This paper outlines a think-aloud study of text-production processes in translation, with special attention to the distribution of cognitive activities in time. In writing research, it has been found that variability is a key characteristic of writing processes. In Translation Studies, Candace Séguinot (1997) suggested that variability might be worth studying. The notion of variability allows one to view translation as a changing task situation, where cognitive activities will change in character and function according to the context and the moment in which they occur. It is suggested that, in order to gain insight into variability in translation, we should study the interdependencies between the different activities during the process as a function of time. This paper is a work-in-progress report on the implications of this approach for the analysis of think-aloud protocols.