1、A Guide to Software L Guide to Software LocalizationTable of Contents03 Introduction05 What is software localization?06 The software localization process explained09 The prerequisites:a well-defined process and good tools11 Software localization 10 professional tips14 An introduction to software loc

2、alization tools16 Software localization technology a look at SDL Passolo18 About the authorSoftware needs to be designed to appeal to users in all relevant countriesA Guide to Software L could a group of expert rocket scientists have got its trajectory so wrong?*The probes flight system software was

3、 written to take thrust instructions in metric units(newtons),while the software on the ground that generated those instructions used imperial measurements(pounds force).In 1999,the Mars Climate Orbiter spacecraft unexpectedly crashed into the surface of the Red Planet instead of going smoothly into

4、 orbit.Simple.Their software was not speaking the same language*A Guide to Software L that target international markets should develop clear strategies on how to deal with multilingual product development.IntroductionThe rocket engineers may have been left red faced,but red is not always a negative

5、colour.If stock market traders in Europe see a share price go red,they know the price is falling.But in Japan the opposite is true,since red is used to denote rising prices.These are just two graphic illustrations of the need for international software developers to ensure that their software is in

6、tune with local or national ways of working.Software needs to be designed to appeal to users in all relevant countries.This includes a well-designed user interface that adapts to the appropriate cultural expectations for that country in their broadest sense.Even more important than its design is tha

7、t the software is available in the local language.Many manufacturers are unaware that a growing number of countries,such as France,legally require software which is to be used in-country,must have its user interface and instructions available in the local language.A Guide to Software L developers of

8、 stock market software,knowing how information needs to be displayed in each market is vitally important.What is software localization?Software localization is the process of customizing a software application to suit a target market,so that users can use the software in the way that is natural to t

9、hem.Translating the user interface is one aspect,but there are other facets that are equally important,such as the correct formats for numbers,currency,date and time.Also the design of the application itself,including content,may depend on the target market.Languages that read from right to left,suc

10、h as Arabic and Hebrew,will have a mirrored user interface compared to the left-to-right languages,for example.Engineers should design software so that it can be customized to any local market that the company is likely to sell to.The ultimate goal is to develop software that can be customized witho

11、ut having to change the software itself.This non-trivial process is called internationalization.Failure to internationalize software often has a substantial impact in terms of cost,quality and/or lead time.Examples include embedded devices that do not support characters used in the target market,or

12、a user interface design that does not make sense in a right-to-left language.Issues like these can irritate end users and impair their experience.More seriously,internationalization errors can result in corrupted databases.A Guide to Software L software localization process explainedA good start is

13、half the battle.A smooth localization process requires well-internationalized software and a user interface with verified and well-written content.The following three steps describe the high level process.Get the source rightBefore software can be localized,it must be properly internationalized,as w

14、e outlined in the previous section.All the translatable text in the software must be identified and placed in external resource files,which can be translated and then re-combined with the released application.As an important first step,the source text needs to be reviewed and corrected where require

15、d.This ensures that the terminology and style are consistent with other materials.1A Guide to Software L localization kit is the most important part of a well-defined localization process.The software localization process explainedCreate the localization kitThe software engineers should prepare a lo

16、calization kit that contains the correct source texts to be translated.Ideally,the kit provides contextual information for as many individual pieces of text(called text strings)as possible.This will help translators to understand how and where a piece of text is used,and could also flag up possible

17、length restrictions.The quality of the localization kit has a direct impact on the quality of the translations,lead time and costs.The localization kit is therefore the most important part of a well-defined localization process.The actual format of the kit depends on the individual organization.Ther

18、e are many ways to provide context to the translators,such as descriptive texts,screenshots and navigational instructions.This information should be made available to the translation environment that the translators use.And because translators generally work remotely,the kit needs to have a small fo

19、otprint for easy remote access.Ideally the software engineers should be able to create the localization kit automatically.This requires investment,but is extremely cost-effective.It is worth buying in the best solution,and investigating whether this can be optimized to the companys own products and

20、ways of working.2A Guide to Software L designed properly software localization will help to adapt products to local markets efficiently,effectively and cheaply.The software localization process explainedLocalize!Once finished,the localization kit can be sent to the translators.Typically they will us

21、e a professional(software)translation environment.When they have finished,another translator usually reviews the translations before returning them to the project manager.The project manager collects all the translated bundles and forwards the completed files to the software engineers,who embed them

22、 in the software application.At this stage the translations are reviewed again to correct linguistic,cosmetic and functional issues.Non trivial processA proper localization process is complex.It must be adapted to the software development process,and not the other way around.Engineers may update the

23、 software while others are localizing it,so the toolset must be able to support these intermediate updates.The localization process may contain many feedback loops and interactions with other activities within the organization,such as producing technical documentation.Companies that develop several

