also called certified translations) are carried out by native speaker translators registered with the technical consultants of the Courts of Justice. Novilinguists handles major language combinations, less common pairs can be managed on requst. Our services include sworn translations, legalisations and consular visas obtained from the relevant Italian authorities. These services refer specifically to Italian laws and regulations. Please note that different countries may follow different regulations. Moreover, in certain countries sworn translations may not be required. In this case, a basic certified translation is sufficient, i.e. Novilinguists is willing to write a statement certifying that the translation is an accurate and complete version of the original text.

Technical translations

With every technical translation assignment received, the need to contain costs and meet fast turnarounds are key factors in guaranteeing client satisfaction.

We are specialised in translation of manuals in a wide range of technical sectors such as machine tools, automotive, mechanics, chemicals, petroleum exploitation and refining, energy sources, iron and steel making, metallurgy, biochemistry, construction materials, printing and dyeing, garment manufacturing, food processing, technical specifications and tenders for contracts.
Moreover, we translate spare parts catalogues, exploded diagrams, illustration leaflets, warning charts, training notes and slides, adopting a production process aimed at keeping costs down while shortening the delivery timeframe.
Our experienced project managers choose the most appropriate resource by selecting it from our database of technical translators specialised in the specific field of application. We can also translate texts directly in the original format, such as InDesign and FrameMaker, thus avoiding costs associated with re-layouting. When translating manuals, we garantee complete compatibility with our customers' original formats, and make use of computer-aided translation tools such as SDLX or Trados. These high-end technology approaches to translation reduce time to market and push costs down. The permanent implementation of such ‘state-of-the art’ solutions gradually populates an extensive terminology database which the client can approve, thus becoming sound legacy content that can also serve as a valid terminology support for our translators while ensuring consistency. The advantage of using such advanced technology is most noted when translating updates (manuals for new versions of existing products).

Medical and scientific translations
We translate technical and scientific documentation in various medical and pharmaceutical fields.
Novilinguists handles medical texts, exam and analysis results, case histories, medical reports, information leaflets, chemical/pharmaceutical safety charts, etc. We also specialise in sectors such as diagnostic devices and the electro-medical field where technical and medical-scientific ‘know-how’ is dovetail.
When handling medical, pharmaceutical and scientific translations, linguistic specific background is a crucial requirement to meet client expectations while abiding by the rigid quality standards set for the sensitive content which has a direct impact on the health of people. The appropriate resource is selected for a specific project by searching in our vast database of qualified translators. In an attempt to fully comply with the stringent quality measures established in the medical sector, experts and health care personnel can also be brought in and involved in the production steps for professional consultation.

Translation of film scripts and synopsis for theatrical pieces

On request, Novilinguists offers translation services in the entertainment sector. Our experienced project managers choose the most appropriate resource by selecting it from our database of translators specialised in the specific field of application.

Transcriptions

Novilinguists also handles transcriptions in any file format. Transcription is the conversion of spoken words into written language.

Project Management

Novilinguists ensures effective project management by promoting consistent communication, creating experienced teams and complying with client expectations. We design customized schemes for each client relying on our competent staff and solid processes.
Our goal is to streamline the localisation process for our customers through adequately trained project managers. Industry experience is key to understanding each customer's process and ensuring the seamless transfer of knowledge.
Our project managers have a production background and are experienced in translation, testing and engineering. This range of skill sets facilitates a deeper insight in the entanglements arising from a localisation project.
Effective project management is intrinsic to our success. Working closely with customers to understand their specific requirements, a dedicated team of project managers carefully plans the workflow to ensure that the entire process runs smoothly.

Key tasks involved in project management:


• Planning, scheduling and risk assessment analysis
• Monitoring and supervising the preparation process
• Setting up ‘kick-off’ meetings
• Preparation covering administrative, technical and linguistic aspects appropriate to the specific requirements of each translation project
• Assigning translators to the project
• Assigning proofers and, if applicable, reviewers
• Issuing instructions to all parties involved in the project
• Enabling and monitoring consistency in translation
• Monitoring and supervising the process timetable through status reporting
• Ensuring contact is maintained with all parties involved in the process, including the client
• Tracking issues and resolution
• Organizing conference calls and preparing ‘post-mortem’ reports as well as improvement plans.

Efficient and effective project management requires focused and result oriented approach. Below are some basic qualities a good project manager should be empowered with to carry out satisfactory management:

1. Not losing sight of the desired outcome
2. Broadminded
3. Ability to focus
4. Use of strengths
5. Having trust
6. Positive thinking

Quality Assurance

Close and extensive communication with our clients ensure that pre-translation and post-production tasks are carried out as timely as possible to guarantee quality expectations of our customers are fully met.
Below is a list of the tasks our staff undertake to achieve the best possible level of quality for customer satisfaction.

