Building a case for managing source-language software terminology requires tackling at least five issues: a tool (based on a relational database), grassroots and upper-level management support, a limited domain, a set of metrics, and determination.

The role of the tool is to centralize the terminology. This is crucial. Before terminology standardization can be attempted, a company must establish a single location from which all employees access terminology. IBM, J.D. Edwards, and SAP AG (among others) have each created their own terminology management solution. This is costly and may not be a practical strategy for smaller companies.

But there are several off-the-shelf terminology management applications for sale, and something as basic as an Excel spreadsheet will do in a pinch. The advantage of a spreadsheet program is that it is easy to use. I once managed 12,000 term entries in a set of Excel worksheets, but I don't recommend this method for more than several hundred terms as it quickly becomes unwieldy. Whatever method a company chooses, its terminology should be available from a central location.

But a terminology management tool alone is not enough. There must be some support among employees for a move towards managed source-language terminology.

My experience is that in all but the smallest software companies, one person devoting spare time to terminology management won't get too far. Successful terminology management requires support and assistance. Some say terminology management initiatives can't go far without upper-level management support, but in my experience you cannot get that support without first showing some progress and benefit. One way to show progress is to develop grassroots support. For example, if a localizer can find terminology advocates in other departments, together they may be able to drive small changes in process and workflow that will enable better management of terminology. With support, they may also be able to start a pilot project for a single product or domain in which they can show the value of terminology management. This is how the move to standardize source-language terminology began at Microsoft.

It is difficult for any software company that has never managed source-language terminology to begin doing so. This difficulty may be exacerbated if a centralized process such as terminology management is not naturally supported by the company culture. Part of the cost of setting up a terminology management solution may indeed be a change in paradigm, while part of the return on investment will be efficiencies that stretch to increased ease of use and less costly localization.

Metrics are critical to building a successful business case for terminology management. A company that wishes to track terminology management should begin by asking the following questions: