For associations, language isn’t just a tool. It’s essential for effective communication with your members.

At the 2024 ASAE Annual Meeting in Cleveland, Interpro Translation Solutions hosted a happy hour designed to spark meaningful conversations about global communication. More than just a social gathering, the event brought together association professionals committed to making their member experiences more inclusive, accessible, and culturally relevant.

In this article, we’ll share everything that we discussed at the event so you can be empowered to host events, meetings, and conferences in any language.

Why Translation & Interpreting Matters to Associations

Member-driven organizations face a unique challenge: they must communicate complex information clearly across diverse communities. Whether they’re publishing technical documentation, hosting training programs, or producing events, associations rely on language services to connect with multilingual audiences.

Interpro specializes in helping these organizations thrive by providing:

• Certified document translation for bylaws, policies, and educational content.
• Remote Simultaneous Interpretation (RSI) for annual meetings, panels, and webinars.
• eLearning localization to support professional development in multiple languages.
• Multilingual desktop publishing to maintain visual consistency across cultures.

Creating Community Around Communication

Co-hosted with BackPocket Agency, the happy hour was a chance to unwind, laugh, and reflect on the partnerships that make these language solutions possible. Since 2018, Interpro’s annual happy hours at ASAE have become a space to connect beyond the trade show floor and reinforce the human side of our work.

The relaxed atmosphere fostered open conversations about interpreting needs, translation best practices, and the growing demand for inclusive content. Attendees shared their organization’s challenges and goals, and the Interpro team offered insights on how strategic localization could support them.

10 Takeaways to Help You Build Stronger Member Experiences with Translated Materials

Every interaction we had at ASAE reinforced a core belief at Interpro: that language access strengthens communities.

Here are 10 proven ways to enhance member engagement with professional translation and interpreting solutions:

1. Prioritize ISO-certified quality assurance to ensure accuracy and consistency.
2. Choose culturally-nuanced translations to build trust and relevance.
3. Leverage Remote Simultaneous Interpretation (RSI) for real-time multilingual accessibility.
4. Localize your eLearning content to support diverse member development.
5. Translate bylaws, policies, and governance materials to promote transparency.
6. Use multilingual desktop publishing to maintain polished, on-brand visuals.
7. Incorporate language services into your annual event planning.
8. Invest in ongoing translation support to keep communications up to date.
9. Partner with a vendor who understands the needs of member-driven organizations.
10. Always approach translation as a strategic extension of your mission.

Building Stronger Member Experiences at ASAE, One Translation at a Time

From multilingual policy guides to real-time interpretation during national conferences, effective language solutions help associations better serve their members. Our happy hour at ASAE was a reminder that behind every successful project is a meaningful partnership.

Whether you’re just beginning to explore translation services or looking to optimize your current strategy, Interpro is here to help.

Need expert translation support? Our team specializes in high-quality localization for member-driven organizations. Contact us today for a consultation.

The post 10 Takeaways for Associations from ASAE appeared first on Interpro Translation Solutions.

For manufacturers seeking a translation services provider to help them scale like Armstrong International, global expansion is a strategic necessity. With operations in over 100 countries, Armstrong’s leadership team knew that choosing a translation company that would help them streamline translation processes was critical to growth, maintaining global compliance, and strengthening brand trust worldwide.

The Challenge of Global Expansion for Manufacturing Leaders

Company expansion isn’t just about selling products in new markets. It’s about building relationships and consistent, reliable communications.

Armstrong’s Chief Marketing Officer, Jeff Nowicki, faced a significant challenge:

“We didn’t have a global process to support multiple languages. We were looking to consolidate with a single source, and to implement systematic localization of content on a more routine basis.”, states Nowicki.

How could he ensure that every piece of Armstrong’s marketing, technical documentation, and eLearning content was accurate, culturally relevant, and brand-consistent in multiple languages?

He needed a translation partner who understood Armstrong’s business inside and out, and not just another vendor.

15 years ago, he found the answer – Interpro Translation Solutions.

