So far we’ve covered localization. In many of its aspects and types.
You think, actually localizing the product (whatever it is) is the most important process. But guess what? There is an equally important one called localization Quality Assurance.
It’s probably the final step in the journey, but little do we know!
This step amounts to all the hard work, it’s responsible for making all the previous efforts count, and getting you the sales you are looking for.
What is localization Quality Assurance?
Simply, Localization Quality Assurance, also known as Linguistic Quality Assurance (LQA) refers to a final process in a localization project (mostly games) where checking and verifying the localization in all its aspects takes place. It has linguistic, visual, and functional focus points.
The goal is to:
- Making sure translations are clear and correct
- Text and UI elements fit neatly within the app’s design, so nothing gets cut off or misplaced.
- Eliminate bias in the localization process.
- Finding areas that need improvement in the product.
- Spot inadequate spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
- Checking that everything resonates culturally with the target audience
Example of Localization Quality Assurance (Spotify)
For instance, imagine you’re using a popular music streaming app like Spotify, that’s localized in many languages already. There are some aspects you interact with daily that pass through QA checks:
Content
Spotify checks things like song titles, artist names, and playlist descriptions are accurately translated into different languages.
Functionality and Device Compatibility
It also performs extensive QA across various devices and operating systems (iOS, Android, Windows, etc.) to ensure the app’s functionality is consistent and compatible with different devices.
This involves testing the app’s performance, layout, and interactive features to ensure a smooth user experience.
Feature Localization
Localized music charts, and List of Top songs of the year, week, or month. Even playlists are curated based on your location. All of this and more is made functional and seamless, thanks to QA.
What’s the difference between localization QA and proofreading?
As you learned by now, localization QA is all about making sure your product feels right in different languages and cultures. It checks:
- Translation Accuracy: Are the translations correct and make sense? Or is there any room for ambiguity and misinterpretation?
- Cultural Relevance and Sensitivity: Is the content appropriate for the target culture? Does it offend them in any way?
- Functionality: Does everything work well in the new language and format? Looking at things like Text direction and text expansion.
Proofreading, on the other hand, is mostly textual. A proofreader checks:
- Spelling and Grammar: Are there any mistakes or typos?
- Punctuation: Is punctuation used correctly?
- Consistency: Are things like dates and names consistent throughout the text
In short, LQA includes proofreading as one little part of its process that’s related to polishing only the quality of textual elements.
Read more: Localization Glossary
How Localization Quality Assurance Works
Let’s look at the typical process of localization Quality assurance QA…
Completion of Localization and Translation
Prepare the localized elements and resources by setting up all translated assets.
Checking Translation Accuracy
Here, the team validates the linguistic accuracy of the translation. They make sure all translations are comprehensible and appropriate, adhere to the original meaning of the source text, and use the right industry terminology.
Testing Functionality
Functional testing includes User Interface related things like buttons, menus, and dialogs, text alignment, text direction. It could spot UI issues like text truncation or expansion where the text completely escapes the screen or overlaps with eachother, creating a very unpleasant user experience.
Cultural Adaptation Review
A crucial step in localization testing is to assess whether the content on the App/software/website…etc is relevant to the target audience. QA specialists test non-textual aspects such as images, colors, layout…etc.
Why is localization testing important?
Launch Your Product with Confidence
Running Quality Assurance testing on localization projects gets the product some internal exposure before it’s out to the public. The feedback you receive from team members like translators, editors, proofreaders, software developers, and basically anyone who engages in this process is a step to make it polished and avoid disappointing users with a glitchy or buggy product!
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Localization testing ensures that the product’s SEO elements—such as keywords, meta tags, and URL structures are optimized for each target market.
This includes verifying that localized content ranks well in search engines within different regions. For instance, ensuring that keyword translations accurately reflect local search behavior can significantly impact discoverability and traffic.
Fulfilling Regional Technical Compliance
Technical standards or requirements, such as character encoding or date formats get verified through QA.
It prevents things like misformatted dates, numbers, or wrong currencies from showing up to the users.
For example, testing might reveal that a date format must switch from MM/DD/YYYY to DD/MM/YYYY for European markets.
Maintaining Consistency and Utilizing Translation Tools
This means, spotting inconsistencies in translated terms before the final rollout.
It’s possible that human translators (especially if there is a big team working on the project) will use different terminologies to give the same meaning.
Translation technologies like CAT tools, Translation memory TM, and term glossaries can be utilized to streamline repetitive tasks and to track inconsistencies among textual elements.
Read more about best localization tools
Enhanced User Experience (UX) Contextual Relevance
Localization testing goes beyond language to ensure that the user experience is contextually relevant to each market. This includes adapting navigation flows, imagery, and content to local preferences.
For example, testing might reveal that localized versions of a website should feature different call-to-action buttons or culturally relevant imagery to better engage users in each region.
When would you need a localization quality assurance service?
- Before Launching in New Markets
- After Major Updates or Revisions:
- When Adding New Languages:
- For Compliance with Local Regulations
- To Improve User Experience
Manage your LQA process with Fast Trans
Get top-tier Quality Assurance, at a rock-bottom price at Fast Trans
Localization QA can be a daunting process if not executed by experts who have years of hands-on experience. At Fast Trans, we take pride in being able to curate a team of professionals who understand that QA is probably the most important process in your ambitious journey of localizing your product.
We share the business growth vision with you, and our goal is to help you unlock the potential of your product, one QA test at a time.
And if you’re yet thinking of localizing your product. You have landed on the right page. We offer a comprehensive range of localization services whether it is a SaaS, website, game, App, videos, or social media.
