The document discusses proposed improvements to the feedback and validation processes for IATE, the EU's multilingual terminology database. It suggests implementing a project tracking tool to more easily manage reported errors and feedback. This would allow users to efficiently correct mistakes, provide additional comments, and request help directly in the interface. The validation workflow could also be improved by automating formal checks, granting terminology experts access to review content, and establishing clear status codes and an online forum for discussion. The goal is to create a more usable and reliable system for managing terminology work.

1. IATE:
Improving the feedback mechanism and
the validation workflow

2. IATE
 IATE (The EU's multilingual term base) belongs to
translators: it serves their need for reliable
terminology related to the texts they translate.
 The role of terminologists is to help translators in
consulting and feeding their terminological
database that should be the one-stop shop for
terminology.

3. IATE
would, ideally, provide an immediate answer to all
their queries,
but
this is
clearly impossible

4. IATE: WEAK POINTS
 When the end users find mistakes, as they
inevitably will, it is very complicated and
time consuming for them to correct them or
report them.

5. IATE: WEAK POINTS
 When it fails to provide an adequate
answer, and they seek elsewhere, it should
be easy for them to record the results of
their research in IATE for future reference —
whether this means creating a new entry, or
updating an existing one.

6. IATE: WEAK POINTS
 If they are really "stuck", they should be able
to request help via the interface not by
sending an old-fashioned email (which will
be categorically ignored or deleted).

7. PROPOSED SOLUTION:
IMPROVING THE FEEDBACK MECHANISM
AND THE VALIDATION WORKFLOW

8. IMPROVING THE FEEDBACK MECHANISM
 The feedback should be processed electronically by
means of a project tracking tool for teams*.
 This tool should track bugs and defects, link issues
to the related entry, monitor activity, report on
project validation status, and more.
 The project tracking tool should facilitate the
coordination within the team of the feedback
management.
 (*See for example: JIRA)

9. MOCK-UP OF A POSSIBLE USE OF A PROJECT
TRACKING TOOL FOR TEAMS TO IMPROVE THE
TERMINOLOGY WORKFLOW OF IATE

10. IMPROVING THE FEEDBACK MECHANISM
 The feedback is gathered through an entry mask
 The entry mask for the terminological data should
contain fields for additional comments providing the
possibility for a more interactive discussion
among users (other than the passive system of
"marks" foreseen) and requiring a follow-up.

11. IMPROVING THE VALIDATION WORKFLOW
 The most effective way to validate the formal
structure would be an automatic check run by a
recording system allowing the final registration of a
record only on condition that all formal
requirements are met.
 In this case the creator of the entry clears errors on
the spot.

12. IMPROVING THE VALIDATION WORKFLOW
 The subject field experts — either internal or
external — are granted access to the databases via
intranet or internet for the content-related check.
 The experts either enter their comments directly
into the system.
 The terminological entry is validated by changing its
status code. Or else, the entries are modified
according to the terminologists’ and subject field
experts’ comments, and a new validation cycle
starts.

13. IMPROVING THE VALIDATION WORKFLOW
 In order to ensure a transparent validation
workflow which is crucial particularly for
terminology databases updated and expanded on a
regular basis, the project team should work out a
range of status codes at term level, according to
ISO 12620.

14. IMPROVING THE VALIDATION WORKFLOW
 On the interface level, the validation system would
be developed following not only the soon to be
released ISO 26162, but also the usability
standards put forth by ISO TC 159, merging
ergonomics, terminology, methodology, and human
factors data.

15. IMPROVING THE VALIDATION WORKFLOW
 An electronic internet forum can be also
established, providing a platform for the discussion
of controversial matters.

16. CONCLUSION
 Nowadays terminology is electronic data: usability
experts, developers and terminologists should
better cooperate to provide a system that allows the
terminologists to work in an efficient and reliable
way.