Operational Processes and Quality Standards

From Request to Execution

1. Diagnosis (Phase 1): The client submits a request through our portal. An assigned project manager conducts a discovery call within 4 business hours to gather all the details: dates, languages, topic, format, audience, and technical requirements.
   • Deliverable: Project Scope Document (SOW).
2. Proposal (Phase 2): Based on the SOW, we create a detailed proposal that includes recommended solutions (e.g., a team of 2 French interpreters, 1 CART provider), team profiles, a cost breakdown, and a timeline.
   • Deliverable: Formal proposal and service contract. Acceptance Criteria: Client signature.
3. Pre-production (Phase 3): Once approved, the project manager assembles the team, creates a shared workspace (for glossaries, presentations), and schedules technical tests.
   • Deliverable: Detailed Project Plan, including logistics and contingency plan. Acceptance Criteria: Successful completion of the technical test.
4. Execution (Phase 4): On the day of the event, the team provides the service. The project manager actively supervises, acting as the point of contact for the client and the technical team.
   • Deliverable: Provision of the interpretation/captioning service. Acceptance Criteria: Uninterrupted execution that does not affect service.
5. Closure (Phase 5): Post-event materials (transcripts, recordings) are delivered. A satisfaction survey is sent out, and a debriefing meeting is held to discuss the results.
   • Deliverables: Final transcript, KPI report, invoice. Acceptance Criteria: Client confirmation of receipt and acceptance of deliverables.

Quality Control

• Roles: Each project has a Project Manager (overall manager), a Language Team Leader (if there are more than 4 linguists), and a Technical Support person.
• Escalation: Issues are first reported to the Project Manager. If issues are not resolved within 15 minutes, they are escalated to the Director of Operations.
• Acceptance Indicators and SLAs:
  • Service Availability: 99.9% during the scheduled event.
  • CART Accuracy: Minimum 98.5% (measured post-event with analysis software).
  • Response Time to Inquiries: <4 business hours.
  • Critical Issue Resolution: < 5 minutes during a live event.

Application Cases and Scenarios

Case 1: International Hybrid Conference on Medical Technology

1. We deployed a team of 8 conference interpreters (4 per language, working in pairs), 2 ASL interpreters, 2 LSQ interpreters, and 4 CART providers.
2. We worked with the client to compile all presentations and create a bilingual technical glossary of over 500 terms, which was distributed to the team 2 weeks prior.
3. We conducted a full technical test on-site and on the virtual platform, simulating speaker transitions and the integration of different accessibility feeds.
4. An on-site and an online project manager coordinated all aspects in real time.

• NPS of attendees who used accessibility services: +65.
• Average CART accuracy (Verified): 99.2%.
• Zero service interruptions during the 3 days.
• The client reported a 15% increase in French-speaking audience participation in the Q&A sessions compared to the previous year.
• ROI: The client was able to justify a premium price for virtual tickets thanks to high-quality accessibility, generating an ADR (Average Daily Rate) 10% higher than anticipated. The cost of services represented less than 5% of the total event budget.

Case 2: Corporate Webinar Series for a Financial Institution

1. We proposed an annual retention model, offering a predictable cost and guaranteeing the availability of the same team of interpreters and CART providers for the entire series, ensuring familiarity with the content and speakers.
2. We used a remote interpreting (RSI) platform that integrated seamlessly with the client’s webinar platform (Zoom).
3. All team members signed a strict confidentiality agreement. The CART provider delivered a clean transcript (free of jargon and errors) within 2 hours of each webinar for the client’s internal archive.

• 20% reduction in cost per event compared to individual contracting.
• 30% higher than the company average attendance rate for internal events among French-speaking employees.
• Employee satisfaction score with accessibility services: 9.2/10.
• The HR department reported that the initiative was a key factor in improving the company’s inclusion and belonging metrics.

Case 3: Video Production for a Government Public Health Campaign

• The video completion rate for the subtitled videos was 25% higher than the industry benchmark for no captioning videos.
• The client (government agency) exceeded its accessibility compliance goals and received public praise for its inclusive campaign.
• The cost of comprehensive accessibility services was 12% of the total production budget, but it was estimated that the effective reach of the campaign increased by more than 35%.

Step-by-step guides and templates

Guide 1: How to prepare your speakers for a multilingual event

1. Speak clearly and at a moderate pace: Remember that the interpreter is listening, processing and talking almost at the same time. A rhythm of about 120-140 words per minute is ideal. Avoid talking too fast.
2. Avoid jargon, idioms and specific cultural humor: What is funny or evident in your culture may not translate well. If you must use a technical term, define it briefly the first time.
3. Provide your materials in advance: Send your slides, speaker notes, and a glossary of acronyms or specific terms to the organizers at least a week before. This allows CART interpreters and providers to research and prepare.
4. Use the microphone correctly: Keep the microphone at a constant distance from your mouth. Do not go away or hit the microphone. Clear audio is essential for performance and CART.
5. Haga pausas naturales: Pause one or two seconds between ideas or slides. This gives the interpreter a moment to catch up and ensures that the message is transmitted accurately.
6. Interact with the entire audience: When answering questions from someone who uses an interpreter (spoken language or sign), address the person asking the question directly, not the interpreter. Maintain eye contact with the person.

