Structure of the report

The report proper falls into five main sections.

• The first of these is intended as background. It seeks to recapitulate the task undertaken by the SdT, its organisational structure the current state of computerization and the tools available.
• The second tries to describe the work of the Service. It is articulated around the document production chain, and the actors who intervene at various points.
• The third describes in more detail the work of those who provide support to the main activity of translation.
• The fourth collects together the dream tools. It should perhaps already be said here that not all of the dream tools enjoy the same degree of fantasy. Some of the desires expressed could, in fact, already be fulfilled by using tools which exist already, either directly or with a small modification to the mode of usage. Others would require development, but no major advances in the state of the art, yet others would require major breakthroughs. All are included rather indiscriminately because looking at what suggestions were put forward helps to illuminate the current state of awareness of the SdT population. The reader should also be aware of concluding that because the list of dream tools is extensive, there is wide-spread dissatisfaction with what already exists. In fact the contrary tends to be the case: as people grow familiar with what is already available, they begin to see the possibilities for going even further: acquaintance breeds desire, in this context as in others.
• A final section attempts, by way of conclusion, to summarize the main points of the preceding sections, and closes with a few personal reflections on the work done.