Over the past 15 years, Interpro has become more than a language service provider; they have become an extension of Armstrong’s marketing and technical teams. This article explores why that partnership works, the unique challenges of technical translation in manufacturing, and how Interpro helps Armstrong maintain brand consistency across global markets.

Why a Manufacturing CMO Needs a True Translation Partner, Not Just a Vendor

At Armstrong, the company doesn’t just sell thermal utility solutions – it sells reliability. Customers trust Armstrong to provide precise, technically sound, and highly specialized solutions for their steam, air, and hot water systems. Any miscommunication in technical materials – for employees or customers – could lead to inefficiencies, safety hazards, or compliance issues. And of course, there’s the challenge of maintaining a consistent and culturally relevant brand in 100 countries.

This is where many translation services fall short. A generic translation provider may be able to convert words from one language to another, but without deep industry knowledge and workflows to keep terminology consistent across all materials, the results can be disastrous.

What Armstrong needed was a translation partner that could:

• Understand the industry’s technical language and translate complex engineering terms with absolute accuracy.
• Ensure brand consistency across marketing, technical documentation, and training materials.
• Scale with Armstrong as it expanded its presence in multiple international markets.
• Integrate seamlessly into Armstrong’s workflow, working alongside the marketing and engineering teams.

Interpro checked every box.

A Strategic and Consultative Partnership with Interpro

The journey with Interpro began in 2010, when it recognized that a fragmented translation approach wasn’t sustainable. The company was working with different language service providers in various regions, leading to inconsistent terminology, formatting issues, and translation inefficiencies.

From the very first project together, Interpro’s commitment to accuracy and efficiency was clear. Interpro doesn’t just translate materials. The Interpro team did extensive scope discovery, understanding Armstrong’s unique problems. Interpro then developed a systematic localization strategy and streamlined workflow to support Armstrong’s global communication needs.

Key early initiatives included:

• Building a comprehensive Translation Memory (TM) to ensure consistent use of technical terms across all languages.
• Glossary development for French, German, Simplified Chinese, and Spanish: This eliminated inconsistencies across materials.
• Migrating marketing materials from QuarkXPress to Adobe InDesign and ensuring multilingual content was production-ready across all markets.

Since then, Interpro has translated and localized nearly 800 projects for Armstrong, including:

• Armstrong University eLearning course library
• Installation guide and technical manual translation
• Global marketing and sales materials
• Multilingual website localization
• Video translation with voiceover and captions

Each project has reinforced Armstrong’s trust in Interpro’s ability to handle technical complexity while maintaining brand consistency.

“The relationship between Interpro and Armstrong is likely unlike other client relationships, from the standpoint of Interpro becoming fully integrated with our global marketing team, including attending the in-person summit, and quarterly team meetings,” says Nowicki.

The Unique Challenges of Technical Translation in Manufacturing (And How Interpro Solves Them)

Ensuring Absolute Accuracy in Technical Documentation

In manufacturing, the slightest mistranslation in a technical manual or product specification can lead to critical errors. Customers rely on these materials to properly install, operate, and maintain complex equipment.

How Interpro Helps:

• Industry-Specific Linguists: Interpro assigns translators with manufacturing and engineering backgrounds to ensure precise terminology usage.
• Multi-Step Quality Assurance (QA): Armstrong’s process includes multiple review stages, including in-country review (ICR) by native-speaking subject matter experts.
• Glossary and Style Guide Maintenance: Ensures consistency across all documents, regardless of the language.

Result: Armstrong’s technical manuals are accurate, reliable, and compliant in every market.

Maintaining Brand Consistency Across Global Markets

Brand voice and messaging should be consistent, no matter the language. Many manufacturers struggle with maintaining the same level of clarity, authority, and professionalism across translated materials.

How Interpro Helps:

• Centralized Translation Memory & Glossaries: Ensures key brand messages and technical terms are consistently translated.
• Cultural Adaptation (Not Just Translation): Their linguists localize content for different regions, adapting phrasing while keeping the brand’s tone intact.
• Integration with Marketing Teams: Interpro regularly attends Armstrong’s global marketing meetings and summits, ensuring alignment with brand goals.

