Improving Feedback By Using Moderator-Interpreter Dyads

Enhance the output of your simultaneous interpreting by hiring a moderator-interpreter dyad

Improving the outcome of simultaneous interpreting requires a comprehensive approach. Arguably, moderator-interpreter dyads are the synergistic alternative that focuses on the needs of practitioners to address the drawbacks of standard interpreting.

To achieve success in interpreting, it is essential that the moderator and the interpreter are acquainted with each other’s needs. Only in this manner would the interpreter be able to capture the participants’ pertinent reactions. When the interpreter is familiar with the objectives of each section of the questionnaire and understands the purpose of the qualitative exercises, it is more likely that the recipients will receive relevant information.

Moderator-interpreter dyads are one of the best ways to avoid the drawbacks of standard interpreting in focus groups. Unlike the outcome delivered by interpreters without actual understanding of the marketing project, the pairing of moderators and interpreters promotes the overall comprehension of the study so they are both working towards a common goal, which in turn encourages the ability to convey not only words but connotative information that is vital to the projects.

Dyads offer a pro-active approach whereby all the parties that have an effect upon the interpretation process work together to acknowledge: a) the market research aims for the project, b) the techniques that the moderator will apply during the focus group and c) the type of audience that will receive the information. Only when the interpreters take these aspects into consideration do they learn to differentiate the information that is significant and gain competence to intensify the flow of meaningful messages towards the viewing room.

More precisely, moderator-interpreter dyads improve the outcome of interpreting as follows:

• Facilitating collaboration between moderator and interpreter with a view to delivering accurate messages instead of simply words
• Ensuring the interpreters’ understanding of the marketing objectives and the adequate preparation of the qualitative exercises.
• Reducing the impact of cultural barriers by facilitating the communication of the whole message, which includes feelings, intentions and cultural load
• Promoting the transmission of relevant messages.
• Allowing interpreters and moderators to tap into their common experience to approach the singularities of each project and cope with new situations.
• Helping practitioners to analyse the information.

Thus, dyads are a synergistic solution that allows practitioners to fully grasp conversations. They provide the comprehensive kind of interpreting that is required by international clients and practitioners alike.

By Marina Gonzalez, bilingual qualitative researcher and moderator. Partner at A Window.

Choosing Interpreters

Intangible benefits of hiring translation services from a viewing facility

The moment of the truth when choosing interpreting services comes before you decide what company to work with. It is the moment when you evaluate the differences between the available services. This article comments on the advantages of hiring translation services through A Window

Sometimes the decision to pick the right interpreter may appear to be quite easy. You may have one interpreter you have already worked with or a freelancer who has been highly recommended to you. Also, you may be thinking of hiring one interpreter from a local language services agency or you may rely on the local facility that is setting up the project. You may think that it is all the same, but it is not. Let us briefly explore these options.

Freelancers

Perhaps the most disturbing consideration when hiring a freelancer is that we know little about what his/her speciality really is. At this stage, previous jobs will only be worthy of consideration if the subject matter of the project is similar. This is irrespective of him/her being recommended or known to you. It may be a mistake to assume that an interpreter will perform equally well in any field.

Language service agencies

They will surely have several interpreters available and can be very handy if a particular specialization is a requisite or the agency has already translated the materials for the project. Specifically, this may work quite well for face to face interviews. However, working at a market research facility is quite different from working at a conference. By way of example, we often find that some interpreters feel uncomfortable having to translate focus groups or having to interact with executives or clients behind the one way mirror, since they are not used to doing so. Thus, a background in market research assignments is arguably a non-negotiable requirement.

Viewing facilities

The services provided by viewing facilities vary greatly according to the country, the city and their client base. In Spain, they range from those that serve as a link between you and the interpreter but relinquish any responsibility for the outcome of the service to those that offer interpreting as a regular service and have available specialised teams comprising moderators and interpreters.

Any of the above may provide good services but there is a feeling amongst many practitioners that interpreting gets a plus when it is the outcome of an interpreter-moderator dyad. Our recommendation is that practitioners should carefully examine the benefits to be gained with each service available, analyse the impact that interpreting has upon their work and then judge by themselves what supplier is in a better position to give a plus when fielding focus groups, for instance.

Nevertheless, there is added value in commissioning translation services through a viewing facility. It may be self evident for some practitioners but it is worth outlining briefly. In fact, by hiring interpreting services from A Window, practitioners tap into our know how and obtain intangible benefits such as:

• Project coordination. It is advisable to have a local project leader accountable for every part of the project; namely, special requirements, viewing facility, translation, interpretation, recruitment, moderation, timetables, etc. It also guarantees first-hand information and active involvement throughout the project.
• Consistent results across all fields of research. Whatever the service requested, we look for the most adequate interpreter/translator for your assignment; thus, professional translation and interpretation is guaranteed. We know that each project has unique requirements. Therefore, we carefully pick interpreters and translators according to their individual profiles. To promote maximum efficiency, we have developed a translator pool from which we can draw personnel for your marketing assignments. Furthermore,if the right one is unavailable, our language agency partners, which are ISO 9001:2000 and UNE EN 15038:2006 certified, will provide us with fully qualified professionals.
• Reliability. Confirming proper market research experience and specialization ensures that interpreters will work comfortably with the requirements of focus groups or face to face interviews.
• Objective advice. Our recommendations may lead to savings and better performance. For instance, live interpreting may be exhausting for a given assignment but we are ready to advise you whether your project requires one or more interpreters.
• Specialization. Benefit from the accumulated experience of interpreters, translators and dyads. Moderators, interpreters and translators gain confidence with every project and feel better equipped to tackle a wider range of situations. In particular, dyads need time and planning before being fully fledged. To nurture their development, we facilitate their working meetings and assist them in many different ways. Thus, the knowledge acquired in each project may be applied to the next.
• Availability of moderator-interpreter dyads. At present, we have several working dyads readily available. The availability of this service is the conclusion of a long process of selection, development and specialization. Pairing up individuals adequately not only requires being acquainted with moderators and interpreters but also knowing their background and their skills. We only pair up bilingual English-Spanish individuals who have proven to work well together. Some of the characteristics we usually look for are: good interpreting skills, subject specialisation, openness, previous positive experiences and general awareness of market research.

From day one, A Window has developed bespoke written and simultaneous translation services based on the belief that market research is in itself a specialization that cannot be underestimated under any circumstances. Furthermore, the fact that we have fostered the development of moderator-interpreter dyads for over two years shows the way we understand the market research business.

Hiring moderator-interpreter dyads through A Window is as easy as making a phone call and it gives a plus to the interpreting of marketing research assignments such as focus groups. Do not hesitate to benefit from this far-reaching approach!