White Paper: An Introduction to Translation and Localization for the Busy Executive (cont.)

Getting Started with Localization

The first decision is deciding what to localize and into what languages. This is a marketing and business development decision driven by anticipated market demand, competitive analysis and/or large deals that require localized product. In addition to the product itself, localization of the pre- and post-sale information and all other customer touch points should be considered. Things that are typically localized for a product or service include marketing collateral and communications, the product itself, product manuals and user guides, marketing websites and support FAQ’s. Of course budgets also need to be considered in deciding what to localize.

Since the cost of localization is usually far less than the original cost of developing the product, the ROI for localizing a product, based on the revenue from new global markets, can be quite attractive. However, localization is clearly not inexpensive. The cost can vary dramatically based on the size and complexity of the project, which is then factored by the number of target languages. A small application or website localized into a single language might cost $5-10K while a large multilingual effort can run up to six and seven figures.

In-house vs. Outsourced Localization Solutions

There is a spectrum of solutions to choose from for localization. At one end is a totally in-house localization operation while at the other is a completely outsourced, turnkey model using a Localization Service Provider (LSP). In-house provides maximum control while outsourced offers maximum flexibility. For the right conditions, both solutions can provide high value and high quality but which works best is a function of volume, workload stability and a company’s appetite for scaling internal teams. With enough volume, stable demand and a long-term commitment to the business model, an in-house model might be the right approach. However, low or variable needs are addressed with an outsourced model. Almost all companies will have some elements of both. Even companies with the greatest demand such as GE, Google, Microsoft and IBM outsource most of their localization. In addition to the economics of outsourcing to specialized firms, companies often cite the benefit of keeping a cost center that is outside of their core business as a flexible on-demand service.

A Localization Service Provider can be thought of as translation agency on steroids. Besides language translation services, LSPs also offer a range of engineering, content layout and testing services that transform the translated text into final media for consumption. With software, this can mean things like adjusting the User Interface so it properly displays translated text. For documentation, it’s reflowing translated text, applying adapted styles and formats and then re-paginating the layout to accommodate changes caused by expanded text length. With digital content or a global website, it might be interfacing with a content management system to ensure that translated content displays properly.

There are two types of LSPs. Single Language Vendors (SLVs) are companies that specialize in one target language or locale and they are usually found in the native country for that language. SLVs are generally focused on translation tasks that are unique to each language. Multi-Language Vendors (MLVs) work with multiple languages and will usually be responsible for the localization of a project into ALL of the target languages the client is looking for. MLVs also combine the process management and technical services that are common across languages with the language services of the SLVs. The advantage of this approach is that the client has a single entity coordinating and managing the entire project – and consistency of key elements across languages. Depending on their operating model, MLVs will work either directly with “in-country” translators in each target market, or they will “subcontract” one or more of the target languages to SLVs.

Using the SLV model means that the client is responsible for adding the centralized MLV components of management and technical services to the translation, and coordinating all of the activities between the various languages. This approach can be effective for companies that have a strong internal localization team and processes in place and who are dealing with a single or relatively few languages. Companies that are newer to localization, have many languages, or don’t want to hire a large internal team, generally find the MLV model to work better for them.

Effective procedures for communicating and working with a service provider are some of the most important things a client should establish at the beginning of a project. Objectives should be discussed and documented including who will be involved in the project, who the decision makers are, what resources are available, what escalation processes will be used, etc.

Translation Quality

Of course the most basic component of localization is translation. Like any editorial effort, the outcome is based on the right combination of talent and process. Getting good quality translation starts with selecting the right language team. For the most part, these are professional translators and editors who reside in their country and work from English (and other languages) into their native tongue. Good agencies put these linguists through rigorous tests to qualify only the best, and then assign them to jobs based on their areas of expertise. A good process includes training the team, developing glossaries and style guides, having an editor review the original translation, and incorporating market preferences and feedback.

Maintaining Consistency

One measure of the quality of a localized product is the consistency of the language used within the product itself, across products within a suite or family, and across subsequent releases. There are two primary factors that help a company maintain that consistency. First there is the consistency of the people involved in the project. That is, not just using the same company, but the same translators across products or from release-to-release. The second is the use of tools and technology that allow translations to be “leveraged” from product-to-product and version to version. This helps insure that terminology and sentences are translated the same way in all occurrences.

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