ITC SIG Localization Reader
The International Technical Communication Special Interest Group (ITC SIG) of STC is following up the Translation Reader with this Localization Reader, presenting articles going beyond translation to cover the entire localization process. The Localization Reader now contains all the articles posted on this site on localization. Items without a date were posted in April 2005.
Additional resourcs are listed below, with a call for additional articles.
Articles in the Localization Reader
Overview of localization by the ITC SIG of STC
The May/June 2002 issue of Devil Mountain Views, online newsletter of the East Bay Chapter of STC, has articles on localization and working across cultures. www.ebstc.org/newsletter/0205/0205.html. Posted May 2002.
Bug Reporting in Localization Projects by Edward Watts, Retek
Designing for a Non-English Audience, by Felicia Bratu, WTB Language Group Inc. Posted August, 2005.
Effective update management in the localization process (.pdf), by Tom Shapiro. Posted May 2003.
Is Localization of a Product Essential to Ensure Usability and Customer Satisfaction? by David Dick, Editor, Usability Interface. February 2005 issue. Posted March 2005.
Localization--the business value. Current trends column, Sita Bhatt, editor. Indus newsletter of the India Chapter of STC. January/February 2005. http://stc-india.org/indus/index.htm. Follow the link for the archives if needed. Posted March 2005.
Managing Localization Projects: Think Like a Writer to Save Time and Improve Quality by Deb Kramasz, Prisma International
Managing multiple language documents, summarized from the ITC SIG list, October, 2005.
Working with International Partners in Localization Projects by Carlos Evia, Virginia Tech
XML and localization (.pdf slides), by Scott Bass. Posted May 2003.
Additional resources in localization
Additional information resources on localization are listed in the SIG Bibliography.
You will find the Localization Reader from the Localisation Resource Centre in Ireland to be of interest. You can download it in PDF form free of charge at http://www.localisation.ie/publications/reader/2004/index.htm.
Multilingual Computing makes a number of guides available on www.multilingual.com. Scroll down to find the Guide to Localization published in 2003.
Additional articles are welcome
The following are guidelines for submitters.
Industries and information products: Write about the area(s) you know best. We welcome articles on localization in life sciences, the automotive industry, manufacturing, software, Web design and development, e-learning, online help, content management, marketing, and any other area in business and technical communication.
Length: For optimal readability, we would like to keep articles to 500 to 1000 words. If your topic demands more, please consider breaking up your article.
Format: Articles will be published in HTML but please submit in MS Word (.doc) or .rtf.
Due date: Articles are added to the Localization Reader continually.
Graphics, screenshots, diagrams, and flowcharts when pertinent will break up the text in a manner that is most welcome.
Existing articles: We will link to but not "reprint" material already available on the World Wide Web. We will reprint with permission material published elsewhere that is not available on the Web.
Membership in the ITC SIG of STC and STC: Preference is given to publishing the work of SIG members and STC members, although the work of non-members will be published when it is of keen interest to the members of the International Technical Communication SIG of STC.
Submit articles to kit.brown@comgenesis.com.
Ideas for articles the ITC SIG would like to add
These ideas were developed by the initial project leader, John White (1-for-All, Inc.), jwhite@1-for-all.com.
Localization (sometimes called L10n) is a process, and a localization project follows a timeline.
1-Preliminaries
2-Interface to translators
3-Managing the project
4-Post-release
As the Localization Reader grows, we want to include articles that cover all the phases of localization. Considerations include those described here.
1-Preliminaries
Five things you had better do, and five things you had better not do in getting your documentation localized (similar to "Ten things to remember when translating documents" in translation kit).
Project ownership: Can I squeeze this in with everything else I'm doing, or should somebody own the project outright? Identify thresholds beyond which a dedicated project manager is needed. Also, "draw a line in the sand" as to how far your expertise will go in the overall project; if you're a documentation specialist, you can't be expected to enable code or program firmware.
2-Interface to translators
How to request and evaluate bids: How can I find out about vendors? Isn't this all a commodity business? Why are they (not) charging me for project management? To whom can I talk besides the salesperson? What should I ask for in the proposal that nobody ever thinks to ask for?
Localization kit: What goes into it? How do I prepare it? How do I transmit it? Do I need to test it before I hand it off? (Yes.) How? (Use dummy text.) Examples are welcome.
When to hand off the kit: In many localization ("L10n") projects, the writers' main quandary has been that of handing off frozen text soon enough to make a difference in time-to-overseas-market, yet late enough to include the developers' incessant changes.
3-Managing the projects
Day-to-day: Dealing with all of the questions that the translators pose, and ensuring that there are fewer of them next time.
Bug reports: In most cases, moving comments and changes between reviewers and translators is tough. Some examples of how to do it successfully, and how not to do it.
4-Post-release concerns
A good translation and being sure you get one: Everybody wants a good translation, and the key to getting one is to put the right person on the hook for reviewing it, with a good, workable process for conveying changes to the translators.
Getting ready for the next one: Do something with all of those notes you've been taking throughout this process.