While I was looking for such a platform, I found Matecat - a a free and open-source online CAT tool. I decided to test Matecat and learn its functions, such as:

• manual and AI-assisted translation - translating PDF, DOCX, PowerPoint presentation and subtitles in SRT

• revising translations

• creating a TB

• creating a TM

• running a QA

• document processing and project management

  
  

I chose different content types to learn how to operate with different types of formats and understand how Matecat processes them.

In my Padlet, the segments with files and materials are marked in blue for better navigation.

Below, there are materials which I used for translation:

• https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgrgj51gl25o

• https://tepis.org.pl/the-polish-society-of-sworn-and-specialized-translators/

  
  

Firstly, I had to register on Matecat, which was relatively easy and intuitive. I used my private Gmail account in order to register.

Then, I explored the platform and its key features such making a new project, AI translation, editing, revising, collaborative workflows, and integration with various file formats.

I learnt how to upload and translate a PDF file using Matecat AI translation.

This screen recording (linked above) documents my process of post-editing an AI-generated translation in Matecat’s review mode. I worked through the document segment by segment, carefully checking for grammatical errors, unnatural phrasing, and missing tags. While the initial machine translation output was surprisingly coherent, it required human intervention to ensure terminological consistency and proper tag placement. In my audio commentary, I also reflect on how editing tools within Matecat (e.g., segment highlighting and context preview) support efficient post-editing workflows. This task significantly improved my awareness of the strengths and limitations of AI-powered translation tools.

• I improved my post-editing skills by reviewing and editing AI-generated translations.

• I learnt how to handle different file formats within Matecat.

• I learnt how to translate a PowerPoint Presentation and subtitles in SRT file.

• I recognised the necessity of using OCR tools for translating embedded text in images.

Solution: Luckily, I can create a TM in MemoQ, so I used the Aligner in Memoq and created a TM there.

Challenge: Matecat did not detect text in an image when I was translating a presentation.

Solution: In this project, I copied the text into a DOCX file and translated it in Matecat. However, I am aware that for longer texts using an OCR tool is necessary. Future translations involving images will require pre-processing through OCR tools before uploading into Matecat.

I also need to find and explore some reliable OCR tools to extract text from images before importing them into Matecat or other CatTools.

Additionally, I would like to gain deeper insights into project management features for large-scale collaborations and explore other CatTools that offfer collaboration with others, because I believe that I will need such skills in my future job.

When I attempted to create a Translation Memory (TM) using the built-in Aligner in Matecat, I encountered a technical issue: the Aligner failed to process both PDF and DOCX files. After troubleshooting and searching for solutions online (e.g., GitHub discussions), I discovered this is a known malfunction. As a workaround, I exported the source and target texts and used the alignment function in MemoQ to manually align segments and generate a functional TM. This step helped me understand interoperability between tools and introduced me to TMX export formats and alignment best practices.

This project allowed me to independently explore a CatTool (in this case Matecat) and real-world translation scenarios. I improved my technical competencies in handling various file formats and developed skills in post-editing, glossary management, and QA checks. I faced technical difficulties, such as non-functional features in Matecat, which I overcame by researching alternatives and switching tools where needed.

I also learned the value of documenting the learning process through screen recordings, as it forced me to reflect on my workflow critically.

In future learning tasks, I aim to deepen my understanding of translation project management tools, advanced TM and TB handling, and explore different CatTools. I also plan to gain fluency in using OCR software to handle complex content in multimedia files.