Frequently Asked Questions
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What kinds of events should i have transcriptionists for?
Any event, really! Any events open to the public can be captioned for the benefit of broad accessibility that is efficient for persons wishing to attend or engage. Staff meetings, AGMs, public consultations, conferences, presentations - these are opportunities for public engagement and having transcriptionists at these events ensure that any member of the population have an ease-of-access point for spoken audio that can be reviewed and re-read at their own accord.
What are the benefits of having transcriptionists?
Captioned audio for audience members that are deaf or hard-of-hearing
Communication of audio for those joining events remotely or via webinar
Transcribing your event produces an official script hat can be saved for record-keeping purposes
This script can be dispersed for information or to those that were unable to attend the event
Why should i caption my audio/visual data?
In addition to live events, captioning your audio/visual data on marketed and online resources is important too! Audio/visual media on company websites, training modules, webinars, are all instances where a lack of captioning might serve as a barrier for the intended audience. By having captions for videos displayed on your company website, for example, it instantly makes this media more accessible and efficient to visitors offhand.
What kind of physical set-up and space is ideal?
Our transcriptionists accommodate to the space events are being held at! Typically we work best when we are able to set up our equipment at a small table off to the side, so as not to distract from the main presentation. Since we use electronic equipment, we typically require access to an outlet.
What can i do to help my event run smoothly?
Provide as much information as you can in the Event Information Form, this gives us a good idea of the content/topic of the audio and how much preparation is required from our team
Ensure that you are familiar with the event location WIFI, e.g. public vs. private, access codes, etc.
Ensure that any presenters/speakers that are performing are notified of our team captioning their audio, and to speak as clearly as consistently as they can (which will ensure improved accuracy)
Feel free to check in with the team at any point during the event if you would like any part of the service changed or modified to fit your needs
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So, do you guys type everything that’s being said?
Exactly! Our job is to type spoken audio verbatim in real time. We do this by continuously training, using keyboard shortcuts, assistive editing software, doing pre-event preparations, and having multiple transcriptionists at each event to ensure quality control.
So, you must type really fast then?
Typing is measured in WPM (words per minute) and the average typing test will show you that approx 80 wpm is considered “fast” typing. Our transcriptionists however train to be at least 100-115 wpm faster to ensure that we can keep up with most spoken audio.
How do you keep up with what’s being said?
Fast talkers can speak between 100-150 wpm if speaking at a comfortable pace and conversational speeches can run between 120-150 wpm. That being said, sometimes we run into people that are really enthusiastic and go even faster! When that happens we do our best to keep up by incorporating a second transcriptionist to assist and keep the script on track and correct, but ultimately we expect a “human error’ margin in the transcript. This doesn’t change the text being recorded, but shorthand and summarizations may be implemented, and most of the time, there isn’t a noticeable difference experienced by the audience.
What if i’m concerned with private discussions or confidential information being captured in the text?
Our transcriptionists are trained and work in accordance to PHIA/PHIPPA confidentiality standards, meaning, that we do not store/use/disperse/discuss any private or identifying information that is transcribed at any of our events. This includes any presenters, speakers, audience members, or general attendees. We are more than willing to adhere to and enact NDAs for events that require staff to do so, such as private interviews, depositions, or assessments. If you have requested a transcript of your event and wish to keep certain information confidential, we are able to provide you a redacted version of your transcript free of charge.