Quick tips for localization of software

Software

If you want to produce software that is translated into a foreign language, you can include some items in your development process to lower the cost of translation and localization. Some of things that user interface designers and programmers might consider watching for in the user interface design:

  1. Allow plenty of space for Kanji-based text and German wording when you design dialog boxes and the controls on them. This results in more empty space on the English version of the dialog boxes.
  2. Place all field, menu, and button text in an external resource file.
  3. If you have any buttons in the Help or user interface that represent parts of the body such as a hand, foot, or nose, find another picture for the button. Body parts seem to cause offense in various cultures, depending on the culture.
  4. Certain versions of the Microsoft HTML Help compiler have trouble with Kanji languages. Make sure you have the latest version of the compiler.

Documentation and online Help

Write your documentation and online Help to accomodate machine translation, if possible. Many translation companies use machine translation to get a first draft before human translators tackle the text. Here's some pointers for making your documentation easier to translate:

  • Use lots of white space to allow for text expansion during localization.
  • Keep sentences subject-verb only if possible.
  • Avoid lots of subordinate clauses with commas in sentences.
  • Don't write with acronymns, contractions, or slang.
  • Avoid sentences ending with exclamation points.
  • Always include the word "that" in a sentence even if the English implied is correct. For example, use

    "The text that you entered is copied to the Clipboard."

    Do not use the following:

    "The text entered is copied to the Clipboard."

  • Write in complete sentences, even for bulleted lists.
  • Passive voice is harder to translate. Use active voice whenever possible.
  • Keep all verbs in the same tense.
  • The following applies if you are using machine translation and building a dictionary database: If you apply bold or italics and the word is followed by a comma or period, include the comma or period in the formatting tag, whether in .rtf or .html. This seems to help with most machine translation software.
  • Separate text from graphics.
  • Limit the number of fonts and typefaces in the document.
  • If you use Word templates, make sure macros work in all versions of Word on non-US operating systems. Try not to use template macros.
  • Develop a glossary of terms that you use frequently in the document. Pass this along to any translators.
  • Spell out every acronym when you first use it. This is just good writing technique even if you are not writing for an international audience.

Tips for working with a translator

  • Your translator should be familiar with both the subject matter and the technology. Technical wording is the most difficult part of the translation process.
  • You should consider looking for a translator who is a native speaker, located near you for face-to-face meetings, and who is familiar with the technology. Someone who is fluent in both languages, both the original language and the target language, is your ideal translator.
  • Your proofreader should also be fluent in both languages and, hopefully, an independent party not connected with the translator.
  • Before translating your software interface, you should be prepared to provide the space limit on the user interface from the codec. Get the PAD value for each phrase.
  • When a word is too long for the software interface, go back to the translator and ask for a shorter word.
  • Prepare a localization kit for your documentation for the translation company with the following components:
    • Glossary of terms
    • List of tools and a basic workflow of how you used the tools.
    • If you are delivering .html or .xml files, list the tags that are not to be translated and the tags that should be translated.
    • If you plan to have subsequent versions of the documentation translated for future releases, keep a detailed list of changes to the documentation. Provide this list as part of the localization kit.