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2. Translator-client communication and infor- mation transfer Since translation is a multi-billion-dollar industry, translating is very much a business process that requires appropriate professional conduct by the transla- tor. This is especially true to the extent that the translation of any given text is Just part of a wider business process. For example, the translation of a computer manual from English into Spanish is perhaps part of the complete global lo- calization of a US$5,000 business software program that involves 23 target languages and cultures. As was pointed out in the previous chapter, in a globalized economy almost no business transaction can be implemented without first addressing the need for linguistic and cultural adaptation. This need becomes especially clear when looking at the software sector. Here, the importance of the time-to-market fac- tor is demonstrated by the aim of ‘SimShip”, i.e. the simultaneous international shipping of all target-market versions of a specific software product. As far as the localization and translation of the software is concerned, enor- mous organization is demanded of the project management and translation teams. As a professional translator involved in a SimShip project — no matter how small or large your contribution — you have specific responsibilities that have little to do with the content of your work or its strictly translational quality. Try putting yourself în the position of a project manager of an international agency in charge of translating ihe manual for a software product to be released in 20 countries. For this release, the manual has to be translated into 16 languages; all language versions are scheduled to be shipped at the same time. As project manager, you have given tasks to local translators or translator teams. Overall you will be sending text and background information to a great number of dif- ferent translators, and you will be receiving translations from them. You will provide all translators with glossaries, versions of older manuals, the new soft- ware itself and an elaborate style guide. The translators, on the other hand, will be regularly sending yoù questions regarding the text to be translated, questions that you have to pass on to the experis from the company that produced the software. AII kinds of expected and unexpected organizational problems will occur (glossary updates or changes, additions to the original text, etc.), How will you structure your work? What kind of general organizational decisions will you take? How will you communicate with the translators? And above all, what will you expect your translators to do and not do? 