24、products may find they have separate processes and tools for each product line.However,to save costs it is a good idea to strive for a uniform process and toolset.! Guide to Software Localization9Technical documentation and translation are business critical for companies that want to sell their prod

25、ucts internationally.Flaws can have serious business consequences,for example if the products are banned from sale in a certain country or,worse,if lives are endangered because of incorrect information.The right choice of processes,tools and people will help to avoid this.Why can bad localization be

26、come costly?Localizing any type of product can be an expensive business.In the case of software,the cost of translation is relatively small compared to the efforts of the engineers,testers and in-country reviewers,so any issues that involve more work for the latter can soon become expensive.The prer

27、equisites:a well-defined process and good toolsIssues that are detected late must be communicated through several layers within the organization until they reach the engineers.After the engineers have solved the problem,the same chain of people have to be informed again.Also,the same problem is like

28、ly to occur for each of the target languages.Translations are usually delivered at a point where the engineers are very busy finishing the current feature set.If localization-related bugs are detected at this stage,they may have a significant impact on project planning and delivery schedules.The lat

29、e detection of internationalization issues is far worse than the late detection of localization issues,because it affects the software core and potentially impacts all the languages involved.This class of errors will definitely impact delivery targets.The better the source materials,the fewer the is

30、sues,so prevention is definitely better than cure:A Guide to Software L prerequisites:a well-defined process and good toolsThe importance of good toolsGood tools make integrating the translated text back into the software much more straightforward.For example,if engineers change source texts while t

31、hey are already being translated,the translations will have to be revised and re-approved.Proper tools support this and minimize delays.Translations need to be tested before they are integrated,by engineers as well as linguists.A translation can potentially crash the software if it misses out format

32、ting information or variables that were present in the source text.Tools should detect this kind of error and raise a warning.Most translators would like to do all their translating within one software localization tool that supports most software projects and provides access to their preferred refe

33、rence materials,etc.Installing additional tools may result in technical problems,extra costs and time delays.Once software has been localized,an in-country specialist would ideally approve it before it can be released.These people are usually sales and/or marketing employees with tight agendas,and t

34、he right tools can help them complete approvals more quickly.Designing a localization process,defining responsibilities,and selecting the correct software localization tool,are not trivial tasks.All will have a direct impact on costs,quality and time.However,well-established processes and tools prov

35、ide real benefit to a companys bottom localization 10 professional tipsList all the national markets you currently serveDocument the high level processDefine requirementsUnderstand the bigger pictureUtilize a professional CAT tool and adapt it to your needsUnderstand less is moreInvest in the source

36、 materialOptimize the current processes and toolsStrive for consistencyWell-established processes and tools provide real benefit to a companys bottom lineOutline the current situation&design a roadmapA Guide to Software L Guide to Software Localization12Software localization 10 professional tips1 Ou

37、tline the current situation and design a roadmap Make an inventory of all the software applications,documentation and other materials your organization produces.2 List all the national markets you currently serve How are the current products received by your customers?Are they compliant with local l

38、egal requirements?Do you need to take action?3 Document the high level process Process is more important than tools,which should be adapted to the process,not the other way around except when tools can help to eliminate steps from the process.4 Define requirements Form a representative project team

39、with people from various disciplines and locations,including any third party vendor(s).Make sure there is a mutual understanding of processes and goals,and strive for a win-win.5 Understand the bigger picture Take documentation,workflows,terminology etc.into account.What are the products?How many la

40、nguages need to be supported?How many product updates are scheduled and how many translations are involved?Process is more important than tools,which should be adapted to the process,not the other way aroundA Guide to Software L localization 10 professional tips6 Strive for consistency Often a softw

41、are application is the first place where new terminology is introduced into an organization.Ultimately all the organizations publications,including software,must use the same terminology in a consistent manner.7 Optimize the current processes and tools Begin by evaluating them.What works well and wh

42、at does not?A complete redesign of tools and processes does not always guarantee the best result,as current processes and tools are there for a reason.Wholesale replacement may also mean things that used to work well do not work any more.8 Invest in the source material Make sure the computer code is

43、 well internationalized and the text is written in the proper source language using the correct terminology.If you translate a mess you just get multiple messes.9 Understand less is more Put the user experience at the centre of your design.This usually results in a simpler design with less text and

44、fewer dialogue boxes.This results in less documentation,less translation,less testing,less reviewing,fewer errors,lower cost and quicker implementation.10 Utilize a professional CAT tool&adapt it to your needs Make an ROI calculation based on experience of past projects and define a plan.Focus on th

45、e 20%of effort that will bring 80%of the benefits.Focus on the 20%of effort that will bring 80%of the benefitsA Guide to Software L introduction to software localization toolsA software localization tool is a software solution that supports the tasks in the localization process for various stakehold

46、ers,including engineers,localization project managers,translators and in-country reviewers.These tools are often called Computer Assisted Translation(CAT)tools.Localization tools support most development platforms,including desktop,web,mobile and embedded applications.The tool extracts the required

