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Cognitive and physical ergonomics of the professional translation workplace

Cognitive and Physical Ergonomics of the Professional Translation Workplace: Implications for Training and Practice Gary Massey & Maureen Ehrensberger OPTIMALE Symposium, Rennes 2 University (France), June 6, 2013. Cognitive and physical ergonomics of the professional translation workplace.

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Cognitive and physical ergonomics of the professional translation workplace

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  1. Cognitive and Physical Ergonomics of the Professional Translation Workplace: Implications for Training and Practice Gary Massey & Maureen Ehrensberger OPTIMALE Symposium, Rennes 2 University (France), June 6, 2013

  2. Cognitive and physical ergonomics of the professional translation workplace • Ergonomics • Definitions and relevance • Professional translation as situated cognition • Capturing Translation Processes project • Design, data collection, ergonomically relevant findings • ErgoTrans project • Implications and potential applications • Training and practice

  3. Cognitive and physical ergonomics of the professional translation workplace Physical ergonomics Human anatomical, anthropometric, physiological and biomechanical characteristics as they relate to physical activity  Cognitive ergonomics Mental processes (perception, memory, reasoning, motor response) as they affect interactions among humans and other elements of a system  Organizational ergonomics Optimization of sociotechnical systems, including their organizational structures, policies and processes International Ergonomics Association (IEA) http://www.iea.cc/01_what/What%20is%20Ergonomics.html ILCEA: Traduction et Ergonomie 14/11 (Lavault-Olléon 2011) http://ilcea.revues.org/index1031.html

  4. Professional translation as situated cognition • Multi-activity task characterized by repetition, high volumes, time pressure, and constant evaluation and navigation between multiple applications and resources (cf. EN 15038:2006, Désilets et al. 2009) • “Translation is done not only by the brain, but also by complex systems, systems which include people, their specific social and physical environments and all their cultural artefacts.” (Risku 2002: 529) • Human cognition extends to individuals’ physical and social situation (cf. Hutchins 1995; Clark & Chalmers 1998/2010) • Technology and CAT tools let memory be extended and externalized (Pym 2011) • "A form of human-computer interaction" (O’Brien 2012: 101)

  5. Professional translation as situated cognition • "There is little evidence to suggest that tools that are proposed as aids to the translation process have been designed from the point of view of the humans who have to use them." (O’Brien 2012: 115) • "Cognitive friction" between translators and their computer aids • Delays in computer responsiveness may diminish task performance, causing negative emotions and higher stress levels (Szameitatet al. 2009) • Use of CAT tools can: • Influence TT cohesion • Lead to sentence by sentence translation • Influence pause patterns • Involve significant cognitive effort

  6. Capturing Translation Processes:Design and data collection Large-scale • ZHAW undergraduate and graduate translation students (six language combinations: E-G/G-E, F-G/G-F, I-G/G-I) • Professionals(four language combinations: E-G/G-E, G-F, G-I) • Translation into L1 and/or L2 (students) or into L1 (professionals) Longitudinal • Data collection from 2007-2012 • Students at different points in their translation careers(beginners, final semester, 2 years after graduation) • Professionals over 6 months at the workplace Multi-method approach (cf. Perrin 2003; Göpferich 2008)

  7. Capturing Translation Processes:Design and data collection Multi-method approach • Semi-structured preliminary interviews to obtain linguistic and educational background information • Online surveys about research behavior • Screen recordings (with Camtasia) • Eye-tracking (in the lab) • Cue-based retrospective verbalizations • Keystroke logging (in the lab) • Translation briefs, STs, drafts, final TTs • Finalinterviews about specific aspects of practice • Observationat the workplace

