Release of a software product that has not been rigorously tested would be a very risky business choice. Recent history abounds with examples of disasters caused by software that failed under pressure in real life situations. From banks to airlines, hospitals to manufacturers, flawed software (separate from hacking incidents) has caused financial losses, hassles, and even deaths.*
So when you have localized your software product’s content and programming for a new market, it isn’t actually ready for delivery until you have taken the final, and arguably most important, step: software localization testing. The benefits of running extensive, professional software localization testing on your software product can be summarized as follows:
- Data security, yours and your customers’
- Financial savings from eliminating glitches before they become complex problems
- Positive user experiences that increase sales and customer trust
- Delivery of a high quality product that builds the reputation of your brand
What processes are involved? Due to the complexity of software programming there are well over 100 types of software localization testing. All situations that might arise are tested for in thorough software localization testing, because over time, with use of your software product, all situations very well could arise. You have probably heard of alpha and beta testing, both of which are done before the product is on the market. To give you an idea of the range of testing that can be done, here are a few other examples of common tests:
- Globalization testing – Testing the software design to make sure it can be adapted to various languages and countries without further changes.
- Endurance testing – Another term for this is “soak testing,” and it refers to analysis of an app’s performance under a steady-use load over a long period of time.
- Bucket testing – A test mode that compares two versions of an app to see which one runs more smoothly.
- Concurrency testing – In this form of testing multiple users access the app at the same time to test its functionality under heavy concurrent use.
Software localization testing is based on general software testing, but also addresses the effects on software of changes made to accommodate a foreign language/culture. Skrivanek software localization teams test your software to ensure that it works exactly as it is intended to – after the content has been localized for your target locale. When changes are made to scripts, text layout, colors, media, and other product content elements, all of the original software functions must be tested and re-tested because any change can throw a glitch into a string of code.
In addition to multifaceted testing for general software functionality, your software localization testing professionals should test for such issues as:
- translation consistency
- artistic functionality of graphics, colors, and symbols
- coding strings that might still be linked to the source language
- readability of fonts
- the fit of texts within their display framework, such as “buttons”
- use of locale-appropriate currency, measurement units, time, etc.
- local keyboard coordination with programming
For more information about Skrivanek’s software localization testing services please feel free to contact us to discuss your project. We use automated testing technology in combination with human software engineers to ensure that your websites, apps, games, and e-learning software will provide flawless user experiences.
J. V. McShulskis
* https://www.computerworld.com/article/3412197/top-software-failures-in-recent-history.html#slide12
