Translation of on-screen menus

Subject: Translation of on-screen menus
From: Dick Margulis <margulisd -at- comcast -dot- net>
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Date: Tue, 19 Sep 2006 16:54:10 -0400

I'm writing a user manual for a patient monitor with a sorta kinda
Windows-like GUI. That is, there is a menu bar with drop-down menus.
Some of the menu selections open dialogs. In other words, the visual
metaphors are friendly and familiar, even if there aren't actual windows
you can close.

In the initial draft I included screen shots of the menus and dialogs in
the course of writing task-based procedures.

The client, in reviewing the draft, is concerned that the cost of
translation into something like ten target languages will be greatly
increased because of the need to generate substitute screen shots and
has suggested, as an alternative, that we mock up the menus and dialogs using text tables (the deliverable is in Word). The result would be logically equivalent to screen shots of the actual menus, but it would not be graphically identical.

What does the gathered usability jury say? Would this be a reasonable
compromise or would users find it confusing? One risk I foresee--and
that I'll mention in my response--is that the menus and dialogs as translated by the translation agency might not be identical to the menus and dialogs as translated ahead of time by the company for their on-screen display.

Thoughts? Any been-there-done-that stories, positive or negative?

Dick


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

WebWorks ePublisher Pro for Word features support for every major Help format plus PDF, HTML and more. Flexible, precise, and efficient content delivery. Try it today! http://www.webworks.com/techwr-l

Easily create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to any popular Help file format or printed documentation. Learn more at http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList

---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- infoinfocus -dot- com -dot-
To unsubscribe send a blank email to techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/archive%40infoinfocus.com


To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com

Send administrative questions to lisa -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.


Follow-Ups:

References:
Friday Humaor - AND It's On Topic!: From: Rob Domaschuk

Previous by Author: Re: Challenge (to me)
Next by Author: Re: Translation of on-screen menus
Previous by Thread: Friday Humaor - AND It's On Topic!
Next by Thread: RE: Translation of on-screen menus


What this post helpful? Share it with friends and colleagues:


Sponsored Ads