Time scale for different translation approaches

Thanks for your response. Yes, you’ve answered much of my question, so thank you. However, I would like some input regarding the time taken for the translation process itself. For example, if I were to translate the book of Genesis with 2 teams of translators, one using OBT and the other not, how long would it take to do each? I’m really looking for some very concrete information from those who have done it. Of course I do understand the size of the team makes a difference and so on, but any vague estimates are appreciated. Thanks!

I know of no studies nor any data sets that address this issue,at least not in SIL or Wycliffe or associated organizations. So you will have to rely on experience. I have not found experience very enlightening. The most inaccurate estimate of time for a translation I have ever seen came from a translation consultant. That shouldn't surprise us as consultants don't recieve training in such things nor do they write or talk about them much in professional contexts. 

GILLBT has developed a set of standards for time frame and cost for its own projects. They'd probably share it. 

The next problem is the number of variables involved: training of the translators, access to consultants, motivation of the translators, equipment failures, effectiveness of oversight, adequacy of funding, frequency of disruptions (death/illness of translator, severe weather, power outages, civil disturbance, etc, etc, etc). A dataset useful to determine times would need to be big enough to average out lots of variables - very large and therefore expensive to gather. 

Maybe it is better to have partners that understand this context and are flexible.

Hi, this is a very good question I had asked myself. I had very little knowledge about oral BT projects. I met people SIL projects for just NT, from linguistic research to the last consultant approval from 8 years to 33 years. When you measure the time scale, you may consider measures with man-months and the effective of the collaboration of the teams. As you mentioned there are a lot of factors(always beyond our imagination) and variables affecting the progress of BT.

Thanks everyone for chipping in. At this point I’m just wanting a vague idea of how long one should expect each type of project to take, more or less. I know I’m being vague! The reason for asking is that we have a known need to pursue some translation work, but I am needing to convince my superiors (who know little about translation) about which methodology to use for a project. I’m confident that based on the sociocultural situation of the people I’m working among that some form of oral project is the way to go (whether it is only portions or not). My team leader wants to know which type of project takes longer and how much longer. He’s mostly worried about some ‘new and fancy’ methodology (I.e. OBT) taking way longer than the tried and trusted method... so really all I’m looking for is a vague estimate. If it’s more or less the same time for each methodology (notwithstanding all the variables that apply to both), then that is fine! Bottom line is that my superiors are looking at the pros and cons and want to know whether OBT blows everything out time-wise or not.