Localization Testing

Translation of an application usually exposes issues in the localized interface that need to be resolved as part of the localization process. These can include broken functionality, semantic errors caused by concatenation, incorrect use of variables, hard-coded strings, and cosmetic issues (misalignments, overlapping or truncated strings) that are caused by string expansion during translation. It’s also common to have mistranslations due to the limited context a translator has while working directly in the text or resource files. The objective of Acclaro’s testing services is to identify and correct these functional, cosmetic, and linguistic issues at the right point in the internationalization and localization cycle.

As with all of our solutions, we start by assessing what you have in place. Plans, platforms, roadmaps, test scripts, defect tracking applications as well as your existing processes and experience. Next, we assemble a multi-disciplined team, based on your needs, which can include linguists, engineers, and QA testing specialists. We offer a flexible approach that can include our resources onsite, onshore, or offshore. We categorize our testing services in the following ways:

Services Include:

Software Testing Services

• Internationalization Testing: Testing before localization that focuses on identifying and resolving issues that will arise when the product is translated or used in a localized environment. This includes issues with character encoding, localized input, storage and display, locale settings, hard-coded and concatenated strings, etc.
• Localized User Interface Testing: Testing after translation that verifies the localized UI within the localized user environment and compares it to the source UI. This includes identifying common issues such as under or over translation, translated dialog boxes, status bars, toolbars and menu items that don’t fit correctly on the screen, hard-coded or concatenated strings, and date, time, and number formats.
• Linguistic Testing: Testing to insure that the application is properly translated in the context presented by the User Interface including menus, dialogues and messages. Linguistic Testing is an important part of the localization process as it is often the first time a translator will see the localized product in context.

Website Testing Services

Although website testing often will include many of those same testing services found in software testing, websites additionally need testing to verify compatibility across target browsers, proper pagination and hyperlink navigation, etc.

Customized Solutions

Based on your specific requirements, the spectrum of solutions Acclaro can provide range from fully outsourced turnkey solutions to staffing resources working onsite with your existing in-house staff and anywhere in between.