What are different aspects of localization?

Localization is just the opposite of internationalization. The process of localization involves the acceptance of an internationalized software system to a particular locale or region with its specific standards and languages.

- Localization testing also forms a part of testing and typically focuses up on localization and internationalization aspects of the software products or applications.
- To localize a software system or application one needs to have the knowledge about the sets of characters which are employed in the development of today’s software product and applications.
- It also involves the basic understanding of the risks associated with the employed sets of characters.
- Localization is carried out to determine how well the build of the software product has been interpreted with a particular desired target language.
- More often and mainly localization testing helps to know that how well a particular target language has been analyzed by the build.
- For localization testing there should be a functional support within that particular locale which has already been validated because the test is founded only on the results of the globalized validation.
- The product must be globalised to a high extent and if it is not so then it will not support a given language, you will not try to give preference to that language first. But still the person has to check that the report or application which you are delivering is in a working condition or not.

Process of localizing a software product
- The process of localizing a software product or application involves the full translation of a particular application of graphical user interface and accommodate graphics for a locale.

- It also includes translation of that application program into that particular native language in the same way as the localization of business can result in a big task because the main intention for the localization of business is to implement correct business processes and practices for a locale.

- There are so many differences in how a locale conducts business. The user interface and content files are the two basic things which are mainly edited during the process of localization.

- A checklist is referred side by side during localization so as to keep a track of the process. The localization testing checklist includes the following:
1. Rules for sorting
2. Conversions in upper case
3. Conversions in lower case
4. Rules to check spelling mistakes
5. Printers
6. Operating systems
7. Size of papers
8. Text flters
9. Key boards
10. Mouse
11. Date formats
12. Hot keys
13. Available memory
14. Measurements
15. Rulers for measurement

Localization process can be initiated on a system which consists of only a few number of translators, desk top publishers or DTPs, engineers and linguists.

But the localization process is done only when certain defined conditions are there i.e., to say if there is a combination of the following aspects:

1. Independent contractors.
2. In house resources.
3. Full scope services of the localization firm.
4. Since the localization process mainly involves the translation of all the native languages in to a particular aimed string and customization of the GUI or graphical user interface, it is appropriate for the targeted market.

The software products which are offered to the international market often have to suffer a lot of domestic or in house competition which results in the blending of the localized product into a particular native language.

After the translation of the language and the updating of the graphical user interface, localization testing is needed to ensure that the software product is working well and without any problem and it also ensures that the software product is well migrated to the international market.