Result: Armstrong’s messaging is unified and effective across all global campaigns.

Scaling Translation for Growth While Maintaining Quality

Armstrong International operates in over 100 countries and serves clients in industries such as food & beverage, healthcare, automotive, and education. As the company grows, the demand for translated content continues to expand.

How Interpro Helps:

• Scalable Team of Experts: They quickly ramp up resources for large-scale projects.
• Technology-Driven Workflow: Their translation management system (TMS) streamlines projects, reducing turnaround times without sacrificing quality.
• Ongoing Collaboration & Consultation: Regular check-ins ensure that Armstrong’s evolving business needs are met.

Result: Armstrong can confidently expand into new markets with a trusted translation partner by its side.

The Impact: How Interpro Has Transformed Armstrong’s Global Communications

Armstrong’s CMO, Nowicki, says it best:

“We’ve seen increased engagement, increase in form submissions, improved search engine optimization, and brand positioning because we serve comprehensive content in multiple languages. And there has been increased engagement with the team at Armstrong China because the content has been localized.”

The numbers speak for themselves:

• 6,000,000 words translated
• 800+ translation projects completed
• 74 eLearning courses localized
• 8+ languages supported across Armstrong’s global website

Resulting in:

• Increased engagement in international markets (especially in China)
• Higher SEO performance due to localized web content.
• Seamless integration with Armstrong’s global marketing team.
• A fully accessible website for global customers, improving engagement and trust.
• The marketing and sales teams can confidently communicate in local languages, enhancing relationships with international clients.
• Employees worldwide benefit from translated eLearning courses, ensuring consistency in training and operational knowledge.

Why Every Manufacturing CMO Needs a Translation Strategy

Leadership has learned that global success requires more than just great products. It requires clear, consistent, and culturally relevant communication.

Choosing a translation partner isn’t just about cost. It’s about choosing a translation team that prioritizes quality, reliability, and strategic alignment – and engineers your translation workflow to make it work for you. Armstrong’s partnership with Interpro has been a game-changer because they provide:

Technical translation expertise
A commitment to brand consistency
Scalable solutions for global growth
True integration with Armstrong’s team

For manufacturing leaders looking to streamline translation, ensure compliance, and strengthen global brand presence, Interpro Translation Solutions is the gold standard.

Ready to elevate your global strategy?

Contact Interpro today to discuss how expert translation can drive your international success.

The post Global Growth for Manufacturers: Marketing & Technical Translation appeared first on Interpro Translation Solutions.

Chat GPT can write code! It can write copy! But…

Can ChatGPT translate?

ChatGPT, Bard, Google Translate, Azure AI, and similar bots can translate, but a human should  always be involved in the translation process. AI and Machine Translators may be able to write and translate but you need to understand potential issues when you use ChatGPT for translation.

Find out if Chat GPT is your friend or foe. If we don’t answer your question in this article, email us here so we can.

ChatGPT: Not new, just different

If you haven’t heard of ChatGPT yet, don’t worry – we interviewed ChatGPT, so it can tell you itself:

Sounds perfect, but notice it doesn’t mention translation quality. So…

Is ChatGPT good for translation?

It depends on what you’re translating and if you have a good quality analysis step in your translation process.

Machine Translation tools powered by artificial intelligence like ChatGPT or Google Translate have been around for years, and accuracy is always a concern when using them. Simply take a look at some often-hilarious translations.

New Machine Translation tools like ChatGPT, Google’s Bard, and Microsoft’s Azure AI approach the task differently. Rather than translating word-for-word, the tool tries to understand the message behind the text. Then it performs the translation.

Just like a human translator, right?

Not quite.

Essentially, ChatGPT is an improved version of the predictive text feature on your phone. It uses a probability distribution to guess the next word in  a sequence.

ChatGPT bases this prediction on information it’s been fed, which can be inaccurate or biased. (We’ll dive into this more later in the article.)

This large language model (LLM) technology is how Bard and Azure can handle tasks like writing an essay, email, or limerick. The AI guesses what you want, looks for examples, and mimics them.

