In the past five years, companies have been investing heavier into eLearning and distance training, but demand has grown significantly since the outbreak of Covid-19. With employees around the world confined to their homes or small groups, more employers are looking to translate their eLearning content than ever before. While this used to be a daunting task, the development of eLearning technology has simplified the translation process to ensure a beautiful end-product to present to your international employees. Today, let’s take a look at the Rise 360 translation preparation workflow so you feel empowered to take your content global.

Rise 360 Translation Workflow

1. Duplicate course

   The first step to having a fully localized target language course is to have a duplicate .story file you can work with. To do so, simply:

   • Hover your mouse over the card of the course and hit the “…” icon.

   • Choose “Duplicate” to make a new version of the course.

   • Name the new course “course name (target language)”.

   • New course will appear at the top of your dashboard.

2. Export content

   Now that you have a duplicate course ready to translate, you must supply your Language Service Provider (LSP) with a translation file format they can work with. Rise 360 makes this easy with the option to export all course content to XLIFF, a file type all LSPs can work with. To obtain the XLIFF of your course:

   • Under “Settings” in your duplicated course, go to the Translations tab.

   • Click “Export XLIFF file”.

   An XLIFF file contains all the editable text in your course, such as the titles of each slide and the paragraph text. It does not, however, contain the text within images or navigation buttons, so to translate those, you need to…

3. Prepare buttons, images, and video

   Now that you have the bulk of your content ready to be translated, it’s time to consider all other assets. The easiest of these to prepare are the navigation buttons. To pull this text to translate:

   • Under “Settings” in your duplicated course, go to the Translations tab.

   • Click “Export Labels file”.

   Any images within your course that contain text will require a separate Desktop Publishing service. You will need to provide your LSP with design files (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, etc.) to translate, export to .png or .svg, and reimplement into the Rise 360 course.

   Videos with text and audio similarly require a separate language service, video localization. You will have to provide your LSP with the video file (Premiere Pro, After Effects, Final Cut, etc.) to localize and reimplement into the Rise 360 course.

4. Prepare audio

   If you are planning on providing multilingual voice-over in your course, be sure to be organized with your audio files. A simple Excel breakdown of the script, slide number, description of timecodes, and audio files name will keep the workflow simple.

5. Translate

   It is finally time for your LSP to work their multilingual magic. One thing to keep in mind to set translators up for success is providing your LSP with a published output of your source course to refer back to. This is important because an XLIFF only provides the text of the course, so being able to watch the course and see the content in-context will negate any confusion.

6. Re-import translation

   When your LSP has completed translation, it’s re-import the translation and add finishing touches. Rise will import the translated text, but it's important to review everything for accuracy and cultural appropriateness. You may need to adjust some phrasing to ensure it reads naturally in the target language.

   If you exported a separate "Labels" file, follow the same process to import the translated labels for buttons and navigation elements. For images and videos with translated text, you'll need to get the updated versions from your LSP and re-import them into Rise 360. If you have multilingual voice-overs, integrate the translated audio files into the corresponding slides in Rise.

7. Preview and Testing

8. Carefully preview your translated course to ensure everything displays correctly and sounds natural. Conduct thorough testing to identify any technical issues or areas requiring further adjustments.

9. Final Touches and Launch

   With the translations reviewed and implemented, you're almost ready to launch your global eLearning course! Here are some final steps:

   • Cultural Review: If your target audience comes from a culture significantly different from yours, consider having a native speaker review the course for any potential cultural sensitivities.

   • Accessibility Checks: Ensure your translated course adheres to accessibility standards, including proper formatting for screen readers and users with visual impairments.

   • Course Launch: Publish your translated course and make it accessible to your international learners!

By following this Rise 360 translation workflow, you can efficiently localize your eLearning content and deliver a high-quality learning experience for your global audience. Remember, a well-translated course fosters better understanding, engagement, and knowledge retention for your international employees.