A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Computers, documentation and localisation: A methodological perspective
Authors: Leena Salmi
Publisher: Akadémiai Kiadó
Publication year: 2002
Journal:Across Languages and Cultures
Volume: 3
Issue: 1
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1556/Acr.3.2002.1.6
Web address : http://www.akademiai.com/content/q14718731l426906/?p=01aebc857edf48ef98bad44261d6c76bπ=5
Abstract
Computers have, in the last twenty years, changed from experts' machines to tools used by anyone for a variety of purposes. This shift has brought the need for translation, or localisation, of the software and documentation. The use of computer programs is studied in the field of human-computer interaction, and manufacturers make usability studies for their programs before shipping them, but research with a linguistic point of view has started only recently. The data in the usability studies is most often collected from think-aloud protocols. This paper gives some suggestions for alternative methods for collecting data in the aim of studying the use of the original and localised versions of word-processor software and its documentation. The methods include the usage of log files to provide quantitative data and pair work to provide qualitative data.
Computers have, in the last twenty years, changed from experts' machines to tools used by anyone for a variety of purposes. This shift has brought the need for translation, or localisation, of the software and documentation. The use of computer programs is studied in the field of human-computer interaction, and manufacturers make usability studies for their programs before shipping them, but research with a linguistic point of view has started only recently. The data in the usability studies is most often collected from think-aloud protocols. This paper gives some suggestions for alternative methods for collecting data in the aim of studying the use of the original and localised versions of word-processor software and its documentation. The methods include the usage of log files to provide quantitative data and pair work to provide qualitative data.
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