iDISC awarded ISO 18587 certification for machine translation post-editing services

This new certification, created in 2017, certifies the machine translation post-editing processes, which have already become part of the future of the sector and which iDISC has integrated into its wide range of Language Services.  

ISO 18587 establishes the requirements for the process of human post-editing of machine-generated translation output and also regulates the competencies and qualifications of the professionals who carry itout. 

Through post-editing, the text generated automatically by a software application is edited and corrected to obtain a result comparable or very similar to the human translation. Here post-editors who are native speakers of the target language, with the linguistic and professional competences required by this standard, employ cutting-edge technology featuring specialized glossaries and quality assurance tools.  

There are varying levels of post-editing, which are determined based on the required quality of the translated text. These may be light post-editing, which only corrects major errors in the machine translation, or full post-editing which, besides guaranteeing the correct meaning, also modifies stylistic aspects. This process may also include a second human revision to ensure the end product is true and idiomatic through and through. 

ISO 18587 is added to the series of certifications that iDISC has obtained since 2009. On the one hand, ISO 17100—previously EN-15038—which regulates translation services and, on the other, ISO 9001 on Quality Management Systems, ISO 27001 on Information Security Management Systems and the ENS (National Security Scheme), which apply to language services, software development for websites and apps, and cybersecurity services.