Mirela
Localization has the power to transform your message and makes it resonate with audiences worldwide. But if you’re new to the process, you may experience some small problems navigating this exciting, yet sometimes perplexing, world. Think of this article as your roadmap to mastering the localization workflow. We’ll break down the localization process step-by-step, from planning to making sure your message lands perfectly.
Why you need a workflow
Regardless of the field we’re applying them, workflows help us streamline the most complex tasks. Localization, as you probably know, involves a lot of moving parts, from languages and cultural nuances to technical considerations. Consequently, without a defined workflow, things can quickly turn into a mess.
A localization workflow will:
- Ensure accuracy and quality
- Maintain consistency
- Boost efficiency and speed
- Help manage costs
- Scale with your needs
Now that we’ve established that the need for a workflow is real, it’s time to look at the steps you need to take to reach new audiences efficiently and effectively.
1. Planning
In this first step, you need to determine which parts of the product require localization. Think of user interfaces, documentation, marketing materials, etc. This is also when you identify target markets, languages, and regions, as well as develop an understanding of the cultural norms, regulations, and technical considerations for each target market.
Consider creating a localization kit with resources and guidelines for translators and localization teams. It typically contains glossaries, style guides, translation memories, and context information. Next, choose your management tools, translation memory software, computer-aided translation tools, or any other tools that can streamline the localization process.
2. Content preparation
Now that you’ve decided on the content you want to localize, it’s time to extract text and other localizable elements from the product. Your code, design, and content should be built to accommodate different character sets, date/currency formats, and layout variations.
Improve your localization process
Discover an easy to use and affordable localization app.Tools can automatically pull text from code or files for translation, but manual review is needed to ensure completeness and context. Define key terms and their translations to ensure consistency throughout the project. Also ensure that files are in a format that can be easily handled by translation tools (e.g., .xml, .json, .xliff).
3. Translation
This is where you pick the most qualified linguists with experience in your industry and expertise in the target language and culture. Consider native speakers for optimal fluency. Your translators will work on the content using translation memories, termbases, and glossaries to ensure consistency.
In this process of adapting your content for foreign markets, you will most likely use a translation management system (TMS). These tools can automate parts of the workflow and help manage large projects. You may choose to use machine translation (MT) for initial drafts or less critical content, but always follow with human post-editing for accuracy and cultural relevance.
4. Editing and Quality Assurance
It’s time to revise everything. Editors come in to ensure that the translated content is grammatically correct, reads naturally, and conveys the intended meaning within the target culture. They identify and address potential cultural faux pas, puns, or humor that might not translate well. Quality Assurance (QA) testing, on the other hand, goes beyond just text. It involves testing the functionality, layout, date/currency display, and user experience (UX) to ensure a seamless experience in the target language.
5. Deployment
In one of the last steps of a localization workflow, the deployment phase, you integrate the translated content back into your application, website, or files. This might involve code changes or adjustments to layouts. Developers will test the localized product as thoroughly as possible to identify and fix any bugs or display issues.
6. Monitoring and improvement
Now that the localized product has been released in the target markets, you need to look at some key metrics to measure the success of your work. Track user engagement, conversion rates, and other metrics to gauge the effectiveness of your localized content. Gather feedback from users and stakeholders in the target market to identify areas for improvement. This will help refine your workflow based on experience and data, so that your future localization projects are efficient and successful.
Add POEditor to your localization workflow
As previously mentioned, a translation management system is a valuable tool to use in the localization process. POEditor allows you to manage all localization projects from a unified dashboard, making it easier to track progress and maintain consistency across different languages and projects. All from a user-friendly interface.
Your translators, developers, project managers, or any other members of your team can join your projects and collaborate in real-time, ensuring everyone is on the same page. And if you don’t have your own translators, you can choose from our translation options: ordering translation services, using machine translation, or crowdsourcing translations from your community.
Leverage features like translation memory – to reuse previously translated terms and phrases, and glossaries – to standardize terminology across all projects, among many other. It’s also easy to integrate POEditor with your existing systems and workflows through its API and sync it with version control systems like GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket to streamline the localization of software projects.