When we prioritize strategic processes, set clear objectives, identify the right metric, and use visuals to tell a compelling story, data does more than just inform – it inspires action at every level.
”Numbers have an important story to tell. They rely on you to give them a clear and convincing voice.” – Stephen Few, data visualization expert
We live in a data-driven world. From the groceries we buy to the shows we watch, everything is influenced by data. Businesses, governments, and sports organizations use data to understand customers better, make informed decisions, and guide strategic changes. When used effectively, data can shape a compelling narrative about your business, department or service.
Why Data Matters
At a recent Capitol Hill event in Washington, DC, hosted by the American Association of Interpreters and Translators in Education (AAITE), members had the opportunity to speak directly with policymakers about the language services industry. They knew the importance of making meaningful and impactful statements to captivate their audience. Time is of essence on Capitol Hill.
Now Imagine the following message being shared with a policymaker about our industry:
“The language services industry is large and consists of many small businesses employing highly skilled specialists, many of whom are independent contractors.”
While accurate, this statement lacks the impact needed to fully convey the significance of the industry. Now let’s see how our message transformed when we integrated data into the conversation:
“Did you know that the language services industry is a critical driver of U.S. economic growth, generating $56.2 billion annually with a robust 7/7% average growth rate? It supports 6,000-8,000 primarily small businesses, employing a highly educated and skilled workforce, 51% of whom are certified professionals. With a median annual salary of $80,000 for full-time workers, the industry contributes significantly to the livelihoods of over 250,000 specialists – 75% of whom are independent contractors.”
The above statement shows that data matters.
Integration Data Collection into Your Workflow for Better Results
How we collect data about our business is just as important as how we use it. If your current method for tracking the types of requests you receive involves manually searching through hundreds of emails, it may be time to consider a more efficient tool or approach. These tools don’t have to be expensive software or complicated systems. They can be as simple as an Excel spreadsheet. What truly matters is having a deliberate system and process for collecting data.
If you run a small business or department, choose tools that seamlessly integrate into your workflow without adding extra steps. For instance, when data collection isn’t incorporated into the workflow, valuable information can be lost, and processes may be abandoned. Using tools like Google or Microsoft Forms to submit requests can automatically generate a spreadsheet, making it easy to create pivot tables for tracking and analyzing data. Additionally, there are many other data-tracking tools that allow you to monitor your work while capturing data, thus saving time, ensuring accuracy, and enabling more informed, real-time decision-making.
The Power of Data and KPIs in Interpreting and Translation
Tracking data through key performance indicators (KPIs) not only ensures we measure performance effectively but also transforms the data into something meaningful that resonates with the audience. KPIs are measurable metrics that track how well you’re meeting specific business goals. For example, if you want to measure how effective your scheduling processes are in fulfilling requests while optimizing your budget, KPIs help you gauge your performance. Having a clear purpose ensures your KPIs align with your objectives.
Start with a Clear Purpose
What are you trying to achieve? Are you tracking spending, requesting a budget increase, or assessing the need for services? To figure out what information you need to gather for you KPIs, you must first define your purpose. The level of detail you need to provide should be guided by whom you’ll be presenting the information to.
Defining KPIs for Interpreting and Translation Services
Before diving into how data becomes a story, let’s identify some key KPIs to measure the success of interpreting and translation services. They might include:
Number of Requests: Tracking the volume of interpreting and translation requests over a certain period (weekly, monthly, quarterly, annually) provides insight into the demand for services. The requests can be further categorized by department (e.g., special education), language and priority level (e.g., general, urgent).
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- Response Time: This KPI measures how quickly interpreting and translation requests are fulfilled. Tracking urgent requests that require an immediate response may highlight inefficiencies in the scheduling or operational processes.
- Fill Rate: The KPI reveals the percentage of requests filled, unfilled, declined, no show, or canceled. This is a critical metric for assessing resource availability and service reliability.
- Language Requested: Understanding the languages needed helps identify trends in the community, anticipate larger needs, and allows you to the adjust processes and resources to meet the demand more efficiently.
- Customer Satisfaction: Collecting feedback from users of interpreting and translation services can be a useful KPI to determine how well these services meet client expectations. This may include factors like quality, professionalism, and ease of use.
For example, if we want to track the volume of translation and interpreting requests during the academic year (for schools) on a monthly basis, we can monitor:
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- Number of interpreting requests (IRs) submitted.
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- Languages requested.
