Localization
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The Skills That Differentiate the World’s Best Translators
You can find a translator pretty much anywhere. Go to any freelancer portal. Visit any translator association directory. Do a Google search. Translators aren’t hard to find. Outstanding translators, on the other hand, are like gold dust. Professional translators spend a lot of time building up the muscles of their translation core. They dutifully study…
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Why Localization Velocity Matters More Than Ever Before
Most localization practitioners believe that quality is what matters most. It’s true that quality matters, but there are gradients of quality, and a lot of linguistic quality work is highly subjective. Translation quality is important up to a certain point — when it creates a perceivable and measurable difference on the user experience. In this…
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How to Make Localization Strategic
Many of the localization concepts and techniques I’ve written about elsewhere on this blog all roll up into a framework for Strategic Localization. This framework ensures that localization becomes interwoven into the fabric of a company, to the point that it helps inform business strategy. You can access the full Strategic Localization deck here, or…
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Introducing High-Availability Localization
You know about waterfall software development, where localization has its origins. You’ve heard of agile localization, which has become more popular in recent years too. Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) has moved into the mainstream as a delivery model for software, with more and more tech companies embracing it then ever before. But what are the latest trends…
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The Translation Tech Trifecta
Many localization teams struggle to help others understand the work they do. Yet, quickly grasping how to work with localization is very important in high-growth digital companies. Communication is quick and the pace is fast. No one has the time to learn about a niche discipline like localization, but yet, they depend on it directly…
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Inclusion: What’s Localization Got to Do with It?
It’s a famous Tina Turner song, but the lyrics speak volumes when we alter them just a bit, to convey the perspective of a localization professional: What’s L10N got to do, got to do with it?What’s L10N but a secondary motion?What’s L10N got to do, got to do with it?Who needs a CX when a…
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Rethinking Localization Turnaround Time
“How long will this project take?” It’s the classic question in localization. Everyone wants to know how fast they can get something localized. Once someone decides they need localization, speed is everything. If you ask any localization professional how they measure delivery speed, chances are you’ll hear something about translation turnaround time (TAT). This is…
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Why Gaming Localization Veterans Rock
For a long time, I wondered why many of the best professionals I met in the localization space seemed to come with gaming industry experience. I began noticing a connection between gaming localization experience and high performers at large. Now, after decades of observing the same pattern, I believe gaming localization veterans are the unsung…
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Measuring Localization Velocity
If you work in software-as-a-service (SaaS) or any other area of high-growth tech that requires fast-moving, ongoing localization, chances are you’ve come to realize that most of the models out there for localization don’t mesh with your business reality. The underlying cadence in any hyper-growth business is… different. The company’s heartbeat is faster. The blood…