Novilinguists procedures to fulfill quality requirements:
• Request for realistic deadlines in order to ensure translation, editing and proofing steps are carried out thoroughly
• A specific terminology list always requested from the customer
• Request for project-specific reference material (legacy text already translated, software build, or UI screenshots ) to support linguists work
• Creation of a style guide to ensure customer requirements are followed and used by translation teams
• Queries submitted by translators to customer through query-raising dedicated portals or compilation of a query form sent to customer via e-mail. Queries should be attended to by customers at early stages if possible, before delivery takes place
• Proactive communication established between translators and vendor to identify possible issues during production phase so that customer can be escalated timely
• Spelling and grammar automated checks always performed on the documents before final delivery and, if deadline allows, proofreading is implemented to catch any remaining mistakes that automated spellcheckers fail to recognize
• Technical and tagging checks are scheduled to ensure format of files is correct and tags are not misplaced. Files are virus-checked before final delivery
• Checklist always provided to linguists to verify if all necessary steps have been taken to deliver properly edited and proofed files.

Sampling method and spotchecks

Sampling is a procedure that is used for deciding whether to accept or reject a batch of documents. The decision depends on the number of defects found in a sample of the document. To use a sampling process, acceptability criteria must be established.
Acceptance sampling is the ‘middle-of-the road’ approach between no inspection and 100-percent inspection. Its main purpose is to decide whether the lot is acceptable, not to estimate its quality and it should be employed when:

• 100-percent inspection is too time consuming
• Time or technology limitations are constraints
• Lot sizes are very large and the probability of inspection errors is high
• Supplier’s quality history is good enough to justify less than 100-percent inspection

Quality takes time

From an economic point of view, the faster a translation is completed, the sooner a product is released on the market, but a common issue in translation is the tradeoff between time and quality.There is no disputing the fact that quality is time consuming and achieving accuracy in particular is painstaking. So a proper balance between time and quality needs to be found.


Post-localisation services

Given the wide range of processes localisation entails and in an attempt to offer our customers a complete set of services, partnerships have been forged with a few dedicated and trusted stakeholders located in Europe to meet the complex requirements of our clients in relation to localisation. Such activities are outsourced to our partners to ensure the level of service delivered is the best. Our policy ensures our customers receive a high profile service because we allocate the work to companies who choose, as a core business, what they specialise in. We entrust the assignments only to those professionals who are uniquely skilled in the specific tasks requested.

Desktop Publishing

To meet the multifaceted DTP requirements of our customers, we use all the latest desktop publishing programs, guaranteeing full compatibility with the two previous releases, both for Macintosh and Windows. We are also fully acquainted with the use of Microsoft® Office applications (Access, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher Word, FrontPage, etc.) and graphic management programs (Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, CorelDraw, Corel PhotoPaint, Macromedia FreeHand, Macromedia Fireworks) as well as re-layouting software (Adobe® InDesign, FrameMaker, PageMaker, Interleaf QuickSilver , MS Publisher and QuarkXPress).

Key activities involving DTP:

• DTP for PC and Mac environment into FIGS using main authoring tools for PC and Mac environment
• Web content creation and editing
• PDF document creation from different doc formats
• Framemaker and Indesign content creation and editing
• Creation and editing of screencaptures of the User Interface

Audio services

We also offer audio recording and dubbing services. In addition to traditional studio recording services, we count on special technical and artistic expertise to comply with the high standards set in the multimedia industry.

Key activities involving Audio:

• Voiceover
• Audio creation in any format
• Digital sound editing and post-production
• Sound synchronization for both digital and analogical video
• Original soundtracks and sound design
• Sound design for both on-line and off-line products
• Sound effects for trade fairs, exhibits and conventions
• Voice talent casting

Technical writing services

In today's global marketplace, wise companies are learning an important tenet about translation: survival in todays international environment is guaranteed only if the customer is aware of the importance of focusing on content writing and structuring. Planning for translation from the outset will allow companies to gain a precious competitive edge over international competitors.

Key activities involving technical writing:

• Raw data collection for technical writing purposes
• Information design and structuring
• Technical writing of technical manuals and software applications
• Content editing and standardization for localisation purposes
• Document migration from one format to another (SGML and XML document migration)


Post- localisation engineering services

Our service package includes compilation, resizing, building and testing the local language software. The entire process is aimed at creating and deliverying bug-free, ready-to-ship localized products.