  8. Capturing Translation Processes:Ergonomically relevant findings

  9. Capturing Translation Processes:Ergonomically relevant findings <incident type="consults" src="concordance" start="00:04:53" end="00:04:56"/>here, i'm just doing a concordance search to see if there is any specific usual way that the client would want that term. and now i'm just considering the best way of, of putting <incident type="consults" src="concordance" start="00:05:10" end="00:05:14"/> the term. <vocal>filler</vocal> i've done a concordance search there, but the<incident type="consults" src="dict.cc" start="00:05:17" end="00:05:30"/> the term that it came up with isn't suitable for the context. so i'm just having a look in an online dictionary to see if it comes up with anything different. which it didn't.<vocal>filler</vocal> so i'm just having<incident type="consults" src="concordance" item="protokoll" start="00:05:38" end="00:05:50"/>another look another concordance search with part of the word to see if there is any way it's been used in this context before. which it has.<vocal>filler</vocal> so i'm going with one of the options which came up in the concordance search. (ProE1_workplace_RVP) “I would rather have more surface area to see my text and fewer ribbons and rulers and so on.” (ProG9; translated from German) “Of course you can pin the [translation] memory on top if you want to, but that disturbs the view of the rest of the Word screen. So you have to keep switching that off.” (ProE2) • Retrospective comments about processes • Interviews: • User interfaces • Reactivity of tools • Influence of tools “We’re quickly dissatisfied when it’s a bit slow, aren’t we? It’s okay but it is a bit slower than I’m used to.” (ProG8) “We can turn off the pop-up feature of the mail program, but the screen still flickers when a message comes in.” (ProG1) • “The most recent [entry] appears at the top of the [concordance] list … I think that we unconsciously let ourselves be influenced by this … as well as the one-to-one matches that appear at the top.” (ProG1)

  10. Capturing Translation Processes:Ergonomically relevant findings • Other comments: • Self-concept and accountability • Constraints: • Technological (tools, resources) • Systemic-organizational • Translation aids: Safety nets or constraints? • Constrained systems may produce over-routinization or over-automization, “diluting the individual in the mesh of web-based, network systems in which agencies and translators usually operate” (Ferreira-Alves2011: 10) • Translation expertise requires deliberate practice, informative feedback, and non-routine tasks (Shreve 2006)

  11. Capturing Translation Processes:Ergonomically relevant findings

  12. ErgoTrans: Cognitive and physical ergonomics of translation Follow-up project to CTP • Interdisciplinary project (translation – health – usability) • ErgoTrans grant CR13I1_143819/1 (2013-14) • Funded by SNF (CHF 330,000; 24 mo.) Multi-method workplace and lab study • Video and screen recordings at the workplace; ergonomic assessments; usability experiments; survey; in-depth interviews Potential project partners • Federal chancellery • Insurance companies • Language service providers • Freelance translators

  13. ErgoTrans: Cognitive and physical ergonomics of translation

  14. Implications and potential applications for training and practice Cognitive and physical ergonomics Establishing evidence-based good practices in • Cognitive overload avoidance • Efficiency optimization • Stressor reduction • Injury/fatigue minimization through/by • Awareness-raising • Effective ICT integration (cf. Vandaele 2011) • Improving workplace/desktop organization, interface design • Confronting motivation, disengagement, accountability issues (cf. Taravella & Villeneuve 2013, Toudic & de Brébisson2011)

  15. Implications and potential applications for training and practice Organizational ergonomics Technological constraints on autonomy and creativity may negatively impact on self-concept and professionalization (cf. Katan 2009). This calls for: • Fostering appropriate problem awareness among (student) translation managers and LSPs • Providing systematic and reflective, critical training on key process-oriented quality standards like EN 15038:2006 (cf. Biel 2011) • Involving translators in tool development and implementation (cf. Brunette & O’Brien 2011, Grass 2011, O’Brien 2012, Taravella & Villeneuve 2013, Toudic & de Brébisson2011)

  16. Further information Capturing Translation Processes (CTP) Project Website: http://www.project.zhaw.ch/en/applied-linguistics-l/capturing-translation-processes-ctp.html Cognitive and Physical Ergonomics of Translation (ErgoTrans) Project website: http://www.project.zhaw.ch/en/zhawprojects/cognitive-and-physical-ergonomics-of-translation-ergotrans.html Presenters Gary Massey: mssy@zhaw.ch Maureen Ehrensberger-Dow: ehre@zhaw.ch

