All You Need to Know About Localization Testing

I believe that localization testing is one of the least explored areas of the software localization process. Or maybe not the least understood, but clearly the least well known! Over the years I’ve worked with a broad range of clients on software localization projects and the localization test method has been new to several of them. Hence this step by step example of what localization is and how it operates. 

Localization Testing – Defined

Localization testing is a software customization method in which a product or application that was earlier created for a distinct market can be made obtainable to foreign markets. It’s all about quality monitoring the localized version of a product.

Principles of this method are concerned to verify if your product is in line with the locale settings that are administered by the culture of the geographical location that will be essential to your product.

Localization testing, as you have just understood will need the translation of all native language strings into the targeted languages. Simultaneously with the target language requirement, your product should also see into Graphical User Interface (GUI).

Content and GUI are the two parameters that come below the umbrella of localization testing with efforts led to meet your product with the innate necessities of your target market. In a nutshell, localization testing is mainly affected with quality checking the parameters associated with linguistics, content or UI, culture, and all those that are managed by the geographical placement of your product.

Localization Testing Areas of Focus

Localization testing is not one kind of test. Rather, it’s a collection of tests designed to verify the readiness of your product over target regions and languages.

So, what are the best ways to implement localization testing? Concentrate on testing the product’s content, UI, functionality, and setup/upgrade performance.

Content

Verify that your translation from one language to another is right during your localization testing method. QA testers examine the translation of every screen in a runtime context to confirm that there are no problems with the content.

During software localization testing, ask yourself these questions:

• Is all terminology consistent over documentation and the UI?
• Is all content free of typographical and grammatical faults?
• Is all content translated accurately?
• Is all content free of character corruption?

User Interface (UI)

Ensure to identify and resolve any problems with the layout and design of your product’s UI during localization software testing. QA engineers should prepare on generating test cases that ensure regional users enjoy an optimal user experience with your application.

A robust localization testing plan should answer these questions:

• Is your product layout compatible with the original version?
• Are localized images performing correctly with great quality?
• Does the text appear as anticipated without inflation issues?
• Does the text appear in the correct place within the UI?
• Are hyphens and line breaks right?

Functionality

Ensure that the destination system adjusts well within the source interface through software functional testing. QA teams rely on the support of localization testing tools to verify that the product functions as assumed, no matter its language.

When localization testing software, ensure your test cases answer these questions:

• Do all hyperlinks function accurately?
• Are all hotkeys functional?
• Are special characters supported during the application?
• Are required fonts supported in the target region?
• Do format separators perform appropriately?
• Does the system continue stable when localized?
• Is the product still compatible with sustained operating systems, peripheral systems, and international support systems when localized?

Setup and Upgrade

It’s crucial that your localization testing that your product can be easily accessed and updated across target regions. Your QA testers should verify that your application can be downloaded, uninstalled, and updated within a localized environment.

While performing software localization testing, ensure your QA team answers these questions:

• Can the product be set up successfully over devices when localized?
• Can the product be uninstalled successfully over devices when localized?
• Can the product be upgraded successfully over devices when localized?
• Do older versions of the product still function as expected when localized?

Localization Testing Tools

It’s essential to utilize localization testing tools when looking to maximize test coverage. 

From screenshot taking and test automation to test case management and problem reporting, accurate tools can keep your testing cycle on record for localization software testing. We suggest exploring these choices for your localization testing process.

• Redmine: Streamline your software localization testing lifecycle with this workflow management tool. Redmine stimulates the issue tracking method through its variety of features, including time tracking ticket,  repository view, and integrated wiki for sharing testing instructions.

• ShareX: This tool comes in handy whenever your QA testers require to take screenshots for issue reporting through localization testing in software testing. ShareX enables users to upload text content to Pastebin directly as well as upload files to popular services incorporating Google Drive, Dropbox and Amazon S3.

• TestArchitect: This tool increases your localization test coverage by applying keyword-driven testing to the automation process. TestArchitect can be utilized in conjunction with Selenium and can be automated over platforms including web, desktop, mobile, and database.

• TestRail: This tool is the most compatible both with your popular toolset and for handling localization test cases. TestRail gives insightful metrics on your testing process, simply tracks test case results, and blends seamlessly with most issue tracker systems.

Automating Localization Testing

The truth is, most localization testing requires to be done manually. Exploration of the visual user experience when your product is localized needs human review who can verify if all words appear accurately and all design layouts render as required. There are also so many nuances over languages that localization testing tools aren’t implemented yet to handle.

That doesn’t imply there aren’t opportunities for automating your localization testing method. Consider automating these kinds of test cases to streamline your localization testing method.

• Special characters: In several languages, two words (such as the last name) can sound phonetically identical but are spelled differently because of characters special to that area. Test automation can verify that your product identifies these differences and doesn’t generate multiple records for the same person.
• Additional fields: Many languages need additional information, such as multiple middle names. These fields require to be added without drastically modifying the UI from its original design. Test automation can verify that these additional fields are available, that the data obtained for records are correct, and that the UI maintains its intended layout.
• Locating UI elements: While most UI test cases need manual review, test automation can include pre-checks of your user interface. Automated testing can verify that your design elements seem in the right place after localization and that all elements stay intact after language translation.

Benefits of Localization Testing

With how much area this type of testing can incorporate, it’s no wonder why so many successful organizations include localization testing within their QA practices. Here are the advantages you can anticipate when performing localization software testing within your testing process:

• Reduce the overall testing cost: Precise localization test case execution creates more effective testing processes, which reduce the cost of testing over time.
• Reduce support costs: Software localization testing reduces the number of issues your local customers experience with your product, thus reducing the cost to resolve errors that were deployed into production.
• Scalability: Testing for localization can display realistic situations in terms of visits from an expected number of users, assuring that your product can manage performance load in the market.
• Provide regional language support: Obtain popularity in target locales with localization software testing that requires all regional requirements within the product experience.

Also Read: Keyword-Driven Testing: Why You Should Use It?

Final Thoughts

All in an attempt to come up with a holistically defined product that meets the cultural and geographical requirements of your target market, you should aim towards the implementation of suitable business processes.

You should also be careful of governmental and regulatory requirements that are innate to every geographical area. Thus, it is a big job to localize your business logic so that customers across the globe patronize your product and offer you a good return on investment.

Can your QA team benefit from more guidance on localization testing? Partner with a QA services provider like TestUnity. Our team of testing experts is skilled in all approaches of localization testing, including manual testing and automation testing. Team up with our QA engineers to maximize your test coverage and implement a strong localization test process across development cycles. Get in touch with a TestUnity expert today.

TestUnity

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