Article published in:
Translation Practice in the Field: Current research on socio-cognitive processes
Edited by Hanna Risku, Regina Rogl and Jelena Milosevic
[Benjamins Current Topics 105] 2019
► pp. 105–122

Socio-technical issues in professional translation practice

According to the International Ergonomics Association, a focus on organizational ergonomics recognizes that people work within socio-technical systems that encompass tools, equipment, and computer interfaces as well as other actors in their professional environment and networks. In recent research, we have started investigating such socio-technical factors from an ergonomic perspective. Observations at professional workplaces, responses to questionnaires, and in-depth interviews with translators suggest that their perceived self-determination is more important to the success of socio-technical change than the technological developments themselves. A lack of involvement in decision-making at the workflow level may explain why so many translators have been resistant to taking new technology on board. We discuss how a feedback culture could mitigate many socio-technical issues by giving translators a voice in change and empowering them to contribute to organizational learning and growth.

Keywords: organizational ergonomics, socio-technical systems, translation practice, translation constraints, workplace, situated cognition
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Translating as an activity situated in a socio-technical system
  • 3.Constraints on the situated activity of professional translation
    • 3.1Constraints identified in commentaries and interviews (CTP project)
    • 3.2Constraints identified in survey responses (ErgoTrans project)
  • 4.Organizational ergonomics of professional translation
    • 4.1Organizational ergonomic issues identified in the survey (ErgoTrans project)
    • 4.2Organizational ergonomic issues identified in interviews (ErgoTrans project)
      • 4.2.1Positive, negative, and stressful aspects
      • 4.2.2Self-determination
      • 4.2.3Motivation and feedback
  • 5.Directions for change
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 07 August 2019
https://doi.org/10.1075/bct.105.06ehr
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