How to communicate with 160 million customers

René Petri, Nero AG

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Content

• About Nero – Global Presence– Worldwide Market Leader– Our Mission

• Information Development• Translation at Nero• Translation Process 2006• across Introduction• Translation Process with across• Project Management in across• Introduction of Schema ST4• Translation Cost Progression• Summary• Information Development – Next Steps• New Online Help• New Help Center

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About Nero

• Founded in 1995 • Corporate Headquarters: Karlsbad,

Germany• 500+ employees worldwide• Privately held• Install base of over 300 million• Shipping over 50 million units per year• Sales Revenue 2008: Approx. EUR 60M

• Corporate Headquarters:– Karlsbad, Germany

• Regional Offices:– EMEA, Karlsbad, Germany– AMERICAS, Glendale, California, USA– APAC, Yokohama, Japan

• Development Centers:– Karlsbad, Germany– HangZhou, China

Global Presence

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Karlsbad

Glendale

Hangzhou

Yokohama

Worldwide Market Leader

• More than 300 million copies of application software sold• More than 50 million people worldwide actively use Nero

products• The nero.com portal receives >120 million unique visits p.a.• More than one million registered users have joined the

MyNero online community• World’s largest mobile and consumer electronics brands

trust Nero for technology leadership and category creation

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Our Mission

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As creators of liquid media technology, Nero’s mission is to enable liquid content creation and distribution anytime, anywhere, and on any device. We provide consumers with the freedom to simply enjoy their music, photos, and videos, regardless of hardware or file format, by taking a unique platform neutral, standards-based approach to solution development.

Online Help, Manuals, Tutorials, FAQs, How-To

Technical Writing

Source texts, Publication

Translation Management

LSP ManagementTranslation, Terminology

across

SupportReuse of available text and translations

GUI Localization

GUI strings, Web Content, Brochures, Press Releases, Newsletter etc.

Schema

Marketing/Web

API

Information Development

across LSP server

across LSP server

across LSP server

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Translation at Nero

• Facts and Figures– Up to 28 languages– Source langauge: English– Volume: 3 Million words per annum– Projects: Software strings, Web, Manuals,

Marketing– 2 internal Translation Project Managers– 2 Terminologists (1 German, 1 English)

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Translation Process 2006

2006:– Proprietary solution for software strings– Software strings sent to translators in TXT format– Manuals created in Word– Documents sent to translation agency per e-mail– No ownership of translation memory– Terminology maintained in an Excel table - no specified workflow

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Translation Process 2006

Translation

...

Terminology

Translation

Translation

Translation

Transl. Mem.

E-mailenen

dede

enen

dede jpjp enenfrfr cncn

Internal

...

Marketing

Documentation

Web

MLV

External

E-mail

E-mail

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across Introduction

Since 2007, Nero has been using across for all translation projects

– Project management can be controlled more efficiently– crossGrid allows the integration of 6 LSPs as apposed to 1 MLV– Internal translators and freelance translators are seamlessly

integrated– Manuals in XML format in Schema - across/Schema interface– Ownership of Translation Memory Database (crossTank)– Ownership of terminology database and internal terminology

maintenance (crossTerm)

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Translation

...

Proofreading

Translation

Proofreading

LSP acrossServer

LSP acrossServer

External

enen enen enen

dede jpjp enenfrfr cncn

Internal

...

Marketing Schema Web

crossTerm

(Terminology)

crossTank(Transl. Mem.)

Nero acrossserver

crossGrid

crossGrid

Translation Process with across

Project Management in across

• Overview of all tasks and projects• Filtering functionalities• Easy assignment of multiple tasks

at once via the Multi-Assignment Wizard

• Integrated coordination of tasks between freelance translators, internal resources and external LSPs

• Easy delegation of multiple tasks to LSPs

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Introduction of Schema ST4

Since 2008, Nero has been using Schema ST4 as an integrated system environment for end-user documentation

– Reproduction of the technical writing style guide– Reuse of already available text modules– Delta export reduces the translation volume– XML data instead of Word documents - no layout information in the

translation process– Performance-capable across/Schema interface

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• Effective improvement in efficiency– Structured language format allows for a high amount of reuse and

improved translation quality– Delta export in Schema ST4 filters existing translations modules– 50% reduction in manual translation costs

Integrated System Environment for End-User Documentation

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Schema Workflow

Schema ST4

across LSP servermit across

across LSP servermit across

Publications

Manuals

Online Help

Tutorials

FAQ/How to

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Standard Answer Texts

MarketingMaterial

Source Texts

Web-Content

Content for Support Web

Newsletter

across

Terminology

API

CMSSchema

TMSacross

API

Reuse

across LSP server

ReducingTranslation Volume

NewManual

Delta-Export

NewManual Pre-Translation

NewManual

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Cost Overview 2006 - 2008

Actual Cost Development

2006:1.05 Mill.

Volume Increase:approx. 33%

2008:0.68 Mill.

2006:1.05 Mill.

Volume Increase:approx. 33%

2008:1.5 Mill.

approx. - 55%!

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Translation Cost Progression

Summary

• Development of a system of rules for technical writing (Style Guide) and for translation (Translation Guidelines)• Standardization of text, formulation archetypes and targeted reuse of text modules

has been decisive in reducing translation costs

• Meticulous selection and customization of a new tool• Precise requirements, detailed specifications, comprehensive reproduction of the

specifications

• Detailed adjustment of CMS to the TMS• This is the only way both tools can support each other's strengths

• Introduction and acceptance of a new tool• Comprehensive user training, intense and fast support

• Maintenance should not be underestimated• Continual improvement and development is mandatory for constant efficiency

Integrated Content Management and Translation Memory Systems are the foundation of efficient documentation. The quality depends of the amount of preparation.

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• Integration of End-User Support in Schema Workflow– Access to text modules already used in the documentation– More efficient update procedure– Unification of customer communication– Synergy between Documentation and Support

• Integration of Marketing in Schema/across Workflow– Improvement in terminology management– Access to available texts and translations (Copyright, Legal Texts)

Information Development -Next Steps

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Online Help, Manuals, Tutorials, FAQs, How-To, text modules, Support, Web...

Technical Writing

Source texts, Publication

Translation Management

LSP ManagementTranslation, Terminology

across

Support

Source text,Publications

GUI strings, Web content, brochures,press releases, Newsletter etc.

Marketing/Web

across LSP server

across LSP server

across LSP server

Schema

LocalizationGUI

API

Information DevelopmentNext Steps

New Online Help

Introducing a new online help concept based on Adobe Air

The new online help concept will provide:

• Interactivity with the user • Push marketing opportunities • Very catchy and modern look & feel • Based on barrier-free browser technology• Possibility to include/play back liquid media files• Easy to maintain/update/upgrade• Enhanced help value -> premium product

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New Online Help

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New Help Center

Offering a Help Center that both values the customers and meets the requirements of documentation, support, and marketing

The goals are to:

• Increase quality and usability

• Provide better and faster help

• Increase user acceptance

• Establish comprehensive product help as a free, additional, and premium value

• Provide self service features to offer fast help and partly disburden the User Support

• Embed the users into product creation

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Thank Youfor your attention!