Localization testing: it’s not just translation

It takes considerable planning and effort to run a successful localization project, from following best practices to evaluating vendors to finding and fixing the weakest link in the localization chain. But the localization process does not end when you receive the translations. Localization testing is necessary for ensuring that your content and products are ready for a distributed global release.

People commonly assume that a quick proofread of the localized content is all that is needed before release, since it’s “just a translation” of the completed source material. This assumption is wrong. In fact, localized content needs to be treated with as much care and attention as the source from which it was derived.

Testing is critical for achieving successful results. (image source: wikimedia)

When developing your source—whether it’s a manual, marketing material, or even an application—you likely (hopefully!) test it in some manner. As Jake Campbell recently blogged, product and content need a test bed and use cases to test with. Your localization testing should be conducted using the same criteria and scenarios as your source material.

Functional testing

The first step in localization testing is to ensure that everything is correct and is functioning properly. After a thorough content review and approval of the translations, the content needs to be applied to the products and content deliverables for functional testing.

During testing, check the following:

• Does the content render? Make sure that the correct language displays, that there are no encoding issues, and that there are no special characters dropping out.
• Does it render properly? Check for layout and formatting issues, text expansion concerns, font use, and so on.
• Is it easy to navigate? Ensure that all navigation controls are clearly labeled and understandable in the target language, that any alphabetically sorted lists are in the correct order, and that content flow and usability conform to the target language expectations (particularly important for right-to-left languages).
• Do all features work? Finally, make sure that everything functions as expected. Check all menus and dialog boxes, test the index and search features using terms and phrases common to the target languages, and proof all content in context to make sure it is still correct and understandable.

For subsequent translations, much of this can be smoke tested. But the content itself should be reviewed for completeness and correctness every time, in every language.

Testing against use cases

Once the localized content passes functional testing, it must be tested for usability and relevance. These tests rely on use cases and scripted scenarios.

The use cases you employ may vary from language to language and from location to location, but they should generally follow the same contexts used for the source language tests. These tests will ensure that your localized content and products are relevant, understandable, and useful.

Use real-life scenarios that people will encounter while using the products and content. All of these scenarios need to be tested in every language to make sure that the experience is very similar from language to language (some differences may be required depending on local requirements), and that instructions and next steps are clear.

Plan accordingly

Be realistic about scale, timelines, and effort when factoring localization testing into your project cycle. Every test designed for your source language needs to be applied to each target language. Some aspects of localization testing can be expedited based on known validity of content and the extent of changes from release to release. However, proper testing—even when expedited—takes time and effort to conduct.

If you are using third parties to conduct the testing (such as partners in your target markets), they need to follow the same test scripts and validate on the same criteria as you. This is critical for tracking quality and pinpointing the source of any issues.

Do you have other tips for localization testing? Please share them in the comments!