Digital training is now one of the key strategic tools for companies, international groups, and complex organisations. But when an e-learning project needs to be rolled out across multiple countries, simply translating the content is not enough.
Every course element — texts, videos, infographics, checklists, subtitles, surveys, interactive content, and multimedia materials — must be consistently adapted to the language, culture, format, and user experience of the target audience.
ArKadia has long supported international e-learning localisation projects, helping its clients create and adapt multimedia training content. The following is a case study relating to a project carried out for a major group with thousands of employees worldwide, highlighting our integrated approach to managing multilingual e-learning content.
The context
The project was launched to make digital training content available in multiple languages and formats, while ensuring linguistic quality, consistent terminology, graphic consistency, and full usability of the materials.
The content included a range of elements, such as:
- infographics;
- checklists;
- editorial articles;
- emotional and teaching videos;
- fictional training material;
- end-of-course surveys for learners;
- content for e-learning platforms.
The first phase of the project involved translation from Italian into English, followed by localisation from English into 11 further languages: Slovak, Hungarian, Croatian, Slovenian, Bosnian, Serbian, Arabic, Albanian, Romanian, Ukrainian, and Simplified Chinese.
Operationally speaking, the project involved the coordinated management of content, articles, and multimedia materials, organised into groups of different kinds of learning objects, each with specific linguistic, technical, and editorial requirements.
The challenge: managing a scalable, multilingual project across multiple formats
The complexity of the project was driven not just by the volume of content, but also by the variety of formats involved and the need to manage an integrated process.
Each learning object had to be translated and reviewed, then laid out, adapted, or digitalised, depending on the type of content.
For graphic materials, maintaining consistency with the layout of the source files was vital. For videos, however, the process included creating and syncing subtitles, localising captions, titles, and graphics, the use of synthetic voices, and producing the final files in a usable format.
Beyond the complexity arising from the variety of content, there were additional operational requirements that required structured, ongoing coordination throughout all phases of the project:
- coordinating different stakeholders;
- managing teams of linguists distributed across multiple countries;
- meeting tight production deadlines;
- maintaining consistent terminology across different pieces of content;
- ensuring that naming conventions and delivery procedures were aligned with the client's platform;
- making the workflow continuous, traceable, and replicable over time.
This project required a partner capable of going beyond translation, integrating linguistic, technological, graphic, video, and project-management expertise.
ArKadia’s role: a dedicated team and single point of contact
To meet these needs, ArKadia built a dedicated team comprising linguistic, technological, and operational specialists.
The client had a dedicated Project Manager, supported by backup PMs, serving as the single point of contact throughout the entire project. The PM coordinated activities, monitored timelines, managed operational communications, and ensured continuity across the different phases of the project.
Project management included:
- a preliminary analysis of files, formats, and critical issues;
- preparing and organising materials;
- planning timelines;
- coordinating teams of linguists;
- handling urgent requests;
- updating translation memories and glossaries;
- monitoring deliveries;
- ensuring consistency across workflows and versions.
As well as the PM, ArKadia involved other specialists to support the project: Vendor Manager, Quality Manager, and Innovation Manager.
The Vendor Manager ensured that the most suitable linguists ic resources. The Quality Manager monitored quality standards and process consistency. The Innovation Manager helped optimise the workflow by identifying the most effective technological solutions to reduce manual tasks, improve traceability, and make the process more efficient.
Teams of mother-tongue linguists with specialist expertise
At the heart of this project were 11 teams of mother-tongue translators and reviewers selected for their expertise in HR, digital training, corporate content, and audio-video materials.
This specialist expertise allowed us to maintain a consistent approach not just to text translation, but to the training experience as a whole.
In e-learning materials, language must be clear, natural, and suited to the target audience. Beyond simply transferring information from one language to another, we have to preserve the educational effectiveness of the original content while adapting tone, terminology, and usability.
The solution: technology, method, and end-to-end coordination
ArKadia managed the project with an end-to-end approach, bringing together translation, review, layout, subtitling, quality control, and final delivery within a single workflow.
Management was supported by an integrated technological ecosystem, involving the use of CAT tools, centralised translation memories, termbases, and quality control processes. This allowed us to maintain consistent terminology across different pieces of content, reduce the risk of errors, and make the workflow more traceable.
At the same time, a structured file-preparation process was established and shared with the graphic design and video agencies involved in the project This helped standardise procedures, speed up operational phases, and minimise rework.
Very close attention was paid to Translation Quality Assurance. During post-production, linguists reviewed the videos to ensure subtitle synchronisation, correct positioning of graphic elements, the inclusion of translated captions, and overall alignment of the localised content.
Video, subtitles, and multimedia content
A key part of the project involved the localisation of video content.
Managing the videos required close coordination between teams of linguists, video technicians, and project management. The work carried out included script localisation, subtitle creation, timing control, graphics checks, and production of the final files.
This phase demonstrates a fundamental aspect of e-learning localisation: digital training content relies on the balance between text, image, audio, rhythm, and user experience.
Even a translation that is linguistically accurate can be ineffective if it is not synchronised properly, does not match the timing of the video, or does not align with the visual and graphic elements of the course.
For this reason, ArKadia managed video content as an essential part of the training experience, ensuring consistency between language, format, and user experience.
Why e-learning localisation requires an integrated approach
A multilingual e-learning project cannot be managed like the translation of a document. Digital training content combines text, graphics, video, interactive elements, and platforms. Each element must be localised consistently, preserving the teaching effectiveness of the original content and ensuring a smooth experience for learners.
As such, it is vital to work with a partner able to support multiple levels of the process:
- linguistic, to ensure accuracy, natural-sounding language, and consistent terminology;
- technical, to manage formats, platforms, subtitles, and multimedia files;
- graphic, to ensure that materials are aligned visually;
- organisational, to coordinate activities, stakeholders, and deadlines;
- technological, to make the process efficient, traceable, and scalable.
In this project, ArKadia's added value was its ability to integrate all these capabilities into a single operating model.
The result: a replicable, scalable operating model
This project demonstrated the importance of an integrated approach to localising training content.
Thanks to the combination of dedicated project management, language technologies, specialist teams of mother-tongue linguists, and quality control, ArKadia was able to support the client in managing a complex, multilingual, and multi-format process, ensuring consistency, quality, and scalability.
As well as delivering translated and localised content, the project resulted in the creation of a replicable operating model able to support the client should the project evolve over time.
For ArKadia, this case study is a concrete example of how a language partner can become an integral part of an international training project: not just a translation provider, but a team able to enhance the quality, effectiveness, and global reach of the learning experience.
ArKadia for multilingual e-learning projects
With more than 25 years of experience, offices in different countries, and a team that combines human expertise with technology, ArKadia supports companies, institutions, and international groups in managing complex multilingual content.
Covering translation and review, video localisation, e-learning package management, desktop publishing and quality control, ArKadia designs bespoke workflows to make every piece of content clear, consistent, and accessible in every language.
Because in international digital training, every word matters. But so does the way that the words are read, seen, heard, and experienced by the learner.
Discover how ArKadia can support your next multilingual e-learning localisation project.
