User Manuals
User manuals are an important part of product documentation because they provide complete and in-depth information on a product's functionality and features. User manuals often include user guides, installation instruction booklets, reference manuals, etc. Localization of user manuals involves file preparation (conversion and text extraction) first for all components such as project files (.book for FrameMaker), individual chapter files, embedded EPS and all other graphics. Next, TM leverage is performed so that previously translated materials can be reused for reduced cost and better consistency. The prepared L10N kits are then sent to linguistic teams for translation and review using approved glossaries and style guides. Once the initial translation is complete, the translated files must be converted back into the original format with DTP to format the localized manual. DTP includes adjusting all text formatting to meet the localized layout requirements such as reflowing text to fit with existing design, adjusting tables and figures, and updating TOC and indexes to reflect the target language layout. Next a preliminary PDF is produced for post-layout linguistic proofreading (PLLP) and client review. All changes are then implemented in the original documents and a final high quality PDF is outputted for pre-press production.
User manuals are often produced in the following formats:
- Adobe FrameMaker
- Microsoft Word
- Adobe PageMaker
- SGML and other markup languages such as XML and HTML
- Adobe InDesign
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