A globalized software product requires the process of adaptation to a particular targeted country. This involves making suitable changes to the user interface for instance language settings. Localization testing focuses on checking how well the product's settings have been adapted and modified in order to cater to the user specific demands of people utilising the services of the product in that particular country.
Scope for Localization Testing:
The scope for this type of testing covers the following set of actions:
Identification of countries for which localization has been achieved.
Identifying the local languages spoken in the targeted regions.
Identifying the platforms on which the localized version needs to be tested for defects.
Knowing the specific features and components modified during the process of localization.
Who Forms Team for Localization Testing?
Testing engineers responsible for localization.
Language experts/ Translators.
Testing team responsible for conducting the localization testing.
How is Localization Testing Done?
Following is a brief outline of the actions undertaken for Localization Testing:
Validating the UI issues detected post localization such as missing or truncated texts, text which has not been translated correctly, missing dialog boxes icons or other attributes.
Verifying the functionalities inherent in the product with language and content settings belonging to the country targeted for use by that product.
Support for multiple character types and suitable fonts.
Checking support for different character sets such as the targeted country's currency.
Checking adherence of the product to the system and input standards, prevalent in the targeted country.
Check for consistency of the localization process in all the documentation and customer servicing help via online multimedia tools and the like.
Benefits of Localization Testing:
There is reduction in overall cost of testing the product.
There is a marked reduction in the overall costs associated with product support.
A positive User feedback resulting from a product well tested for localization helps in increasing the market rating of the software product.
Demerits of Localization Testing:
Requires prior linguistic and cultural knowledge of the country for which the product has been localized.
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