This blog documents my final project for Translation Technology, a core course in my first semester at the MIIS. The final project was a team CAT project centered on professional workflows in SDL Trados Studio, covering the full lifecycle from project setup to delivery.
Project Overview
Our team worked on a simulated client project for the Monterey Bay Aquarium, translating five English articles into Simplified Chinese. The scope included proposal drafting, tool setup, translation and review, QA, and final delivery. The goal was not only to produce translations, but to demonstrate how a real-world localization project is planned, executed, and delivered using industry-standard tools and documentation.
All work followed a structured Statement of Work (SOW) and a clearly defined workflow, including terminology preparation, TM setup, QA checks, and deliverable packaging, reflecting professional vendor-side practices
Tools and Workflow
SDL Trados Studio was the primary working platform throughout the project. We applied CAT best practices such as:
- Translation Memory and term base management
- Match analysis and rate-based quoting
- Built-in QA checks and regex validation
- Consistent file preparation and final export
Supporting tools such as AntConc were used for terminology extraction, reinforcing the importance of preparation before production.
Deliverables and Reflection
The final deliverables included translated target files, a TMX file, a term base, a style guide, and pseudo-translated files. Beyond the outputs themselves, this project reinforced several key lessons:
- CAT tools are not just translation aids, but project management and quality control systems
- Clear documentation and upfront planning significantly reduce downstream rework
- Consistency, traceability, and reproducibility matter as much as linguistic quality
For reference, the full set of project files and deliverables can be accessed here:
Deliverables folder: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/10ttBxM4P0-KWLlHiC9J06JIuIigGB-Y_?usp=drive_link
Our group's Statement of Work can be found here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tCoeXyyYxHGnkYgc1cfkxF5Tn5zPSqaE/view?usp=sharing
A recorded presentation summarizing our lessons learned from using Trados is also available:
Presentation recording: https://midd.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=822a077a-a1ac-4cdb-9f42-b3ad006a730f
To Wrap Up
This project served as a practical introduction to professional CAT-based localization workflows and laid a solid foundation for more advanced tool usage and automation in future coursework.
Although I had prior exposure to multiple CAT tools through both coursework and professional experience, I particularly appreciated the opportunity to study Trados in a systematic and structured way. Going through the full workflow helped me uncover several features and capabilities that I had not actively used before, and it deepened my understanding of how CAT tools support not just translation, but consistency, quality control, and scalable localization operations.
Overall, the project clarified what it means to approach translation technology work with structure, accountability, and strong industry awareness.
