Software localization is an activity most companies expanding into international locales will need to undergo. After all, if you want the workflow in your new overseas office to be as streamlined as possible, making the software they use as familiar as possible will go a long way to help.
Depending on how your software was made, localization can be a simple task or a time-consuming process. Some software features built-in support for international languages. In those cases, the only changes you might need to implement are some local-specific industry lingo.
For many custom-built software solutions, however, localization is rarely a part of the system – unless you had the foresight to request it during initial development. As such, it’s likely that you will need to either devote personnel to it or hire an independent contractor to implement the changes.
If you’re going to do it within your organization, we highly recommend investing in the proper tools, such as translation software and other localization aids. Similarly, make sure you plan for a good amount of testing before rollout. You will want the local office to try the modified system out before making it a part of their permanent workflow.
For outside consultants, there are plenty of localization services, whose offerings cover the entire process, from design to modification to documentation. If you estimate a large amount of changes to your existing system, we highly recommend going this route – especially if you can find a company that specializes in the local you’re putting up an office at.
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