Amal MansiProjects Control Manager| FreelancerAmman, Jordan
What features or initiatives would make the PMI online community more welcoming and accessible to members whose native language is not English? Are there small changes or community-led practices we can implement to improve inclusivity and participation right now? Saving Changes...
It would be helpful if there were translation features natively available in the platform (as opposed to through one's web browser) which would use the person's preferred language from their profile as the basis for their reading & writing of posts (e.g. A post in Spanish would be shown to me as English, and a response I'd provide would be kept in English but when the original poster read it it would be auto-translated into Spanish. A subtle tag next to the post or comment could indicate what the original (untranslated) language was.
And for those who were keen on learning new languages, there would be the ability to enable or disable this auto-translation feature.
Kiron
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2 replies by Luis Branco and Rami Kaibni
Sep 17, 2025 9:18 AM
Luis Branco
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Kiron Bondale , your proposal is sharp, timely, and already partially live:
- Today, when we select a preferred language on the PMI platform, both the interface and community content are automatically translated and we can switch between the translated version and the original via a built-in button.
That’s meaningful progress.
But I’d argue that the real inclusion challenge now lies elsewhere:
- Webinars, panels, and recorded sessions remain mostly English-only.
And that means thousands of professionals worldwide are excluded from the most valuable learning experiences.
So yes, tags, toggles, and language settings are helpful refinements…
But let’s not forget the bigger leap ahead:
- Make the webinars speak every language.
Thanks for sparking such an important conversation.
Sep 17, 2025 10:40 AM
Rami Kaibni
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Kiron, there is such feature and I believe PMI did announce that they enhanced it recently even further. Beside the profile picture (top right corner), there is a language tab.
Saving Changes...
Luis BrancoCEO| Business Insight, Consultores de Gestão, LdªCarcavelos, Lisboa, Portugal
Amal Mansi Inclusivity in Practice: A Step Forward
One small but meaningful change is already live: the ability to select a preferred language on the PMI platform which now translates not just the interface, but also user-generated content (posts and comments), with the option to view the original.
This seemingly simple feature lowers the barrier to participation for many professionals worldwide, whose contributions might otherwise be limited by language constraints.
However, inclusivity is not just about technology.
It’s also about culture and practice.
Some immediate, community-led initiatives we can adopt include:
- Bilingual Threads: Encourage members to post in both English and their native language when possible (even brief summaries).
- Pinned Guidelines: Share best practices on inclusive language, cultural awareness, and translation tools.
- Language Buddies: Create a mentorship/peer system for non-native speakers to connect and feel supported.
- AI Support with Integrity: Promote ethical use of AI-based translation tools to bridge communication — while respecting authenticity and voice.
As a global community, we grow stronger by embracing linguistic diversity, not just tolerating it, but intentionally designing for it.
Saving Changes...
Luis BrancoCEO| Business Insight, Consultores de Gestão, LdªCarcavelos, Lisboa, Portugal
Sep 17, 2025 7:36 AM
Replying to Kiron Bondale
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Amal -
It would be helpful if there were translation features natively available in the platform (as opposed to through one's web browser) which would use the person's preferred language from their profile as the basis for their reading & writing of posts (e.g. A post in Spanish would be shown to me as English, and a response I'd provide would be kept in English but when the original poster read it it would be auto-translated into Spanish. A subtle tag next to the post or comment could indicate what the original (untranslated) language was.
And for those who were keen on learning new languages, there would be the ability to enable or disable this auto-translation feature.
Kiron
Kiron Bondale , your proposal is sharp, timely, and already partially live:
- Today, when we select a preferred language on the PMI platform, both the interface and community content are automatically translated and we can switch between the translated version and the original via a built-in button.
That’s meaningful progress.
But I’d argue that the real inclusion challenge now lies elsewhere:
- Webinars, panels, and recorded sessions remain mostly English-only.
And that means thousands of professionals worldwide are excluded from the most valuable learning experiences.
So yes, tags, toggles, and language settings are helpful refinements…
But let’s not forget the bigger leap ahead:
- Make the webinars speak every language.
Thanks for sparking such an important conversation.
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten AssociatesNew Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Sep 17, 2025 7:36 AM
Replying to Kiron Bondale
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Amal -
It would be helpful if there were translation features natively available in the platform (as opposed to through one's web browser) which would use the person's preferred language from their profile as the basis for their reading & writing of posts (e.g. A post in Spanish would be shown to me as English, and a response I'd provide would be kept in English but when the original poster read it it would be auto-translated into Spanish. A subtle tag next to the post or comment could indicate what the original (untranslated) language was.
And for those who were keen on learning new languages, there would be the ability to enable or disable this auto-translation feature.
Kiron
Kiron, there is such feature and I believe PMI did announce that they enhanced it recently even further. Beside the profile picture (top right corner), there is a language tab. Saving Changes...
Project & PMO Manager | Research & Enterprise Mentor| GFB HoldingSouth America, Brazil
To foster a global and inclusive project management community, the PMI online platform must proactively embrace members whose native language isn't English, recognizing that this accessibility also opens doors to critical, often underrepresented project niches such as innovation, entrepreneurship, and academic research. Key initiatives should include implementing integrated AI-powered translation tools for posts and comments, creating dedicated multilingual channels or forums supported by native-speaking moderators, and clearly communicating a "English preferred, other languages welcome" policy. Simultaneously, the community can cultivate practices such as encouraging brief English summaries for posts in other languages, establishing a voluntary "translation buddy" system, actively soliciting and highlighting diverse project contributions, and promoting cultural sensitivity through clear, idiom-free communication, thereby ensuring all voices and project types can fully participate and enrich the collective knowledge. Saving Changes...
Some African countries have begun teaching in local languages, especially at the elementary level. I’ve also seen content creators on social media using local dialects to teach Chemistry, Physics, and Math. It’s truly inspiring to witness this in my lifetime.
If I had grown up with that kind of access, I believe I would have developed a deeper and more innovative mindset much earlier in my career. Learning complex subjects in one’s native language can be a powerful advantage.
I hope someone takes up the challenge of teaching Project Management in local languages as well. That would be amazing to see. I wish I could do it myself, but time is limited.
Thank you for sharing this thoughtful question and the insightful comments. Saving Changes...
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