Checklist: pre-multilingual event items

⏳ 3 - 6 months before the event

• Determine the format of the event (in-person, online, hybrid)

• Establish the language pairs (e.g., Polish <==> English, Polish <==> German).

• Decide whether the interpretation language channels will be recorded or streamed to ensure an appropriate budget for interpreters' copyright fees.

• Choose the type of interpretation (simultaneous in booths, simultaneous with infoports, consecutive, remote RSI).

  • See the difference between simultaneous translation and consecutive translation

• Book a translation agency or team of interpreters.

• Ensure a budget for interpretation during the event.

⏳ 1 - 2 months before the event

• Reserve technical equipment (interpretation booths, infoports, sound systems).

• Hold a working meeting with the equipment provider and a representative of the venue where the event will take place.

• Contact speakers to inform them that interpreters will be interpreting them into other langauges (request materials, scripts, presentations two weeks before the event date in order for the interpreters to prepare themselves).

• Plan the space layout of the event venue (where will the booths be placed? Will interpreters see the stage and presentation screen?).

• For hybrid/online events: choose and test a streaming platform that supports language channels.

⏳ 2 - 3 weeks before the event

• Gather and send reference materials to interpreters (presentations, agendas, glossaries, speech scripts, list of industry abbreviations).

• Determine how to share multilingual materials.

• Establish the procedure for issuing receivers (infoports/headsets) to participants - designate responsible persons and location (e.g., reception or entry to conference room).

⏳ 3 - 5 days before the event

• Provide interpreters with updated/final versions of presentations.

• Final confirmation of the number of participants needing headsets (update equipment order if necessary).

• Exchange contact information between the event coordinator, chief technician, and head of the translation team.

• Confirm that the tech team has access to the technical ramp of the venue for loading and unloading equipment and that both the technical staff and interpreters have access badges valid for the whole event (including the setup phase).

⏳ 1 day before the event / Day zero

• Set up booths and technical equipment in the room.

• Audio tests (“soundcheck”) - check if the sound from the microphones reaches the booths and if the interpretation reaches the receivers onsite and the language channels on the online platform.

• Check the battery status in the infoports and receivers.

During the event itself, responsibilities are distributed among several key roles. Here’s what each party should do:

1. From the Organizer's perspective

• Equipment distribution: Efficient distribution of headsets/info ports (e.g., upon collection of an ID document or assignment to an identifier).

• Technical support: Monitoring in collaboration with technicians to ensure all audio channels are functioning correctly.

• Crisis management: Responding in case of missing headsets, dead batteries, or changes in the agenda (immediately informing interpreters of changes).

2. From the Host / Moderator's perspective

• Organizational matters: At the very beginning of the conference and after breaks, informing the audience in all conference languages that:

  • interpretation is available

  • on which channel a particular language is located

  • how to operate the receivers.

• Discussion rules: Reminding participants from the audience that questions must be asked into the microphone (otherwise, the interpreter in the booth will not hear them).

• Stage discipline:

  • Ensuring that speakers use microphones and do not talk to each other without the sound system.

  • Stop speakers from talking over eachother otherwise the interpreters will stop interpreting as it is not possible to interpret more than one person at a time.

3. From the Speaker's perspective

• Speech pace: Maintaining a calm, natural pace (about 100 -120 words per minute). If the speaker talks too fast, the interpreter may not be able to convey part of the content/meaning of the sentence.

• Working with the microphone: Speaking directly into the microphone, avoiding turning the head towards the screen during speaking (if there is no headset microphone).

• Pauses: Making natural pauses, especially after displaying a difficult slide.

• Avoiding jokes, as the context may be inappropriate for the culture and/or social norms of the some of the language.

4. From the Interpreter's perspective

• Readiness: Arriving appropriately early, testing the console in the booth, and the input / output channels.

• Announcement of interpretation through the translation system: About 5 minutes before the event starts, announce the availability of interpretation on all channels in the appropriate languages. e.g., "This is the English channel. We will be providing simultaneous interpretation in English on this channel."

• Teamwork: Smoothly switching with a partner in the booth (usually every 15 - 30 minutes to maintain the highest quality of concentration).

• Communication with technicians: Continuously signaling any issues with sound quality (e.g., quiet speaker microphone) using a button or direct contact with the sound engineer.

1. From the Organizer's Perspective

• Equipment Collection: Meticulously gather all receivers and info ports (this prevents additional charges for lost equipment).
• Feedback: Collect opinions from participants regarding the quality of the interpretation and usage of the equipment.
• Settlement: Collection of recordings with translation (if purchased and copyright protected) and financial settlement with the agency.

2. From the Host / Moderator's Perspective

• Thank You: (Optional at the end of the event) Official thanks to the interpreters from the stage for their hard, unseen work in the booths.

3. From the Speaker's Perspective

• Post - Presentation Materials: Possible sharing of updated materials with the organizer for further distribution among the international audience.

4. From the Interpreter's Perspective

• Confidentiality: Removal or destruction of confidential reference materials and scripts received before the event (according to the NDA clause, if signed).
• Experience Sharing: Providing the organizer with constructive feedback (e.g., what worked great and what to improve technically for the next edition).