The hidden issues of using AI for translation

Because AI platforms like ChatGPT base their output on input scraped from other sources, we need analyze the possible issues that can occur when using it for translation:

Issue #1: Inaccurate & Emotionless Translations

Critics complain that AI can’t be relatable and can’t connect emotionally. But  it also can’t read the room.

Chatbots choose their words based on probability. For example, if they encounter many instances of the word “pooch” being used for “dog,” they’ll include “pooch” in their essay on dog training.

They have no idea if that word is derogatory or offensive. Imagine instead we’re talking about people instead of dogs…

Applying this to localization, imagine the potential dangers of counting on a computer program to translate a marketing email for a foreign country.  Quality control won’t be able to help you here!

Issue #2: Information Privacy Isn’t Guaranteed

When we asked Chat GPT about translation and information security, it responded:

Confusing? Let us translate:

ChatGPT says “…it is not stored or used for any purpose other than generating a response…”

This means: Information pasted into ChatGPT is still being saved somewhere. This means it can be accessed by someone and used without your permission.

If you load private information into ChatGPT for translation, that information isn’t used for future ChatGPT answers. But it is still stored, even if the current model of ChatGPT isn’t accessing it.

As far as why it’s saved and who can access it – we don’t know. That means all they have to do is change their terms and conditions to access past answers and poof – your confidential content is fair game. It could be the company that owns ChatGPT, someone who hacks the company, or marketing agencies targeting you.

During the interview, Chat GPT went on to state the following risks/disclaimers over and over:

• “text loaded into ChatGPT may be visible to the user and anyone else who has access to the device or platform”
• “avoid sharing sensitive or confidential information”
• “consult any relevant laws or regulations that may apply in your jurisdiction [regarding what information is considered private or confidential]”

You don’t know who or what will have access to the information you provide to online AI tools.

Issue #3: ChatGPT Doesn’t Consider Copyright Laws In Its Answers

… except to give a disclaimer that ChatGPT’s answers might infringe on someone’s intellectual property. That’s not ChatGPT’s problem, though, according to the previous image.

ChatGPT has a lot of content, but we might not know who owns it or if it has any intellectual property restrictions.

Want to translate the word coffee into ten languages? ChatGPT might not be accurate, but it won’t be copyright infringement.

However, if you ask for it to draft a mission statement and translate it into ten languages, you might just end up playing with text that is owned by Coca-Cola. But that’s your problem, not ChatGPT’s.

Does ChatGPT localize translations?

Short answer: it tries its best, but ChatGPT’s best isn’t always right.

Instant translators (like ChatGPT or Google Translate) have always struggled with the many ways to translate an idea or phrase. This flexibility is one of the complexities of human language that machines don’t quite understand

Just because a machine translation tool has provided what it thinks is the best translation doesn’t mean it’s right.

The new generation of tech is more likely to understand that “raining cats and dogs” should translate to “raining heavily” and not “calicos and cockapoos are falling from the sky.” But it still has its limits.

Shortly after ChatGPT made its buzzy debut, Lain Murray, professor of machine learning at the University of Edinburgh, tested its ability to translate a particular Chinese phrase.

The simple sentence is Murray’s version of an unbreakable riddle – he has tested it on every commercial machine translator, each one has gotten it wrong. ChatGPT was no different, except the cheeky app tried to convince Murray that either a) he was wrong or b) the problem was with the source material.

A team of researchers at Tencent AI Lab might have a reason for why the chatbot struggled. They found that the more similar the source and target languages are, the more accurately ChatGPT can translate. It’s pretty confident translating German into English,  but using a lot more guesswork to translate English to Chinese.

In Murray’s riddle, the machine mistranslated a character that means an action never takes place and used a character that implied it sometimes takes place.

This seems minor in an academic sense. But what if the material being translated is an employee safety manual, legal statute, or medical textbook?

Minor discrepancies can lead to major issues.

Can ChatGPT replace translators?

Not in the near future. We’ve established that AI software like ChatGPT and Bard have a hard time translating accurately and have no idea if they’re being offensive or not. Are there any other issues?

Well, since you asked…

Most AI has to be fed data to produce an answer. But how do you know if the data is good? Accurate? Recent? Complete?