47、texts and provides them in a user-friendly way to the translators.Having been translated,it generates the final resource files that the engineers can import directly into their software application.An important advantage of a CAT tool is that the translators and localization project manager always w

48、ork in the same environment,can reuse validated translations and do not have to deal with technical implementation.Also engineers,project managers and translators can work concurrently on the same set of resources without blocking each other.Professional CAT tools let translators see how the text wi

49、ll actually appear in the final application,enabling them to deliver better linguistic and cosmetic quality.It should be possible to customize the tool so that it connects to translation assets within the company and integrates with other tools.Finally,CAT tools may enable third parties to customize

50、 their software to support deep integration with a client organizations software Guide to Software Localization15An introduction to software localization toolsEngineer Pseudo localization to detect a subset of internationalization issues at an early stage of the project Create localization kit Assig

51、n localization kit to a project manager Update localization kit with new resources Error checking,e.g.missing variables in a translated string Generate target resourcesLocalization project manager Statistics on word count Assign translation bundles to translators Import translated bundles from trans

52、lators Re-use existing translations Issue trackingTranslator Translation editor interface Linguistic features,e.g.spell checking and grammar Access to terminology systems and translation memories Productivity features,e.g.Pre-translation,autopropagation,tracked changes Re-use existing translationsCA

53、T tools provide a range of features to the various stakeholders.The most important are listed here:A Guide to Software L localization technology a look at SDL PassoloSelecting the right localization tool is one of the most important elements in the success of any localization project.The tool should

54、 support all stakeholders,including engineers,testers,project managers,translators and in-country reviewers,and have state-of-the-art translation and translation management features,such as support for translation memories and the ability to export translation bundles for various translators.A local

55、ization tool should support most,if not all,of the applications developed within an organization.Having a single tool helps to improve consistency and reduces training,maintenance and communication costs.SDL Passolo is the market leading software localization tool from SDL.It is easy to use and user

56、s do not require programming experience.SDL Passolo greatly optimizes both manual and automated localization workflows,either as a stand-alone application,or when integrated with other SDL products such as SDL Trados Studio or SDL MultiTerm.SDL Passolo can directly handle a large number of software-

57、specific file formats,including executable programs,resource files and XML based files.Text strings can be translated into numerous languages including Asian languages and right-to-left scripts such as Hebrew and Arabic.Software localization can be done without the access to the source code or the d

58、evelopers,and can begin even before the final release of the software is available.Having a single tool helps to improve consistency and reduces training,maintenance and communication costs.A Guide to Software L localization technology a look at SDL PassoloAccuracy.Extensive quality assurance checki

59、ng functionality exists at the core of SDL Passolo,making it easier to deliver more accurate and consistent software projects.And with integrated access to SDL Trados Studio software,SDL Passolo makes it easy to re-use previously translated,approved content and terminology.Control.SDL Passolos exten

60、sive range of file formats enable all software projects to be undertaken in the same environment.With comprehensive project management functionality,including the ability to access previous project versions in just a few clicks,SDL Passolo has all the necessary tools to make controlling projects muc

61、h easier.Compatibility.Alongside an extensive range of file formats,SDL Passolo is also compatible with the latest Microsoft technology,file filters and languages.With SDL Passolo the user is given the greatest degree of flexibility to work on any type of software project.Speed.SDL Passolo speeds up

62、 the software localization process and enables translators by giving them direct access to content.It removes the need for technical or programming experience,giving reassurance that surrounding code will remain unaffected.SDL Passolo seamlessly fits into most localization workflows and provides var

63、ious powerful options for customization,including custom parsers,automation and macros.Collaboration.SDL Passolo comes in various editions.The collaboration edition is the most advanced version,and offers the further benefit of providing technology to support and speed up the workflows associated wi

64、th an agile development process.This edition enables a localization team to push through changes from customer sources to translator without a delay-removing the time and cost issues associated with synchronizing updates.A Guide to Software LocalizationSDL(LSE:SDL)allows companies to optimize their

65、customers experience across the entire buyer journey.Through its web content management,analytics,social intelligence,campaign management and translation services,SDL helps organizations leverage data-driven insights to understand what their customers want,orchestrate relevant content and communicat

66、ions,and deliver engaging and contextual experiences across languages,cultures,channels and devices.SDL has over 1,500 enterprise customers,over 400 partners and a global infrastructure of 70 offices in 38 countries.We also work with 72 of the top 100 global brands.18For more information,visit the a

67、uthorHenk Boxma,a principal consultant and entrepreneur,has more than 20 years of software engineering experience,a decade of which has been in the medical device industry.Specializing in streamlining documentation and localization processes,Henk has successfully advised a number of companies around the world on how to achieve significant process improvements and cost savings.With an MSc in technical computer sciences from Twente University in the Netherlands,Henk also develops tools,customizations and technologies that make life easier for his customers.