How to manage non-English speaking customers?

Question

What are the best practices for managing a software project involving a non-English speaking client?

What communication problems are relevant? Did you maintain documentation in both languages ​​(especially updating specifications regularly)?

Answer 1

The main risk in these types of projects is a misunderstanding, therefore, the main priority is confirming the understanding of both parties, i.e. you must not only confirm that the client understands what you are saying - you must also confirm that you understand what the client is saying. Then, for the explicit purpose of verifying communications, and based on resources that you must understand in your client language and resources that your client must understand in your language, you and your client must agree on how to process communications for the project: documentation in both languages, separate points of contact, written protocols of all messages, translation of all messages, etc.

To minimize the possibility of misunderstanding, it is better to have all official communications in only one language, if possible. If communication is conducted in several languages, you should minimize the number of communication channels, i.e. You do not need to communicate with each other with everyone: a connection must be assigned to process all messages. Single points of contact with a known level of proficiency in the language used in the project are crucial.

Random messages should be avoided. All conference calls and meetings should contain written protocols describing all agreements and action points - if several languages ​​are used, all minutes are translated by one party and checked by one point (s) of contact.

The practices that I just described may seem like an ugly strain, but they will prevent a lot of headaches.

Good luck

Answer 2

My native language is not English, so I am on the other side. There were times when we had to write design documents in 4-6 languages.

Try to find someone who understands English (as a key person). I try to avoid communicating in different languages ​​in the project. Of course, you can speak and write in different languages ​​with the project participants, but if you speak or write to all project members at once, it should be one language.

Documentation must be supported in any number of languages. All documents should be updated on a regular basis and try to avoid situations where you should tell them that "English is current." Find someone who is native in the target language and translate from English for you. It will be much better, understandable and more native than if you tried differently.

Answer 3

This might be the perfect time when you might want to switch to Agile development. This puts less emphasis on a large number of documents, and you can provide work at the end of each interval so that the client can subscribe. If you do not know what Agile is, just go to Google, you will get a lot of information.

Answer 4

Always provide written confirmation of any verbal discussion. Most people can read foreign languages ​​better than they can speak them. It also helps to choose one language as the standard for all documents and code.