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What to look for in a localization firm

Our response to Question #1(i.e. What is high quality localization?) dealt with those qualities that signify high quality localization support. Choosing a localization partner able to deliver that level of quality should be your objective. In our opinion, the criteria for high quality localization include:

• Flawless linguistic expertise and cultural sensitivity

Every company wants customers to find its products well-designed and easy to use. The more complex the product, the greater is the need for training and support materials to be understandable and straightforward, using phrasing, vocabulary, spelling, grammar and idiom that are familiar and “normal” to the user. The same applies to marketing materials, in which not only do the words need to be “right,” but also the tone, style and word choice must connect with the reader with punch, character and creativity.

So, in choosing a localization firm, insist on a vendor who uses only highly-trained native speakers with extensive translation/localization experience.

• Technical expertise in the subject being localized

Even gifted linguists are unable to localize highly technical materials unless they are familiar with the subject matter as well. Effective localization of materials related to engineering, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing processes, software development and other complex fields requires translators who are also subject experts.

Logoscript specializes in technical translation projects for the following industries, combining the linguistic and technical expertise to localize all production, training and marketing materials in all major languages:

• Pharmaceutical
• Business Software (ERP)
• Telecommunications
• Power generation
• Machine engineering
• Automobiles
• Medical
• Legal

Along with linguistic and subject matter expertise, the technical nature of most tasks involved in the localization process requires the intervention of localization engineers who understand the various components that comprise an application. During our localization projects, Logoscript's engineering group provides technical support to project managers such as selecting the most suitable tools for the project, preparing files and testing the localized solution.

The software industry continuously updates applications and frequently releases new versions. The user interface, online help contents, and documentation must, of course, be modified to support each of these changes. To update localized products as efficiently as possible, our localization engineers often employ translation memory tools to prepare the files for translation. These tools allow us to take advantage of previously translated texts and reduce costs for our customers.

Here is a sample of the software applications used by our localization engineers:

• Trados
• SDLx
• Catalyst
• LocStudio & Hellium (proprietary tool from Microsoft)
• XMetal
• Visual Studio
• Flash (Macromedia)

• Flawless linguistic expertise and cultural sensitivity

More than anyone else, the project manager determines the success of the localization assignment and the overall relationship between the customer company and the vendor firm. Good project managers have extensive experience in team management, localization process and tools, localization subject expertise, and superb client relations skills.

• Scrupulous quality control: consistent, error-free work, on-schedule and on budget

Quality in localization applies not just to a single project but to the entire relationship between the customer company and localization vendor firm. The relationship will often entail multiple projects. It is very important that each project provides excellent results, and equally important that there is consistency of work produced from one project to the next.

Logoscript has developed a reliable, step-by-step quality assurance process that assures the accuracy and consistency of all our work. As a result, we are trusted, long-term partners with many of the most successful global companies. (back)