| |
The event on localization was held at HP Indigo in Rehovot. It provided
us TCs with a sneak preview of the world of localization, which is gaining
more and more momentum in many industries, especially in the hi-tech sector.
Presenters were Pascale Amozig-Bukszpan, a localization expert, and Jeanne
Wiegelmann, senior information developer at Symantec.
Pascale introduced us to the theory of localization, what it means, who
needs it, what are the buzzwords (it was nice to see other fields also
have acronym-like terms, I18N, L10N, G11N). She further explained what
parts of a software product are affected by localization (GUI, error messages,
documentation), which should be addressed when embarking on a project.
She also provided us with a checklist of common pitfalls to look for.
Pascale's presentation demonstrated that
localization is a process that must begin with R&D, as there are preparations
that need to be put into place already at the code level. Failing to do
this can lead to serious future costs. Translation and localization of
the documentation follows and is completed when the product is tested
at the target locale. Since TCs are often asked to take charge of localization
projects, we are extremely well-positioned to "teach" those
around us as to what is involved.
Jeanne's presentation focused
on how to write properly to ensure the success of any localization project.
This includes eliminating redundancy and information that doesn’t
add to the user’s understanding of a product or feature, avoiding
wordiness, and placing an emphasis on consistent wording and terminology.
Jeanne stressed that it is important to pay attention to formatting issues,
make typeface changes sparingly, and avoid including examples that are
culturally bound, as they can be offending to other cultures. When taking
screen shots, it is important to consider that localizers must recapture
screens or buttons in the target language and this takes time and increases
costs. If you use callouts sparingly and make sure to place them in text
boxes instead of embedding them in the graphic, you can help reduce localization
costs significantly.
This event gave us all an excellent opportunity to explore yet another
field in which TCs will increasingly have an impact in the future.
Thanks to the presenters for sharing their knowledge and to Jo Levitt
for volunteering the venue at HP.
|
|
