How Localization Can Make Software Easy to Use

Different types of software are used in today’s digital world. We often see people asking each other which software they are using. Most services and products are sold in the market with the help of user-friendly software. Global companies use different PC software in the form of operating systems and other applications that vary from multimedia apps to office applications. Smartphones and tablets do contain different software’s and, on the internet, software’s are known as web applications.

Just like, people opt to buy products and services that are in their native language, the same is the case with software. People can understand and use software that is in their mother tongue. Unfortunately, most kinds of software are developed in English. Therefore, to make it easy for the global audience, they must be translated in the customers’ language while keeping cultural and regional nuance in view. This process is known as software localization. It is a tedious process. Therefore you must hire a professional translation company that can provide you with robust software localization services.

How Software Localization is Different from Other Services

You must be thinking about whether software localization is like website localization or professional translation services. It is a lot technical in nature. At first, you must translate a user interface from a source language into a target language according to the regional and cultural differences. After that, you must alter the dates, currencies, and measurements considering the same differences. The other elements that are included in software localization services are:

•   Agreements for license
•   Product documentation
•   Online help files
•   Instruction for installation
•   User manual.

The professional translation services only change the words in other languages and they don’t bother to make the user interface of the software user-friendly and easy to navigate. On the other hand, software localization includes changing the content and user interface of the software that resonates with the requirements of people as per regional and cultural intricacies. Moreover, it also includes changing the font size of languages because some languages expand while others contract during the translation process. Good software localization provides the localized version of the software in each language so that users can select the language according to their requirements. Do you want to know what the best practices for Software localization are?

Best Practices for Software Localization

If you want to localize your software then you should keep these best practices in mind.

•   Do plan about software localization in the development phase of the software. In this way, you don’t have to make changes again and again. Moreover, you can save yourself from a last-minute rush before the release of the software.
•   The software should be designed in such a way that it can accommodate the different languages and doesn’t have to re-engineer the program logic. If you use the right structure and source code from the start of the software development then you can save lots of your time and of course extra cost. Additionally, the translation cost.
•   Develop a consistent test plan because it will help you to reuse different languages in the testing of user interface and software functionality. This will also save you time and money.
•   Leave space for language expansion as some languages expand more than English. According to an estimate, they can expand 30% on the user interface.
•       Go for pseudo-localization first. In this process, you can use dummy translation to check the space that can be changed after the localization process. You can also identify other problems before going for software localization services.
•       Don’t use single strings and avoid integration. Different languages have different rules so elements like singular and plural and gender can change easily. Therefore single strings and integrations will make it hard to accommodate these changes.
•       Don’t forget to remember that all currencies, time, date format measurements should be according to the requirements of each target market.
•   Do add comments to each string. In this way, the translator’s work will become easy and they can understand the context of each phrase.
•   You also must adapt symbols and icons according to the region and culture because there is a possibility that a symbol that is acceptable in one region can be offensive in another.
•   Do hire a professional translation company. These companies employ competent and experienced software localization experts to make your software recognized globally. These companies also adhere to best practices to produce error-free results in the first go.

Why go for Software Localization

Software localization will provide you with lots of benefits. The time, effort, and money you spend on software localization are worth it.

Going for software localization will give you a competitive advantage in the global market. People will find your software easy to comprehend and use. This makes you stand out in the fierce competition.

The global users give importance to the user interface. The more it is precisely and accurately translated, the more people will find it easy to navigate and operate the software. This in return boosts user engagement and enhances customer loyalty. Satisfied consumers will refer your software to others too. In this way, sales of the product will also increase.

The other important advantage of localized software is that you don’t have to spend more in local markets. If the user interface is friendly and people find it easy to use then you will not receive queries and complaints. Therefore, you don’t have to invest in customer support.

At last, your software will be globally recognized if you can localize it in different markets. More customers will use your product and your company’s worth as a software company will be recognized around the globe.

Wrapping Up

Are you ready for localizing your software? They will make software appeal to local and global markets according to their requirements. In fact, it is an investment that is worth it. It will develop your credibility in the market, resulting in a pleasurable user experience. If you can localize the software accurately then people will feel that software is specially developed for them. Thus it will be your success in the digital world.