Best Practices for Multilingual Communication

"🌍 Crafting Inclusive UX Writing for a Global Audience Designing for a global audience transcends mere translation. It requires a deep understanding of cultural nuances, linguistic structures, and user expectations. Here's how UX writers and content designers can create experiences that resonate across diverse markets: 🧭 Key Concepts Translation: Converting text from one language to another. Localization: Adapting content to align with cultural, regional, and linguistic nuances. Internationalization: Designing content and systems to support multiple languages and regions from the outset. 📊 Global User Insights English users constitute approximately 26% of internet users. Top languages online include Chinese, Spanish, Arabic, and Portuguese. User preference leans towards content in their native language. Text length variations: French texts can be 20% longer, while Japanese texts may be 30–60% shorter than their English counterparts. ✅ Best Practices for UX Writers Design for Expansion: Allocate at least 30% additional space to accommodate text expansion in translations. Pseudolocalization: Use this technique to test how your UI handles different languages and scripts. Flexible UI: Ensure your design can handle varying text lengths, directions (LTR and RTL), and character sets. Cultural Sensitivity: Be mindful of colors, symbols, and imagery that may have different connotations across cultures. Inclusive Language: Use gender-neutral terms and avoid idioms or colloquialisms that may not translate well. 🚫 Common Pitfalls to Avoid Flags for Language Selection: Flags represent countries, not languages. Use language names instead. Assuming Name Structures: Not all cultures use first and last names. Opt for a single ""Full Name"" field when possible. Overlooking Context: Provide translators with context to ensure accurate and meaningful translations. 🔍 Deep Dive into Cultural Nuances Arabic Interfaces: Often require increased line spacing for readability. Chinese Users: Prefer dense information layouts. German Audiences: Expect detailed and comprehensive information to establish trust." Read also Designing Cross-Cultural and Multi-Lingual UX ( https://lnkd.in/d-7WFrMF) by Vitaly Friedman

A Crisis Translation Maturity Model for Better Multilingual Crisis Communication by: Patrick (Pat) Cadwell, Ph.D., Sharon O’Brien, Ph.D., Aline L.., Ph.D., and Federico M. Federici, Ph.D. -- The article outlines a framework to help organizations improve their multilingual crisis communication. It evaluates 17 key areas, guiding organizations on how to move from disorganized efforts to effective, well-planned strategies. Developed with input from diverse stakeholders, the model emphasizes inclusivity, timeliness, and cultural sensitivity in crisis translation. The 17 Evaluative Categories: - Needs Analysis - Cultural and Political Context - Communicative Context - Ethics - Legislative Frameworks - Information and Digital Literacy - Organizational Responsibility - Complexity of Translation - Policy - Resource Databases - Budget - Feedback Mechanisms - Technology that Supports Translation - Quality - Risk Assessment - Training - Trust Building and Management Maturity Scale: - Ad Hoc - Repeatable - Defined - Managed - Optimizing This model provides a structured approach to strengthen crisis translation capabilities and ensure that communication is accurate, timely, and culturally appropriate. By following this model, organizations can better prepare for and respond to crises, ultimately improving outcomes for all stakeholders involved.

Pro tip for global #commspros: If you are writing for a multilingual audience, do not assume everyone thinks in English. What sounds clear in one language can be confusing or even offensive in another. Before you hit send: - Read it with fresh eyes. Would it make sense if English was not your first language? - Avoid idioms and jargon - Test it with someone from a different culture Effective communication is not just about translation. It is about connection.

12/23: Designing a multilingual future: A conversation with Laura Godfrey- “Machine translation is great, but if you are in any type of real, human communication, it’s not done by algorithms. Your tone is different, choice of words is different. When we communicate from a government perspective, we have an audience, so we write for that audience.” "'Plan and ask questions,' Laura said. 'Who is the audience? If the audience is the public, how many languages? English or Spanish? Are we going to offer other languages? And if so, consider different characters. Some languages move right to left, others left to right. For this, bring the designers in, because that will save you a lot of headache, money, and time.'” "By considering language and cultural factors early in the design and translation process, agencies can ensure that their products and services are accessible to all."