Summary: With many tools available in the market, running the localization test has now become easy. It is because, with this test, you can build a product that meets the needs of users from different cultures and linguistics. So, in this blog, you will explore more about localization tests and their checklist. We will also explain the best practices and the tools.
Continue to read for more insights.
With the help of localization tests, you can reach potential customers for your software. It ensures you build software that offers the best for the target audience. In other words, this test keeps the content, UI, cultural elements, time and date format specific to the region, linguistic and regional customs. As a result, the test confirms the software app meets this behavior. So, following a localization testing checklist can bring advantages to your product.
- What is the localization test?
- How to approach localization tests?
- How to create a checklist for localization tests?
- What is the localization test checklist?
- Best practices
In this blog, we will help you understand more about the following:
What is the localization test?
Before understanding the concept behind the test, we must first know what the term ‘localization’ means. So, localization refers to a region or geographical zone. Therefore, localizing a software app means loading an app to the client’s system that matches their system’s specifications. Here, the client may reside in any part of the world with a different language and page. Now, let us explain what localization testing is.
Localization test is a testing process that ensures an app or website is capable of use in a country, region, culture, or area. Besides, it checks the design and quality of the software adapted to the linguistic and functional setting. In other words, it guarantees the software meets the requirements of the users from the target location. As a result, this test ensures that the software is useful for different regions.
Here the testers make a localization testing checklist and ensure the software product makes sense within the specified cultural needs. They test the app for its functionality, user interface, and linguistics. Therefore, if there are any issues related to these factors, the testers must resolve them through localization tests. So, they must build software that should adapt to the sensitivities of diverse cultures, regions, and countries.
How to approach localization tests?
The localization tests need developers and testers with industrial knowledge and skills. With the help of QA companies, you can run tests to build an app that reaches the global market. You can access highly skilled and experienced QA specialists from these companies to check your app from all angles. They help you break down the process and lift a heavy load from your team. Besides, they offer cutting-edge solutions and services for your software app.
Therefore, hire the best service provider to prepare the ideal localization testing checklist. They resolve the issues and ensure your app is suitable for the global market. So, what are the factors to consider when you prepare a checklist? How do you create one? Read the next topic to know how.
How to Prepare a Checklist for Localization Tests?
Localization tests help your software to reach the target customers. Besides, it meets all your business needs and goals. So, before you learn the factors in a checklist, you must know how to create one. You should understand the right approach to preparing a localization testing checklist. Given below is a step-by-step guide to planning the test for your app:
- Know Your Needs:
The first thing to do is to identify the target audience you want your product to reach. Therefore, you must study the background and needs of the target market. In other words, learn about their regional customs, culture, language, and financial habits. By understanding these factors, you can identify which part of your app needs to get localized. As a result, it helps you to satisfy your customers and get ahead of the competition.
- Appoint a Lead:
The next step is to select a charge for your localization test project. The leader can either be a project manager or an experienced developer. They must manage and handle the project to reach the predefined business goals.
- Localize Your App:
Now, it is the actual implementation step to add translated text, functionality, and user interfaces. Based on the localization testing checklist, you can change your app’s graphics, images, descriptions, and landing pages as per the target audience differences.
- Gather Feedback:
Create a test group of users and native speakers to gather their feedback on the software. It helps to know if your efforts at localization are successful or working. As a result, you execute the use of modern localization testing tools to meet the changing needs of the users.
- Measure the Outcome:
After the localization test, you must monitor the software to keep it on track. It ensures to fulfill the needs of your target customers. Besides, it attracts more loyal customers and helps run your software app on the market for a long time.
What is the localization testing checklist?
Users often stop using a software app if they find defective errors or flaws. Therefore, the developers and QA specialists from a localization testing company must ensure the software is free from bugs. Here, we have discussed the checklist in detail. The following are the key factors to check while running a localization test:
- Perform Pre-Localization Test:
The first factor to check is to ensure the testers and QA specialists have in hand all the essential documents and data to execute the test. In other words, they must have the product background details and related product references.
- Analyze the Needs:
As mentioned earlier in the localization testing checklist plan, identify your target audience, their localized culture, the market, business goals, and linguistic elements to ensure the delivery of the appropriate product. Besides, you can identify parts in your software like images, text, and payment gateways for localization tests.
- App Layout and Appearance:
The first step in the localization test is to check the app design meets the requirements. The people involved here are designers, developers, QA engineers, and project managers. They must ensure the target users get the best user experience from the app. So, they check the alignment of localized interface elements, text display, images, color scheme, and reading order.
- Functional Test:
Functional testing in the localization testing checklist ensures that the localized system gets supported across various regions. Therefore, they check if the interactive text input and font are supportive in different locales.
Besides, they adhere to specific local standards while adding the date, time, and currency patterns in the app. Moreover, the developers and QA testers also check the software compatibility, browser support, and hyperlinks work correctly for local users.
- Target Region-based Testing:
This testing involves checking the elements and components in the software to be region-specific. Here, the testers ensure the date and time format, colors, messages, product names, and numbers are accurate to the target market.
- Linguistic Testing:
It involves testing the linguistic aspect of the app. In other words, the testers and developers check the accuracy of content translation. Besides, they spot and resolve typographical errors. They also review the usability, website links, display features, and contact details provided in the app.
Moreover, they check the chatbot, keyboard availability, and hot keys conform to target languages.
- Monitor the Efforts:
Measuring and monitoring your efforts ensure the app is accurate for the target audience. The testers can use crowd-testing services to know the app’s user experience and enhance it. Besides, they can prepare analytics to track the conversion rates and ROI of the project.
As a result, you can deliver reliable and robust software with the help of a localization testing checklist. Now, we will help you learn the best practices to run localization tests.
What are the Best Practices for Localization Tests?
The following are the key best practices to implement while running localization tests:
- Ensure accurate and comprehensive translation
- Reduce the possibility of text expansion when translated into different languages.
- Using hotkeys and shortcuts that conform to local habits is a best practice in the localization testing checklist.
- Use graphics or icons for text where it is necessary
- Most languages have the same reading direction. However, in Arabic, the text reads from right to left.
Conclusion
Localization test is essential in the software development lifecycle. It ensures the app conforms to region-specific needs. Besides, it helps the app reach a global audience. Therefore, the developers and testers must plan a localization testing checklist. It covers the linguistic, regional, and cultural aspects of the app. So, in this blog, we hope you get an idea to prepare for the localization test.