  17. References Biel, L. (2011). Training translators or translation service providers? EN 15038:2006 standard of translation services and its training implications. The Journal of Specialised Translation 16, 61-76. Brunette L. & O’Brien, S. (2011). Quelle ergonomie pour la pratique postéditrice des textes traduits ? ILCEA Traduction et Ergonomie 14. http://licea.revues.org/index1081.html Clark, A. & Chalmers, D. J. (1998/2010). The extended mind. In Menary, R. (ed), The Extended Mind. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. 27-42. Désilets, A., Melançon, C. Patenaude, G., & Brunette, L. (2009). How Translators Use Tools and Resources to Resolve Translation Problems: an Ethnographic Study. MT Summit XII – Workshop: Beyond Translation Memories: New Tools for Translators MT. Ottawa. http://www.mt-archive.info/MTS-2009-Desilets-2.pdf EN 15038:2006, Translation services – service requirements. Brussels: European Committee for Standardization. Ferreira-Alves, F. (2011). Job perceptions, identity-building and interpersonal relations among translators as a professional group in northern Portugal. ILCEA Traduction et Ergonomie 14. http://licea.revues.org/index1119.html Göpferich, S. (2008). Translationsprozessforschung. Stand - Methoden - Perspektiven. Tübingen: Narr.

  18. References Grass, T. (2011). “Plus” est-il synonyme de “mieux”? Logiciels commerciaux contre logiciels libres du point de vue de l’ergonomie. ILCEA Traduction et Ergonomie 14. http://licea.revues.org/index1052.html Hutchins, E. (1995). Cognition in the Wild. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. Katan, D. (2009). Translation theory and professional practice: a global survey of the great divide. Hermes – Journal of Language and Communication Studies, 42, 111-153. Lavault-Olléon, E. (2011). L’ergonomie, nouveau paradigme pour la traductologie. ILCEA Traduction et Ergonomie 14. http://licea.revues.org/index1078.html Massey, G. & Ehrensberger-Dow, M. (2011a). Investigating information literacy: A growing priority in translation studies. Across Languages and Cultures 12/2, 193-211. Massey, G. & Ehrensberger-Dow, M. (2011b). Technical and instrumental competence in the translator's workplace: using process research to identify educational and ergonomic needs. ILCEA Traduction et Ergonomie 14. http://ilcea.revues.org/index1060.html O'Brien, S. (2012). Translation as human-computer interaction. Translation Spaces 1: 101-122. Perrin, D. (2003). Progression analysis (PA): Investigating writing strategies at the workplace. Journal of Pragmatics 35/6, 907-921.

  19. References Pym, A. (2011). What technology does to translating. The International Journal for Translation and Interpreting 3/1, 1-9. Risku, H. (2002). Situatedness in translation studies. Cognitive Systems Research 3, 523-533. Shreve, G. (2006). The deliberate practice: Translation and expertise. Journal of Translation Studies 9/1, 27-42. Szameitat, A. J., Rummel, J., Szameitat, D. P. & Sterr, A. (2009). Behavioral and emotional consequences of brief delays in human–computer interaction. International Journal of Human-Computer Studies 67, 561-570. Taravella, A.-M. & Villeneuve, A. O. Acknowledging the needs of computer-assisted translation tools users: the human perspective in human-machine translation. The Journal of Specialised Translation 19, 62-74. Toudic, D. & de Brébisson, G. (2011). Poste du travail du traducteur et responsabilité: une question de perspective. ILCEA Traduction et Ergonomie 14. http://licea.revues.org/index1043.html Vandaele, S. (2011). (Nouvelles) technologies et enseignement: progrèsouillusion ?ILCEA Traduction et Ergonomie 14. http://licea.revues.org/index1033.html

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