Your Software Localization Project Will Fail if You Ignore Internationalization Internationalizing a software localization project entails adapting a program to a specific market’s language and cultural context. It involves more than simply translating the words that users see on the screen, and each process can differ according to the type of software. Internationalization is a multi-step process, and each phase is crucial to success. Complete and Current Localization Plan Too little planning often leads to ineffective software localization regardless of your past experience with these projects. To create a useful result, you need the most updated information available for localizing a software program for a specific target market. Planning software localization also entails outlining which parts of the application need which specific changes. These parts of the program include text boxes of varying sizes, help sections with web links, and various types of application menus. Preparing source files for the localization process is another vital part of this project, and it often requires several tests for functionality along the way. Web-based software normally includes coding in XML or a comparable scripting language, and this structure can affect which translation tools are the best choices. Experienced Localization Technicians An additional mistake that can lead to a failed internationalization software project is a lack of specialized experience among your staff or your outsourced vendors. Outsourcing one of these projects to a vendor with extensive localization project experience will carry a higher initial cost, but it will save your company more expense at later dates. Localization Testing Once the initial translation and localization tasks are complete, thorough and specialized testing will ensure your team catches and fixes any problems. Functional testing ensures that all parts of the program work as they should after the translation is finished. Planning, managing, and testing a software localization project are three phases of internationalization that cannot be ignored or abbreviated if you hope to have a successful, high quality result. Budgets and time schedules are important for your company’s interests, but they do require certain degrees of flexibility and planning for this type of project. For more information visit: - http://www.net-translators.com/blog/your-software-localization-
project-will-fail-if-you-ignore-internationalization