Sue Orchard

Sue is the President/CEO and founder of Comms Multilingual, which she set up in 2003. She has a degree in German and Russian and also speaks Spanish and French. She is a member of several professional organisations, including the Chartered Institute of Linguists and the International Test Commission (representing Psychometric Test Publishers). She has a great interest in the area of assessments and has a great deal of expertise in the translation, localisation and adaptation of exams and assessments.

SIOP 2015: What to consider when translating I/O assessments

We have a great deal of experience in translating, localising and adapting assessments into other languages, so just what needs to be considered? We recommend that a review of assessment items be carried out prior to any translation project to ascertain whether all the items could be used in another country.

What else needs to be translated?

We have been looking at the whole area of translation, localisation and adaptation of tests, certifications, assessments and exams. However, it is not just these materials alone that will need to be translated. We have listed several of the most important aspects which you may wish to consider in parallel with the actual assessment itself.

Language is one thing, culture is another – what requires localisation?

It is all well and good translating a text for someone who speaks another language, but adapting it to reflect their culture can be critical to the success of a project. We look at some of the areas which might require attention, from the more simple names of people to units and measures.

What are the advantages of translating, localising and adapting your tests?

In previous posts, we looked at what localisation and adaptation mean and discussed whether certifications and assessments should be translated. We will now consider the advantages that you get if you do decide to translate, localise and adapt your tests, assessments and certifications.

Should you translate your tests, assessments and certifications?

In our previous post, we looked at the translation, localisation and adaptation process and the fact that it is very important to get all three steps right in order to ensure that your assessment will work in another country and for another culture. How are testing organisations actually coping with different sensibilities and cultures in addition to translation?

SIOP Conference 2015

Sue Orchard and Cicek Svensson will be attending this year’s SIOP conference in Philadelphia, PA. We will be looking forward to discussing the localization of your psychometric instruments and related materials, and welcoming you to our booth, where we will have a selection of European chocolates on offer!