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- By school or district departments.
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- Number of translation requests (TRs) submitted.
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- Translations by departments.
Depending on your needs, you can go deeper into the data:
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- Number of interpreting requests (IRs) submitted:
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- Type of assignment/IR.
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- Number of IRs filled vs. unfilled.
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- Number of last-minute cancellations.
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- Number of no-shows.
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- High peak time of day.
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- Language requested.
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- Number of interpreting requests (IRs) submitted:
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- Number of translation requests (TRs) submitted:
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- Type of translation.
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- Number of TRs approved vs declined.
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- Number of words/project.
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- Turnaround time/project.
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- Number of urgent projects (<3 days).
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- Language requested.
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- Number of translation requests (TRs) submitted:
You may also prefer a high-level overview, like tracking the number of requests and languages per month. The more detailed the KPIs are, the more the results can be used to align with the needs for funding.
And now, let’s turn these numbers into a story.
Turning Data into a Story
Presenting data can be very dry. But when data is presented in a story, it can be impactfully transformative. When you’re ready to present your data to a specific audience, consider the three data story elements: data, narrative, and visuals.
(See Figure 1 above.)
For example, if you’re presenting the results of interpreting and translation services to a school board, you can list numbers like “100 interpreting assignments” and “40 translation projects,” but without context these figures won’t mean much to your listeners. Now, consider transforming that data into a story:
“Over the past year, our team successfully completed 100 interpreting assignments, 95 of which were for special education, ensuring that non-English-speaking students and their families had equal access in individualized education program (IEP) meetings. Additionally, 40 translation projects were completed, with 75% focused on IEPs, helping schools communicate critical information to families in their native languages.” (See Figure 2 below.)
Suddenly, the data reveals a powerful story about the impact of these services on students’ education and family engagement, framing the numbers within a larger narrative centered on equity, access, and support in the provision of special education related services.
Visualizing the Data
To make the story even more impactful, visual representation is key. As humans, we tend to grasp information more easily when it’s presented visually. For interpreting and translation services, simple visuals like bar charts, pie charts, and line graphs can make the data come alive. For instance:
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- A bar chart can compare the number of interpreting assignments completed for different departments (e.g., general education vs special education) to show how resources are being used. (See Figure 3 above.)
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- A pie chart can illustrate the percentage of translation projects focused on IEPs vs general communications, highlighting where the effort is mostly concentrated. (See Figure 4 below.)
A line graph can track interpreting requests over time, showing peaks and valleys that may correlate with important events or deadlines in the academic year. (See Figure 5 above.)
These visuals not only make the data easier to digest but also reinforce the story you’re telling. They help your listeners see patterns, understand trends, and appreciate how the work done meets the needs of the community.
Connecting Data to Outcomes
Another key part of turning raw data into a story is linking it to real-life outcomes. In the case of interpreting and translation services, the data collected says much more than just numbers. It tells the story of lives that are positively impacted by these services and how the schools fulfill their mission of making the families, even those who don’t speak English at all or well enough, part of the academic growth of their children.
For example, you can show how tracking the fill rate for interpreting requests has led to improvements in scheduling processes, reducing the number of missed or delayed appointments and increasing the number of families served. Or you can show how analyzing the types of translation requests over time has helped the district prioritize which documents need to be translated most urgently. By connecting data to outcomes, the numbers are not just isolated statistics – they represent real improvements in access to services and community participation.
The Bigger Vision: Data and KPIs Foster Informed Decisions
When you turn data into a compelling story, decision-makers can acquire the information they need to make informed decisions. For example, a school district may see the rise of specific language demands that call for an increase of interpreters and translations for these families. Maybe the data shows there’s an increasing need for translation and interpreting services for IEPs and that scheduling must undergo some changes to maximize the budget for the same language requests.
Data-driven storytelling empowers organizations to justify the demand for budget increases or demonstrate the value and return on investment of their services to stakeholders. Instead of just asking for more funding and resources, it’s much more impactful to show how this funding and these resources will directly expand access, improve service delivery, and create better outcomes for the entire community.
Using Data to Drive Meaningful Change
When we prioritize strategic processes, set clear objectives, identify the right metrics, and use visuals to tell a compelling story, data does more than just inform- it inspires action at every level, from top down and bottom up. This approach drives meaningful change. Presented effectively, data becomes a powerful tool for advocacy, continuous improvement, and lasting impact, both in your workplace and across the language services field.