You don’t.

Because the data feeding ChatGPT is cut off at a specific date, the AI can’t consider recent events that could make references appear tone-deaf or insensitive. Since languages change with time and culture, this will be problematic as AI ages.

When we asked ChatGPT if it was good at translating languages, the tool admitted its shortcomings. In the machine’s words, “translations may require human review and correction.”

To summarize the challenges of using any AI like ChatGPT for translation:

• Accuracy: ChatGPT may not produce accurate translations, especially for complex or technical content.
• Context: ChatGPT may misunderstand the prompt, style, or tone and not consider cultural or language sensitivities because AI can’t detect cultural nuances.
• Confidentiality: ChatGPT may not protect private information
• Bias: Like all machine learning models, ChatGPT can be biased and offensive in its translations.
• Limited language support: ChatGPT can’t translate every language.
• Limited technical ability: Chat GPT is not as advances as other professional translation tools on the market
• Text only support: ChatGPT can’t provide translations based on an images, videos, or audio files.

Using ChatGPT as your only translator isn’t a good idea.

Does ChatGPT have a place in the translation workflow?

Only as long as it isn’t your only step in the translation workflow. You can use ChatGPT in your translation workflow if it’s surrounded by additional steps for:

• Grammatical and spelling proofreading
• Localization for cultural nuances
• Formatting (it’s easier to format Spanish, but have you ever tried to format Arabic?)

ChatGPT could perform these same tasks as other machine translation tools:

• Assist translators in providing even better, faster, and more efficient translations of spoken or written text.
• Reduce the time and cost of translation services, allowing translators to work more efficiently and deliver translations faster without sacrificing quality.
• Make translation services more affordable and accessible, especially for small businesses and individuals.

ChatGPT could be used as a helpful tool for translating simple, low-consequence messages like:

• internal emails;
• customer service chats;
• communications when traveling in foreign countries;
• translating foreign documents into English for information and analytical purposes only.

So whatever you use for, we’ll leave you with this quote from ChatGPT:

Because only one thing can grasp the ever-changing meanings and contexts of culture language: the human brain.

No matter the project size, language, or deadline, Interpro‘s expert team  keeps your translations accurate. Professionals will find a foreign language partner in Interpro Translation Solutions.

The post ChatGPT and Translation: The Impact of AI on the Industry appeared first on Interpro Translation Solutions.

You can expand your audience even further by considering eLearning localization for your course.

Ponder this:

• In 2020, nearly one-third of students at U.S. public colleges and universities were enrolled in online courses. Forty-six percent of those institutions offer eLearning options to students outside the U.S.
• Nine out of 10 employees prefer online job training they can fit into their schedules at any time.
• Learn-on-your-own websites Master Class, Futurelearn, and Skillshare net more than 20 million visits a month combined from people exploring new hobbies and skills.

There’s no question the Internet is shrinking the world, making information from far-flung places as accessible as the corner library. But cultural divides are as big as they ever were.

In the U.S. alone, more than 67 million people speak a primary language other than English at home. And while English may be “the language of business,” it’s inaccessible to at least 75 percent of the world’s population.

With so many non-English speakers in play, the reasons for translating eLearning courses are clear. But “translating” is not as simple as it might seem. Localization plays a key role in translating eLearning courses.

Why eLearning Localization is Critical

The eLearning boom has created exponential growth in the availability of robust, user-friendly tools like Rise 360. These applications make it easy to build high-quality courses with little technical background.

One thing many of these elearning platforms can’t do, however, is accurately translate your course into a different language. And to be frank, that’s probably a good thing.

Today’s course creators have learned to look beyond translation and search for eLearning localization. Human translation (HT) has been proven to be far superior to machine translation.

If translation converts material to a target language, localization converts it for a target culture. It takes translation to the next level. For example, say you want your online class to be available in French. D’accord.

But wait. Do the French speakers you’re targeting live in France? Senegal? Haiti? Canada?

One language, four very different cultural lenses.

Localization considers cultural nuance. A translated course may be grammatically correct, but a localized course is culturally correct. The colors, symbols, date formats, units of measurement, and colloquialisms in localized material all make sense to the viewer and convey the intended message of the course.

Elements Of Quality Localization

Localization is critical to ensuring learners get the full benefit of your eLearning course. Quality localization ensures all eLearners have the same experience regardless of which version they use.

Relevant Cultural Examples

Your localization partner should be well versed in the regional dialect of the area you are targeting. If a company promises they can translate your course into Spanish, be sure to specify whether their translators are familiar with all the nuances between European, Mexican, and Puerto Rican dialects.

Some eLearning material, like technical training, requires little cultural interpretation. Other material, like sales training, can be heavily dependent on cultural context. You need a translation partner who not only understands how the language differs between the Netherlands and Suriname, but also variations in norms and customs.

You might not think about the importance of localizing things like currency symbols or units of measurement. But telling eLearners in Europe that a machine part is rotating at 150 miles per hour probably won’t make the impact you’re hoping for. Learners who have spent their lives using the metric system may have a limited frame of reference for whether “150 miles per hour” is fast, moderate, or slow.

Text Expansion and Contraction

When your eLearning course includes written material, video, or both, you need a translation partner with multimedia capabilities (often called Multilingual Desktop Publishing). Text often expands or contracts in translation, and if you don’t account for this, video images won’t match the narration and written material may run off the screen.

Choose a translation partner who offers the ability to work with various project source files (multimedia project files, eLearning course authoring files, etc.) allowing all of your eLearners to have the same high-quality experience and positive outcomes.

Visual Elements

Even if the translation is pristine, unfamiliar visual elements can leave eLearners confused or feeling like outsiders.

When localizing your eLearning course, take care to use imagery with diverse people so learners see someone who looks like them.

Some symbols are universally understood, but other images and even colors can take on very different meanings in different parts of the world. Your translation partner should work with you to make sure the visual elements in the translated course all align with the intended messages.

User Experience

A conscientious translation partner will take care to localize all parts of the user experience. Date and time formats, hover-over text, and navigation buttons are some of the little details that are easy to miss in the translation process but are hard for eLearners taking the course to ignore.

The eLearning Localization Process

For the fastest and smoothest experience, look for a partner who can shepherd your entire project through localization from beginning to end.

Multilingual Glossary

Depending on the course subject, your partner might suggest developing a multilingual glossary before the project starts. The translation provider will review any previous translations you’ve had done and any internal glossaries you use to familiarize translators with words, terms, and acronyms likely to come up in your material. If a client has a linguistic SME (Subject Matter Expert), it is key for your translation partner to work in tandem with your linguistic reviewer(s) to establish the baseline for the approved glossary terms.

Establishing a multilingual glossary of your preferred terms before the project starts keeps your translated eLearning course on brand and reduces the need for revisions later in the project.

If you are likely to have ongoing needs for translation, work with a partner who uses translation memory (TM) technology, which stores your translations in a database so the same terms can be easily retrieved for future projects. Working with TM tools ensures consistency of terminology from project to project, and allows for efficiencies which enable the work to get faster without compromising quality.

Visual Content

The eLearning localization process begins with localizing the visual content of the course, including navigation and interactive content. If your translation provider uses in-country translators, you have an extra layer of confidence that the finished course will be culturally appropriate.

Audio Content

The audio content is next to be localized. Professional translators translate the script and review pronunciations before native speakers trained as voice actors record the audio. Voiceover recording should be conducted in a professional studio-setting with a director, and sound editing work engineered into the eLearning course files prior to delivery.

Validation

Once the audio and visuals are synchronized, the course is validated. Validation should be a key part of a professional localization process. Once the course is published, native speakers fully QA the course by actually taking it from start to finish – including quizzes and assessments – to make sure that nothing has been missed.

Finally, the course is published to your specifications, ready to be presented to your multilingual audience of eLearners!

Other Related Articles to eLearning Localization:

Translating Your Rise Course is Easier – and More Important – Than You Think

The post eLearning Localization Process: A Step-by-Step Guide to Success appeared first on Interpro Translation Solutions.