Re: Advice on rewriting translated ops manuals

Subject: Re: Advice on rewriting translated ops manuals
From: Alec Chakenov <alec -dot- chakenov -at- gmail -dot- com>
To: Anonymous <anonymous -at- techwhirl -dot- com>
Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2013 13:42:42 +0700

What's wrong with using "will" in instructions?


2013/6/25 Anonymous <anonymous -at- techwhirl -dot- com>

> Anonymous has a new challenge, and asks for the list's advice on handling.
> Please make your replies directly to the list, as they cannot be
> forwarded.
>
> --------------------
>
> Greetings,
>
> I need some advice.
>
> I've been asked to review and edit some Ops manuals from our Chinese tech
> pubs department for a product we will be selling domestically. It appears
> that the manual was written in Chinese and then translated into English. It
> is in bad shape. I don't have access to their style guide, but I've noticed
> that they use the pronoun "you" in their manuals and we don't in our
> manuals. For example, "Use [Quick Admit] only if you do not have the time
> or information to fully admit a patient. " and "You can transfer a patient
> with an XYZ or ABC to a new location without re-entering the patient
> demographic information or changing the settings. "
>
> They also use "will" throughout the manual and we do not. For example,
> "Select
> a patient and then click [Import]. Then the monitor *will* update the
> information for the corresponding patient." We would write, "Select a
> patient and then click [Import]. The monitor updates the information for
> the corresponding patient."
>
> I'm uncomfortable re-writing this manual based on our style guide even
> though it is for our US clients and not theirs because I don't want them to
> feel snubbed. I'm also not sure if this manual has been translated yet (I
> have asked the project manager to find out), so that will be a factor in
> how much I change as they are VERY cost conscious and likely will not want
> to pay for so many updates.
>
> Gentle opinions are welcome.
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References:
Advice on rewriting translated ops manuals: From: Anonymous

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