About Laura
Linguist, Tester, Quality Manager, Vendor Manager, Language Services Manager, MT Program Manager, MT Product Manager, MT & Localization Consultant – Laura Casanellas has worn many hats over the last 20 plus years and is proud to share her wealth of knowledge and experience to help others learn and succeed.
Add to this list, the non-industry, but equally demanding titles of Journalist, Mother, Green-activist, and you start to understand why clients have started to call her ‘Magic Laura’, and why we are thrilled to have her as lead consultant at Magic Beans.
For over 10 years now, Laura has dedicated herself to the rapidly evolving and transformative field of Machine Translation, (or should we say automatic translation) and we can say she has been there from the very beginning, from analysing initial academic hypothesises, to rolling up her sleeves and experimenting with different technologies and processes, working with LSPs and Tech Providers to refine engines for best output, devising quality measurement systems to measure the results, to evangelizing and training linguists and reviewers from a place of opposition and fear to one of productivity and confidence!
Having worked in so many related production roles, Laura applies a multidisciplinary and 360 degree approach to the world of MT, merging what is essentially sophisticated sometimes abstract technology with industry best practices, real-world experience of the trenches, an awareness of ever high client expectations and with a human, pragmatic confidence and warmth which reassures both buyers and translators across various industries.
She currently assists organizations in selecting suitable Machine Translation providers, implementing technical solutions, evaluating MT content and productivity, training teams on MT implementation, and putting in place quality management systems to assure self-governing systems for LSPs and End clients alike.
Laura is also adept at integrating Machine Translation into the Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) tool environment and improving Return on Investment (ROI). Her skills include training post-editors, project managers, and sales teams, ensuring successful Machine Translation integration as a part of the overall localization workflow. In addition to designing and implementing Language Quality workflows, she also carries out process audits for entire operations teams, replacing redundancies and inefficiencies with robust solutions which enable both employees and teams to thrive.
She works with a range of companies of different sizes and has expertise in specialized content types such as legal, games, marketing, and highly technical content.
She has provided training to a range of different companies, audiences and cultures, whether board level, operations teams or translators and reviewers and supports some of the industry’s leading teams on an ongoing basis.
She is thrilled to be able to offer this new course to upskill key LSP personnel and enable them to fully embrace the sometimes daunting world of Machine Translation and AI.
A career in localization and machine translation...
Magic Beans & LCMT Solutions
Lead Localization Consultant (June 2020 - Present)
At Magic Beans and LCMT, Laura is lead Localization Consultant, addressing the challenges of implementing effective Machine Translation Strategies. She recognizes that creating and executing a successful strategy involves multidisciplinary collaboration, including input from Production, Quality, Resource Management, and Technology Teams. Her focus is on achieving client satisfaction by providing guidance on the best practices for Machine Translation deployment, considering factors such as content types, projected volumes, language pairs, technology sets, and training data. Her expertise in the localization field informs her approach to streamlining implementation and ensuring the success of Machine Translation Strategies for diverse businesses. She regularly advises and trains diverse teams on MT tools, methodologies, best practices, language quality management and post-editing, and is currently avidly studying the wider applications of AI in the global content industry.
KantanMT.com/ Keywords
Product Manager
(April 2016 - October 2017)
During her tenure as a Product Manager at KantanMT.com, Laura applied her extensive knowledge gained from years in the localization industry. She played a versatile role, assisting customers in creating Machine Translation solutions tailored to their needs. Her responsibilities included managing the product line life cycle, conducting market research, specifying market requirements, and collaborating with various departments to execute the roadmap. Laura's role involved analyzing potential partner relationships, developing time-integrated plans, ensuring user experience (UX) satisfaction through usability tests and user feedback surveys, and supporting Professional Services.
Welocalize
Senior Manager, Program Support, Language Tools
(May 2012 - October 2015)
Laura was responsible for establishing Machine Translation and linguistic tools-driven processes and best practices within Welocalize. Her contributions extended to educating Business Unit teams, Shared Services teams, and translators on Machine Translation engine selection, training, and post-editing practices. Her role involved collaborating closely with MT/CAT Engineering teams, defining MT/Language technology sales and marketing strategies, and designing and presenting MT programs to clients. Laura also managed a group of Program and Project Managers, contributing to the overall effectiveness of Machine Translation and Language Technology programs within the organization. Her acheievements included:
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- Establishing machine translation and linguistic tools-driven processes and best practices.
- Collaborating closely with MT/CAT Engineering teams to ensure efficient execution.
- Contributing to the formulation and execution of MT/Language Technology programs strategy.
- Defining the MT/Language technology sales and marketing toolkit.
- Developing education guidelines and materials for internal teams and the supply chain.
- Designing and presenting MT programs to new and existing clients, including detailed specifications and pricing.
- Coordinating a team of Program and Project Managers for seamless operations.
- Successfully coordinating communication among all parties involved in the deployment of a Machine Translation program.
Welocalize
Language Services Manager (May 2009 - Apr 2012)
In the role of Language Services Manager, Laura Casanellas Luri demonstrated exceptional skills in Quality Management and strategic account planning. Her key accomplishments include:
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Overseeing Quality Management for a high-profile account, involving client-facing responsibilities.
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Playing a strategic role in account quality planning and collaborating closely with client and account teams.
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Developing and implementing quality assurance processes to evaluate and maintain the linguistic accuracy and cultural relevance of content produced by the company.
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Monitoring and assessing language quality across various channels, including documentation, software interfaces, marketing materials, and customer support.
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Training and managing a team of linguists, translators, and localization specialists to support the company's language needs.
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Providing guidance, mentorship, and feedback to team members to enhance their skills and performance.
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Managing relationships with external translation and localization vendors to ensure they meet the company's quality and delivery standards.
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Developing and maintaining a comprehensive set of style guides and language standards to be used across all content produced by the company, ensuring consistency and coherence.
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Implementing and managing translation and localization technologies, such as Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) tools, translation management systems (TMS), and other language technology solutions.
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Creting stablishing key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the effectiveness and efficiency of language services. Generating regular reports and analytics to track progress and identify areas for improvement.
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Responding swiftly and effectively to language-related crises or incidents, such as translation errors or cultural insensitivity, and developing strategies to prevent future occurrences.
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Staying abreast of industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices in language services, and implementing relevant improvements to processes and workflows.
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