Most leading development teams understand the importance of localization when bringing new products into the global market, but it’s also important to expand that work into the promotional websites as well to ensure a cohesive experience.
You must have an effective plan for website localization – the process of adapting languages and graphics so they meet the technical and cultural needs of a specific locale. Without this effort, you risk alienating your audience and losing profits.
Assessing Localization
When it comes to building a website, the user interface, content, and documentation can be built in multiple languages with various units of measurement, date formats, and currencies. Such complexities mean an organization must ensure all applications are relevant to the regions they serve. An internationalization (i18n) assessment is the first step in this process.
Through many different tasks, including in-depth code analysis, an assessment helps certify usability, reliability, and – above all – relevance to a specific audience. It can also be used to:
● Identify bugs and defects
● Promote i18n best practices within your quality assurance teams
● Specify i18n requirements to ensure each is met
The Primary Goal
The primary goal is to deliver consistency and compatibility across all of your localized website versions. This is usually established by first defining a baseline standard, which is commonly the native version of the website under testing. Additional tests are then executed based on specific changes necessary to achieve proper localization.
i18n Implementation
The best practice is to start your i18n implementation at the beginning of the analysis phase and then continue in tandem through the development process. But i18n involves more than the ability to display translated content. It applies a flexible framework to use different data formatting – like time and date – and media to match localized preferences and requirements.
Implementation services can ensure your user interface design is adaptable enough to accommodate content with different text lengths and directionality. Arabic, for instance, is one of several languages that read right to left. Partnering with a professional i18n service provider can also help you maintain a consistent brand image, even as you create a website or app relevant to many local markets.
A Look at Effective i18n
A successful i18n effort allows you to translate and update every individual text component without changing the source code. By maintaining one source code set for all localized sites, you reduce the time and resources necessary for each update. In turn, you provide a seamless user experience that drives conversions, and builds trust within your audience.
i18n Training
With i18n training, your teams acquire the knowledge necessary to continue developing and maintaining your website and products for international compliance. It’s best to provide this education to all development team members, so they understand the complex requirements involved with building globalized software – from best practices to routine i18n principles.
Thanks to self-directed training modules, your staff can learn on their time, when it’s convenient for you and your business. These modules can then be incorporated into your broader eLearning environment, so that any team member interested in learning this complex material can do so.
Ultimately, a sound internationalization strategy confirms your website works capably across a variety of target markets. Every piece of text is translatable, without any code relying on input in a specific language or alphabet character. We can help you every step of the way, whether you need an i18n assessment, implementation, training, or even consulting. Get started on your globalized project today by contacting Lingoport, Inc.
