100 E-LEARNING COURSES:
MULTIMEDIA LOCALIZATION CASE STUDY

#ELEARNING #PROCESSMODERNIZATION #BUDGETOPTIMIZATION #MULTIMEDIA
This case study covers collaboration between a leading IT professional resourcing and managed services company and Palex Group on the task of complex multimedia localization solution for 29 e-learning courses with 2D/3D graphics and voice-over into 5 languages.

Background

Our long-term client creates and promotes e-learning courses on various topics: from business ethics to safety regulations at work.

Recently Palex have completed one of the most challenging jobs

29 English courses
5 Languages
6 Months TAT
100 Target courses
3 times more comparing to what we used to handle
Mission impossible?
Not for Palex!

E-learning localization

1
Cultural adaptation
Based on target country standards and Subject-Matter Expert (SME) review including animation and video scenarios adjustment
currencies, flags, technical details, uniform, human race, and road signs
2
Text strings
Extracting and integration of translated text
back 
from images, video, and animations
3
CAT tools
Preparing the bundles to be translated in CAT tools
4
2D/3D graphics and animation handling
Objects and textures editing/replacement, text/captions/images localization, synchronization with localized audio, rendering output video
5
Audio and video editing, conversion and integration
6
Preparing the scripts for voice-over
7
Professional multilingual voice-over services in studio
8
QA checks at all stages

Required Software

Audacity
Microsoft Office
Subtitle Edit
Autodesk 3ds Max
After Effects,
Photoshop
Premiere Pro
In-house developments for optimization/ automation
One of the Client’s Development Environments
High-skilled Project Management and Localization Engineering teams are multimedia localization must-have. Palex has both. That is why client has been working with us on e-learning localization for 18 years already.

The Challenge

3 days
urgent estimation without
source files on hand
4.4TB
volume of source 29 courses
6 months
short turnaround time
1 night per 1 course
long rendering time
Significant adjustments to scenarios
substantial changes or
creation of target course scenes from scratch
Last-minute changes at the final stage
due to change of the client’s key expert
Lack of technical infrastructure
for such a volume
Lack of localization engineering resources
for such a volume and TAT

The Solution

Pre-Production

HOW MUCH AND HOW LONG?

no source files
for estimation
3 times more volume
than usually
3 days for
estimation
We developed an estimation model based on previous experience of courses localization for the client.
Besides regular metrics for similar type of courses the estimation model considered:
possible type of SME correction
Subject Matter Expert (SME) is the trusted native speaker of the target language who reviews the source e-learning course. SME reports what should be adapted to make the content fit the local requirements of the target country.
Minor change decibels noise standards, thing’s color
Source image
Minor change
Major change (scenario and animation update) worker uniform, sequence of operations or street traffic direction
Major changes
2D/3D scenes creation from scratch
is what Palex can surely help you with!
coefficient of implementation complexity for each correction type per language
Replacing the text is a simple move. Manual painting of technical elements or human race adaptation for each scene requires much more efforts and time.
The estimation model showed high match with the actual time for work.
SPRING CLEANING
Client sent all the files without any headache
The first thing we did with the files for proper estimation is separating the wheat from the chaff. In our case “just” 400GB of files was removed prior to the start of the work.
ALL HANDS ON DECK!
6 months sounds calm but it is really tough for such a volume even with available Localization Engineering Team
We alerted our Vendor Management team and scaled twice which made such a project possible.
WE NEED MORE SPACE!
4.4TB of the source files from client
We promptly upgraded the infrastructure to handle, store and deliver about 20TB of localized courses at all stages through the Internet. It is 3 times more than we used to deliver and client did count on our support.

Production

OPTIMIZE OR DIE!

We should beat the clock to meet the deadline and for this type of projects
We created
an additional CAT compatible tool
It converts source text strings from client’s custom software to CAT tool and vice versa
We made
an additional script
It launches several client scripts for audio and video files conversion in parallel. Earlier we used client scripts one by one only
We created
a plugin
It sorts the translated html-file alphabetically. 
It greatly helps to maintain the glossaries into several languages
We speeded up
the rendering step by 30%
We have set up and optimized render queue using After Effects Watch Folder functionality. The most powerful PC now works most efficiently: once the project is ready, PC starts rendering it right away or adding it to render queue. No human factor, no delays!
BEWARE! THE PEAK LOAD!
Peak load is frequent risk during the projects that could be a real disaster without proper project management
If one of the engineers delays his key task, all the project will fail due to peak load. Our Project Management team was able to rearrange the internal deliveries and timely reach an agreement with client to change the deadlines for a few parts of the courses. So, the general TAT is met for all the parts.

Post-Production

MAKE IT TWICE
One of SMEs changed on client’s side at the final stage
This caused additional bundle of preferential changes. We handled them as smooth as usually and still met the deadline.
CONTINIOUS IMPROVEMENT
We strive to be harder, better, faster, stronger
So we analyze every project after delivery to refine the process. Tools, task templates, check-lists, knowledge base. In our case client internal QA check marked 11 issues for all the delivered 100 courses. The end client marked only 1 non-repeated issue for one of the target courses.

The Results

40
Palex team members
involved
0
global issues marked
by the end client
17TB
of the final target files
delivered to the client
5
optimization tools/
scripts developed
>1,8k
tasks completed
100
target courses finalized
6
months TAT is met
>4,8k
hours of engineering
works
This project is truly one of the pearls of 2022-2023. We took into account the huge experience of previous projects and issues that have arisen before to make the process on such a large volume as smooth as possible.

We are proud of proving to be a reliable long-term partner for our client. A partner who is not only the performer of work, but also an expert who becomes a valued member of the client's in-house team.

Expert says

The 2020s boosted the popularity of multimedia projects. Source files for such projects are often a bunch of files with different extensions you need to sort out to understand the real volume. Sometimes you may even miss all them prior project launch but you still need to estimate the efforts, TAT and costs.

Palex team can always suggest a solution. You may just send us the files you have. We will check and clean them and tell you how it is possible to proceed in a fastest and budget saving way.

Localization Engineering Team is one of the keys to success. Localization Engineer is a tech-savvy person who thinks about how to decrease the volume of manual work. We master new software, create internal scripts and may even share them with a client.

Smooth and prompt communication matters. Kick-offs prior projects launch, daily meetings, regular sync calls with clients, post-mortems – we apply and mix modern methodologies to fasten the process.

Over the years, we have developed and mastered new technologies and services, increased our expertise and scaled up. Now we have become a powerful partner for the client, capable of solving complex tasks independently.

Vladimir Lysyk

Senior Localization Engineer

Why PALEX?

Multimedia Localization We know everything about recent Multimedia trends and technologies. We support our clients on their way to digital transformation and help to localize all types of materials starting from simple PowerPoint presentations to complex e-Learning courses with video, interactive tasks, subtitles, voice-over and questionnaires. Subject Expertise Palex has expertise and dedicated Multilanguage team for about 50 markets and is ready to support you with international expansion.

Reliable Partner

Crystal-clear reputation
Experienced player on the market (since 2002)
Deep understanding of localization solutions
In-house Localization Engineering and QA
$3M-liability insurance
Talented team committed to support client’s mission
ISO 17100 and ISO 9001 certified