Agile programming impact on localization

We were recently contacted by a client who asked the following:
“We are reviewing our GUI localization plan for next release. We are thinking of creating an internal tool to provide us with a list and location of changed GUI strings in more frequent shorter intervals. We then could provide the changed string file to you and once it's translated, get the translation back and include in the next build for reviewers. This process allows us multiple build and review cycles and earlier availability of final localized version for our users.

Do you think providing you with smaller amount of string changes in approximately two-weeks intervals would be easier to get the translation done? How about the cost, is more frequent smaller work translates to less cost or more?”

We’ve dealt before with the requirements that our client here presents with software publishers that apply the Agile process in software development. Here are the answers to his questions:

The file prep process is easier to handle when the client provides the GUI strings externalized as this will not require the localization team to parse files to identify where the strings to translate are. However, performing the translation is harder when the strings to translate lack sufficient context, and the tools that are used to externalize the strings have to be very accurate so that not to leave any strings unintentionally embedded in the code.

When strings are externalized, it will be more difficult for the translators to properly understand the context that surrounds them to be able to apply the correct translation. For instance, the string “Save” can refer to registering a file, economizing or rescuing. With insufficient background information, the translator is forced to send queries to the client’s resident expert to get the intended meaning. This will lead to uncertainty and delays in the translation.

Also, strings not externalized correctly, will result in mixed language strings, source and target, showing up in the localized version. See Do’s and don’ts in software development before product localization. Tools to be used have to be properly implemented and tested before they can be fully used or trusted.

Furthermore, additional quality assurance will be needed by capable native users to ensure that the translation is correctly applied within the circumstance of the application at run-time.

As far as total localization costs are concerned, it is a wash. As long as the client keeps the increments at or higher than 300 words per language (please note that most localization companies apply a min fee per language on small jobs), the translation costs will be lower for the following reasons:
1. No file prep is involved,
2. No leveraging of previously translated strings will be required.

By minding the min fees, translation costs can be significantly reduced. However do expect higher costs for localization QA to allow for necessary fixes in the translations and the higher number of QA iteration cycles.

Overall, GUI elements of a product do not often constitute the dominant localization effort. Significant costs amass typically with the translation of the help and manuals. We tell software publishers to pursue the GUI localization process that best meets their end needs from a schedule and quality perspectives!

2009 Recap and Looking Ahead

With the global economy taking a severe downturn, 2009 proved to be a challenging year for many. It paid to be nimble and diversified to navigate the waves of budget cuts, project delays and slower payments. The localization industry, had to deal with the slowing economy, shrinking budgets and the erosion of localization rates along with the natural evolution of tools and technology used in the process.

The economy
Most companies reduced their localization/translation budgets, some by necessity, others by choice. The industries that hurt the most cut back significantly creating a ripple effect in many industries associated with them including IT and business services.

For instance, when automotive companies cut back their budgets, they impacted all their suppliers, like the CAD/CAM/PLM industries, creating budget reductions and freezes. Even companies that were not doing badly took their precautions and limited their spending or negotiated better terms.

Some industries however continued to be healthy. GlobalVision services also the Medical Devices market. Many medical device manufacturers grew their spending in 2009. There was also accelerated spending in Government related projects.

As always, being diversified in the serviced markets and retaining low overhead helps vendors hedge their bets. The vendors that focused only on automotive or IT, or that depended largely on in-house resources suffered the most.

Technology and Process
As predicted in our blog in 2008, all the rave and clamor made about changing paradigms with the advent of crowdsourcing, open source solutions and machine translation did not translate into major forces enabling or disrupting the industry. Yes, LinkedIn considered the use of crowdsourcing, and Google and others continue to improve their machine translation engines and translation tools, but we see these changes as a natural evolution in the state of technology and processes and not a revolution in our industry.

The move to XML authoring continued in 09 and single sourcing trends in authoring. Translation Management Systems also continued to evolve streamlining the translation management process.

The real gains are however in streamlining the translation process but so far, translation memory tools dominate. Experienced translators and quality professionals are and will be the driving forces behind the localization industry for much time to come.

Looking ahead
We feel that in 2010, with the economy hopefully recovering, companies will re-engage their vendors with the projects they froze or delayed and will re-establish their global release plans and strategies. Global trends will continue onward revitalizing the industry and re-establishing the positive growth that we experienced in the past decade.

Companies on unstable footing are at risk if the economy does not recover.

Technology will continue to improve gradually, improving the productivity of the translator and improving project tasks management and collaboration. With translation rate erosions contained, companies will seek to invest in efficiency building technologies.

XML and SQL trends and online translation management tools and collaboration, will continue to make inroads. Machine translation will improve but not to the point to be used globally like translation memory tools are being used today. Hybrid TM and MT tools will continue to emerge. TM sharing will face copyrights issues.

With the turn of the new decade, 2010 will prove to be an important year for the localization industry. Let us all work to make the best of it.