Briefing a Freelancer for a Chinese-and-English Presentation: An Assistant's Checklist

You have been asked to arrange a Chinese-and-English presentation for a meeting. The deadline is fixed, the executive has a draft, and a freelance designer wants to know the scope. Before asking for a quote, separate the writing, translation and layout work. Otherwise, “make these slides bilingual” can mean three different jobs to three different people.

Decide who owns the words

A designer may be able to lay out both languages without being qualified to translate or approve either one. Name a person who will approve the Chinese text and a person who will approve the English text. If translation is part of the commission, include it explicitly and agree who checks terminology, names and numbers.

Send the designer one approved source of copy. A useful format is a table with slide number, English text, Chinese text and a note describing the purpose of that slide. Mark text that is still provisional. Do not ask the designer to choose between conflicting versions buried in email threads.

For company names, product names and specialist terms, attach a short approved glossary. If no approved translation exists, flag the decision for the owner rather than letting a plausible-looking translation become the final one by accident.

A compact brief you can adapt

The following is a suggested brief for a small presentation project, not a description of a completed client job:

  • Purpose and audience: a supplier introduction for a meeting attended by English- and Chinese-speaking buyers. The deck supports a live presenter rather than replacing a technical specification.
  • Scope: layout of an agreed number of slides using supplied, approved text; translation or copy editing quoted separately if required.
  • Language layout: both languages on each slide, or two separate decks. Confirm this before the first design because it changes the available space and review process.
  • Files: an editable presentation in the agreed software and a PDF reference export. Specify which charts and diagrams must remain editable.
  • Assets: supplied logo, approved photos and brand guidance; any third-party asset or font that needs a licence must be identified before use.
  • Reviews: one named coordinator collects feedback; the quote states the number of included rounds and how additional work is approved.
  • Schedule: copy approval, sample slide, full draft and final handover each have a date, time and timezone.

Approve a representative slide before the full deck

Pick a slide with enough complexity to expose the likely problems: a heading, a paragraph, a number and a diagram label. Ask for the sample in the intended editable format as well as PDF. Open it on the device or software the presenter will use, checking that both languages display correctly and nothing falls outside the slide.

Check the language order and visual hierarchy. Can the presenter quickly find the same point in each version? Does a longer translated heading force the text to become too small? A sample approval should settle these decisions before the same layout is applied throughout.

Match the marketplace to the purchasing process

If you are deciding between a global freelance marketplace and a China-focused service platform, first confirm who will pay, which currency and invoice details finance needs, and which language the provider can use for the brief. Guangsuan's guide to Chinese alternatives to Fiverr and their different work models provides a starting point for that shortlist. Confirm current payment options and terms directly with the platform and provider before placing the order.

Ask who supplies the editable source, what usage rights are included, and whether any fonts, stock images or other licensed assets have separate restrictions. Request written terms rather than assuming that paying for a finished PDF automatically gives you every underlying right.

Close the job with a handover check

Compare the final text with the approved bilingual copy, especially dates, currencies, units and contact details. Open the editable file on the presenter's system, test any required media, and export a fresh PDF to catch font substitution or line-wrap changes. Confirm that speaker notes do not contain internal comments that were meant to be removed.

Archive the final files, approved copy, asset information and any remaining limitations together. That gives the next assistant a usable starting point when the executive asks for “the same deck, with a few changes” six months later.