• [ ] Have I sent my slides and notes to the organizers?
• [ ] Have I practiced my presentation to maintain a moderate pace?
• [ ] Have I identified and prepared explanations for jargon or acronyms?
• [ ] Do I know how to use the microphone they will provide me?
• [ ] Do I remember looking at the person who asks, not the interpreter?

Guide 2: Checklist to hire a cart service

1. Verify certifications: Make sure the CART provider has recognized certifications, such as CCP (Certified Cart Provider) or CRR (Certified Realtime Reporter) from an organization such as NCRA. This guarantees a level of speed and precision.
2. Request performance metrics: Ask for your average accuracy rate (should be >98.5%) and your write speed (should be >225 WPM). Ask for references or examples of your work.
3. Discuss technical requirements: Do you provide the software? How will the text be displayed (on a large screen, on a personal device)? Do you need a wired internet connection? Clarify all the technical details in advance.
4. Confirm the preparation of the material: A good CART provider will order materials in advance (agendas, lists of speakers, slides) to load names and terminology into your stenographic dictionary and improve accuracy.
5. Clarify deliverables: Will you need a transcription after the event? Specify the format (for example, a .txt file) and delivery time (for example, in 24 hours). Ask if editing and correction are included in the price.
6. Understand the contingency plan: What happens if the CART provider becomes ill or has a technical problem? The agency must have a clear backup plan to provide immediate replacement or technical support.

Guide 3: Setting up a room for accessible communication

1. Clear line of sight: The sign language interpreter must be located near the main speaker, with good lighting, so that deaf attendees can clearly see the rapporteur and the interpreter. The interpreter must be able to clearly see and hear the rapporteur.
2. Cart screen location: The screen showing the Cart text should be placed where it is easily visible to attendees who need it, without having to constantly turn their heads away from the rapporteur.
3. Asientos Prioritarios: Reserve front row seats with a clear line of sight towards the sign language interpreter and/or the CART screen for attendees who have requested these services.
4. Audio quality: Use high quality microphones for all speakers. Poor audio is the biggest enemy of interpretation and CART. Do a full sound test before the attendees arrive.
5. Proper lighting: Make sure that the rapporteur and interpreter area is well lit, with no shadows on their faces or hands. Avoid the “charged” backgrounds behind the interpreter.
6. Isolation for spoken language interpreters: If you use simultaneous interpretation, the interpreters will need a soundproof booth with a clear view of the stage. For remote interpretation, they need a quiet, interrupt-free working environment.

Internal and external resources (no links)

Recursos internos

• ESINEV Service Catalog: Detailed description of all captioning and interpretation solutions.
• Project Request Template: A standardized form to ensure that all the necessary information is collected from the beginning.
• Glossary of terms of the accessibility industry.
• Internal quality standards and code of conduct for linguists.

Reference external resources

• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 – World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).
• Code of Professional Conduct – Canadian Association of Sign Language Interpreters (CASLI).
• Code of Professional Ethics – National Court Reporters Association (NCRA).
• Standards of Practice and Ethics – Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID).
• ISO standards on interpretation and translation (ISO 18841, ISO 20228).

Preguntas frecuentes

What is the difference between captions and transcripts?

Do I need an interpreter or two for my event?

What is CART and how does it differ from automatic subtitling (ASR)?

How far in advance should I book the Interpretation or CART services?

What information should I provide when requesting Captioning Interpretation Services?

Conclusion and call to action

Glosario

ASL (American Sign Language)

Predominant sign language used by deaf communities in the United States and parts of English-speaking Canada.

CART (Communication Access Realtime Translation)

The instant transcription of the spoken word to text by a human stenographer, which is shown on a screen to provide access to communication to people with hearing loss.

Consecutive interpretation

The interpreter speaks after the speaker of the source language has completed a sentence or a thought. Common in small and one-to-one environments.

Simultaneous interpretation

The interpreter translates the message into the target language as quickly as he can formulate from the original language, while the speaker of the original language continues to speak. It is used in conferences and requires specialized equipment.

LSQ (Langue des signes québécoise)

Sign language used by deaf communities in Quebec and other French-speaking areas of Canada.

NPS (Net Promoter Score)

A metric of customer experience that measures loyalty and satisfaction. It is calculated from the answer to a single question: “What is the probability that this company/product/service is recommended to a friend or colleague?”