Key activities linked with engineering:

• Linguistic and functional testing
• Bug regression testing
• Usability testing of UI
• Resizing of dialogs


Technology
The client is the main driving force in the localisation industry and therefore sets the pace for future trends. Localization companies are asked to provide higher quality deliverables, faster time to market and cost savings: for this reason Novilinguists is always exploring the market for new software solutions that will enable an enhancement to all translation and localisation processes while achieving some cost containment.
In order to efficiently tackle the multifaceted and complex localisation environment, we make use of a wide variety of standard industry localisation and proprietary tools.
Some of the software localisation tools adopted:
• Alchemy Catalyst
• Passolo
• SDL Trados
• Déjà vu
• Microsoft Localisation Studio
• Symantec Pebbles
• Logoport
• Novell workbench
• Rc-wintrans
• Idiom Desktop Workbench

The concept behind Computer Aided Translations (CAT)

Novilinguists has been using some of the most advanced translation tools to improve consistency and reduce translation costs as well as speed up deliveries. We take full advantage of all the main CAT features so that we can create alignments and translation memories as well as terminology databases. Translation memories can be shared on a network making it possible to deliver a consistent output, especially when working with teams that are not operating in the same location.


Rates
Rates are negotiable according to customer's needs and rebates can be arranged for bulk projects and in relation to the agreement reached with the client.

Clients

Our customers and multilingual vendors chose us to localise products for major IT companies. Some important names of the industry are:

Actiontec Electronics, AlarmPoint Systems, Alcatel, Archos, Aspherio, Atron, Autodesk, Bentley, Biomet, BlackSpider Technologies, BrainLab, Brocade, Brown Medical, Canalys, Codis, Computer Associates, CRF Inc, CustomerSat, Depuy Mitek, Depuy Spine, Dr Rath, eGain Communications, Emirates Airlines, Focus Enhancements, Fortis, GE Interlogix Inc, Genesys, Genzyme, Google Eplan, Hill-Rom, HotelZon, InFocus, Invitrogen, Iomega, Inamed Aesthetics, InFocus, Intel, Irish Distilleries , J2GBD, Kedrion SpA pharmaceuticals, KMT, LSI Logic, Symantec, Schueco, Kawasaki, Sony, Migo, Tanner Neopost, Tyco Codman, Tagmedical, , Med Stream, Marcegaglia SpA barriers, Skype, Oxygen Interactive, NetG, Philips, Plaxo, Powers Fasteners, Scott Bradbury, SPSS, Telenav, Tyco, Pfizer, Termoking, , Poet AG, Novell, , pelikantechnologies, McAfee, U3 Rosetta Stone, Université di Lousanne, Università degli studi di Genova, Waters Corp, Zimmer



Policy of the company

Human resources

Human person, not capital, is the core of our business. The management values employee's talents by encouraging their innovation and creativity, their assumption of responsibility and their participation in defining and achieving the business' objectives. Directors at Novilinguists place transparency and forward thinking as key values to stimulate a warm climate which, in turn, fosters open and honest communication between employees and managers creating the suitable environment for sharing ideas and new approaches. In addition employers welcome the contribution of the employee’s talents aimed at the growth of the business.

Social networking and Relationship

One of the main goals Novilinguists would like to attain is to shape the business as a true community. Directors meet regularly with those responsible for managing the business to review the quality of the interpersonal relationships. Together they resolve difficult business situations realizing that the stress of resolving these difficulties can have positive effects on the members of the enterprise by stimulating innovation and growth in maturity and productivity.

The health and wellbeing of every member of the business receives special attention with provisions made for people with special needs.

Working conditions suitable to the type of business are provided. Excessive hours are avoided so people don’t become overly strained and adequate vacation is provided.
The work environment is joyful and friendly, mutual respect, trust and consideration prevail.

Novilinguists keeps its surroundings as clean, orderly, and pleasant as possible. When working within this harmonious environment, the employers, employees, suppliers and customers experience a comfortable atmosphere.

Life style of working people at Novilinguists

The business uses the most modern means possible to offer useful, quality services at fair prices.

The members of the enterprise work professionally to establish and strengthen strong and sincere relations with customers, suppliers and the local community and they take pride in being useful members of their communities.

They engage in fair play with competitors presenting the true value of their own services while refraining from putting the products and services of others in a negative light.

This allows us to enrich the enterprise with an intangible capital derived from relationships of mutual respect and trust developed with suppliers, customers and institutions. The result is economic growth less subject to the variability of the market situations.

Ethical approach

The work of the enterprise provides a means for the self-fulfillment of all its members. The company acts in accordance with the applicable law and maintains ethical dealings with tax authorities, regulatory agencies, labor unions and other such institutions.

In the same way, the business leaders behave legally and ethically in dealings with its own employees.

In establishing the quality standards of its own products and services, the enterprise feels bound not only by its contractual obligations but also by an assessment of the objective impact that the quality of its products and services has on the well-being of intended customers.


How to contact us:

Novilinguists Multimedia Snc
Via B. Buozzi n 3
15067 Novi Ligure (AL)
Tel : +39 0143 314854 - Fax: + 39 0143 314854


Directors

Maurizia Gregorio
Email: mauriziag@novilinguists.com
Marinella Merlo
Email: marinellam@novilinguists.com

Information request email

Email: info@novilinguists.com