Mastering Software Localization: Best Practices with OneSky’s Translation Management System

Did you know? The global software localization market offered $5.9 billion in value as of 2022 and has an estimated growth rate of 10.6% between 2022-2032. How do you get your piece of the pie? 

Software localization is a complex (but critical) process that helps you to make a splash in the global software market. Mastering the ins and outs of your translation management system (TMS) is the first step in creating a seamless and sustainable localization process for current and future rollouts. 

Below, we’re exploring what software localization is, the best practices of the process, and how OneSky’s cloud-based TMS simplifies your localization steps—connecting you to your next results in a fast and cost-savvy way. 

Understanding Software Localization

To fully grasp what software localization is, we have to understand one key fact: Localization is different from translation. While both areas of optimization usually involve translation to a greater or lesser degree, localization goes the extra mile—preparing the software and rollout to impact in a culturally relevant and accepted way. This goes beyond word swaps and direct translations, speaking instead to the cultural norms that your end-user might expect to see in the product. 

Key Components of Software Localization

There are several key areas of focus to consider to maximize the benefit of your software localization process: 

• User interface elements: While often overlooked, interface elements are one of the first things that users in your target market come in contact with. Focusing on the user experience and localization elements here sets the stage for immediate impact and familiarity. This alone can set your software option above the rest in the global market. 

• References and imagery: There are so many innate tones and references that can go into software throughout the development process. Localization experts can help you to determine if they are too foreign or too intense to really appeal to your new markets, supporting you with comparable, localization-specific swaps that may be more profitable. 
• Formatting: Encoding around date, time formats, currency, and other elements of your software should be considered in your localization project. International markets may use different values or layouts (such as right-to-left copy placement and page design) that ought to be considered for maximum impact. 

While these three areas are considered critical, you may identify other areas of focus to include in your localization strategy over time. Maintaining a continuous localization workflow is key to keeping your software product adaptable and impactful to your target audience. This process also ensures that you protect your profitability and place in the market. 

Best Practices in Software Localization

Now that we’ve covered the importance of software localization, we want to explore best practices to weave into your project management workflow. These include: 

Incorporating early integration of localization practices in your project management process: Rather than saving localization as a box to check at the end of your process, many find success by starting localization as early on in the development phase as possible. This allows for a more comprehensive result that carries beyond translated text—offering your end-user an immersive experience. 

Pursuing consistent terminology throughout—from initial draft to publication: Using a glossary or style guide helps to maintain consistency at every point in the software development and localization process.

Providing translation teams with accurate contextual information: Providing translators with background information and your intended context is a simple, incredibly helpful step to ensure that your translated content matches your needs as closely as possible. Some language terms used in a source language won’t translate directly (or well) in a target language—which is where this information comes in handy. It empowers your localization team to make better, more strategic swaps in an efficient and cost-effective way. 

Instituting project management processes that are “feedback loop” friendly: The internationalization and localization process can be complex, with some mistakes or inefficiencies remaining hidden until your product is published. Implementing regular reviews and updates keeps your content as competitive as possible—ensuring functionality and quality across your rollout.

Potential Pitfalls in Software Localization (and How to Avoid Them)

Understanding areas of risk across your globalization and localization is key to minimizing liability and expensive mistakes. Here are a few of the most common localization pitfalls, as well as strategies that can help you to avoid each: 

• Not considering text expansion or contraction in different languages: Whether you’re looking to translate to Arabic, French, German, or other languages, it’s important to remember that each language has its own grammar rules—which may or may not require additional text block space. 

• • Leaving room for optimization in your translation process and design structure is key to helping you achieve the best possible end result.  

• Overlooking cultural sensitivities and norms: What is impactful and appropriate for those in English-speaking countries may not be in other parts of the world. 

• • Developers and translators should take care that cultural sensitivity is considered in their end product. 

• Ignoring post-localization testing: There’s always room for iteration and optimization. Failure to pursue pseudo-localization, the full span of your translation tools, or post-localization testing for further iteration means limiting your potential in the market. It can also result in lasting brand damage and loss of profitability. 
  • Teams can minimize this risk by pouring resources into ongoing testing and refining well after the rollout has been completed. 

• Relying solely on machine translations without human review. While automation and machine learning translation tools make your process easier, they shouldn’t be relied on to do final checks for your end product. 
  • We always recommend walking through human review steps with a language service you can trust—whether you’re translating to a new language or iterating across a suite of pre-translated and published products. 

The Advantages of Using OneSky for Software Localization

There are a number of translation and localization services out there—and choosing the right one is critical to your success. 

Here are a few advantages you can enjoy when you choose OneSky as your software localization service: 

• Streamlined collaboration between developers and translators. Communication is at the heart of what we do—and we pride ourselves on streamlined communication options available to you through our proprietary TMS. We’ve designed our publication pathways to help you seamlessly manage your project and maintain 1:1 access to some of the top experts in the industry. 

• Easy integration with development tools and platforms. OneSky’s API is designed to be flexible, lightweight, and integration-friendly, keeping you productive and connected to all the tools that make your dev process possible. 

• Quality assurance with OneSky’s translation memory and consistency checks. Chinese, Hebrew, Spanish, or English…no matter what language you’re translating to or from, our quality assurance checks are there to help. 
• Real-time updates for evolving software projects. You shouldn’t have to wonder about your project’s status. Our experts are here to keep you up-to-date with updates, wins, and needs, done in real time with our convenient cloud-based system. 

Best Practices for Software Localization Begin with OneSky

Software localization can be tricky…but it doesn’t have to be! OneSky has created a TMS that’s designed with you in mind, connecting you with global linguists and localization experts for faster, more strategic steps and results. Connect with the team at OneSky for more information and to get started today—for FREE.