Tools Sustainability Dashboard
Scribe
Moderate (1.71)Multimodal editor for Bible translation
Scribe is a multimodal drafting and editing tool for Bible translation in text, audio, and sign language formats. Built for offline-first environments and low-literacy contexts, it empowers local teams to collaborate on Scripture projects across media types. Scribe integrates with USFM, PT Send/Receive, and DCS, making it easy to align with existing translation workflows.
Detailed Sustainability Scores
Scribe is currently funded through ETEN and supplemental Lab investments, with a small, cost-effective development team based in India. This results in significantly lower operating costs compared to peer tools. Opportunities include reducing dependency on ETEN by diversifying funding streams and formalizing a sustainability plan with partner co-funding and tiered support models.
Scribe uses USFM, integrates with PT Send/Receive and DCS, and is starting to adopt AI (e.g., drafting, audio cleanup). However, mobile-first workflows are not yet supported. Could expand adaptability by supporting mobile workflows and offline-first design, and increase cadence of updates and community-led feature suggestions.
Feedback is regularly collected from internal users and training teams. External responsiveness has faced challenges, including past difficulties in maintaining consistent communication with partners. Building stronger feedback loops with external partners and establishing a regular advisory or listening group composed of cross-org stakeholders would enhance collaboration.
The tool is used in several regions across Africa and Asia. Current versions work well in low-internet settings, but future web-only versions may limit adoption. There's no current support for complex scripts or mobile access. Should maintain offline and hybrid options in future versions and add support for complex scripts and mobile platforms to expand adoption.
Scribe is open-source with public documentation. Partners could likely continue development if BCS steps back, though no formal handoff plan exists. Recent governance changes present an opportunity to strengthen partner relationships. Developing a transition strategy for partner continuity and enhancing transparency through clear roadmaps and open development practices would build confidence.
Scribe currently follows standard tech stacks and shares components with other tools. Reusability is decent in the current version but uncertain in the upcoming version, as the current roadmap focuses on internal priorities. Documenting reusable components clearly for external developers and exploring shared platform opportunities would help avoid duplication across tools.
Scribe is highly aligned in principle with AAGs and EVC goals, and has contributed significantly through inspiration and vision. However, product execution often leans toward internal priorities over collective strategy. Should apply AAG/EVC metrics to roadmap decisions and translate thought leadership into shared technical and governance frameworks.
Key Strengths
- Cost-effective development with lower operating costs
- Strong interoperability with existing tools (USFM, PT, DCS)
- Open-source with public documentation
- Good regional adoption across Africa and Asia
Key Recommendations
- Improve external collaboration and feedback cycles
- Expand mobile and offline capabilities
- Clarify handoff plans and developer reusability strategies
- Maintain offline/hybrid options in future versions
- Strengthen partner relationships through transparent development practices
Key Sustainability Variables
1. Financial Viability, Cost-Effectiveness & Funding Sustainability
How financially viable (including all funding sources) is this solution over its lifecycle, and what regularly measurable Return-on-Investment towards major milestones (AAGs and EVC) does it offer in terms of demonstrated strategic value, efficiency and impact when compared to other relevant options?
2. Technical Adaptability, Interoperability & Extensibility
How well does the solution (regardless of size) adapt to emerging technologies (e.g. AI), integrate with existing systems, and iteratively update or extend functionality in order to reduce the frequency of complete overhauls?
3. User-Centric Adaptability & Responsiveness
How effectively does the solution continuously incorporate user feedback and remain responsive to changing needs and workflows, ensuring intuitive design and long-term cultural relevance across diverse global contexts?
4. Global Accessibility & Local Adoption
Can the solution be effectively used across all regions, and what barriers—technical (e.g. complex scripts, oral, sign), cultural (e.g. localization, customization, training), or infrastructural (e.g. scalable, offline, mobile)—might limit its accessibility (open-access) or local adoption (e.g. security risks), and does it demonstrate alignment with unmet user needs (market fit)?
5. Open Collaboration & Organizational Continuity
What is the likelihood and impact if the current development team or organization loses interest or shifts focus, and who (e.g. cross-organizational trust, capability, and knowledge-sharing) as well as what mechanisms (e.g. open-source, documentation, technical maturity, operational capacity) are in place to pick up the baton and maintain continuity?
6. Technology Standards, Reusability & Developer Support
To what extent are the parts of the solution reusable across similar solutions, and how actively does the organization pursue transparency and collaboration to enable reuse, reduce duplication across organizations, promote best practices, and advance common open standards (e.g. tech stack, frameworks, platforms) to collectively maximize the amount of work-not-done across solutions and devices?
7. Identifying with the Collective Impact Alliance
How closely does the team or organization align their identity, priorities, and efforts with the shared values and collective strategic milestones (e.g. AAGs and EVC) of the broader Bible translation movement, rather than becoming overly identified with specific solutions which may not directly advance these collective objectives?