Things to know about Localization Testing

Microsoft Developer Network (MDN) says - “Localization testing checks how well the build has been translated into a particular target language”

If we remove the geek speak, this definition translates in to: Localization testing is the testing process to validate whether an application is ready to go live in a foreign market. Now, the requirements for marking an application as “ready” completely depend on the company. This is no different than regular software testing – differences in release strategies across companies mean that some bring their product to market early on (with potentially more bugs) while others wait until it is more mature.

Localization Testing typically ensures that:

– Linguistically, the translated content communicates the original content’s message properly to the target audience and is adjusted to regional expectations (i.e do you use Fahrenheit or Celsius? Pounds or Kg?)

– Cosmetically, the user interface of the localized application does not represent any problems due to the change in character sets and content (i.e Arabic and Hebrew goes from right to left, and German is way longer than English)

– Functionally, the application functions as expected and is adapted to regional preferences (i.e postal codes have letters in Canada so validate accordingly)

If you’ve embarked on the process of localization testing, you might find yourself getting lost quickly. There are many steps to follow, and it’s important not to skip any if you want your project delivered on time and on budget. That’s where the localization testing checklist comes into play.

This handy Localization Testing checklist that will guide you through the process in five sections:

• Pre-localization Testing
• Regional Specification
• Language
• Appearance/Layout and
• Functionality

Localization Testing Checklist

Pre-Localization Testing:

• Background information about the product was provided to testers
• Glossaries are available for reference and consistency check
• Previously translated products are available for reference

Regional Specification:

• Date and time is properly formatted for target region
• Phone number formats are properly formatted for target region
• Colors are appropriate for the target market and express the desired message
• Licenses and product names obey country-specific regulations
• Provided phone numbers are accessible by the users in the target market
• Currency conversions and formats are handled properly

Language:

• Terminology is consistent across the UI, help files and documentation
• Text is free of grammatical mistakes
• Text is properly translated
• Text is free of character corruption

Appearance/Layout:

• Localized images are good quality
• Layout is consistent with the source/English version
• Line breaks and hyphenation are correct

Functionality

• Basic functionality tests were performed on the localized application (provide test cases)
• Hyperlinks function properly
• Hot keys are functional
• Entry fields support special characters
• Validation of fields works properly (e.g postal codes for target region)
• Lists are sorted according to target language and region

This is all about the basics of Localization Testing which helps you to understand the Localization process of adapting a product or service to a particular language, culture, and desired local “look-and-feel"