Software localisation by KERN UK Ltd.

KERN UK Ltd. makes use of the most modern methods to localise menus, dialogue boxes, buttons in a software user interface, online help, printed documentation and other accompanying files (licence agreements, README files and much more) for use in the target country. Since the text lengths in various languages can vary significantly, KERN UK Ltd. adapts the size of user interfaces and dialogue boxes (resizing) as part of the localisation process. The localised user interface serves as a reference when translating online help and documentation; ideally, this is carried out by the same team that localises the user interface.

In terms of software user-friendliness, quality assurance has a fundamental role in avoiding internationalisation and localisation errors. The quality of the internationalisation strategy and the source language texts largely determine the standard of a software that is available in several languages. The test procedure includes internationalisation testing, localisation testing and functional testing.

Internationalisation testing is a critical step in software development before any product is actually localised. The main goal of internationalisation testing is to ensure that the software is designed to easily adapt to different languages, cultures and regional requirements. This is often done as part of a pseudo-localisation, in which the software is temporarily translated into a non-English language to detect potential problems at an early stage.

During the internationalisation test, the software is checked in several ways. This includes ensuring that regional standards such as date and currency formats are correctly supported. A check is also performed as to whether the character set used is appropriate for the target language and whether the software is compatible with the software and hardware in the target countries.

Localisation testing is another important step in the software localisation process. It includes a series of important checks to ensure that the localised software meets the expectations of international users. A key element is linguistic validation, where skilled native-speaking translators with specific IT knowledge ensure that the translations are accurate and culturally adapted. This validation ensures the accuracy and consistency of the localised content.

In addition, high-quality localisation involves verification by a second specialist translator in order to minimise errors or inaccuracies. Localisation testing is another essential step that not only takes linguistic, but also visual and functional, aspects into account. This ensures that the user interface is displayed correctly, that buttons and menus are functional, and that any differences in operation due to culture are taken into account.

Functional testing is usually the end of the software development process and occurs after localisation. Its purpose is to ensure that the software works properly in the target language and culture. Successful testing requires a test script that provides detailed instructions on how to open menus and perform all functions.

Possible functional tests include:

• Validation testing, which checks the software against predefined requirements in order to ensure that it meets the specified standards.

• Defect testing is another important step towards identifying and correcting any errors or defects in the localised software in order to ensure its smooth functioning.

• Regression testing repeats tests in order to ensure that functionality remains intact even in modified versions of the software.

User interface testing, compatibility testing, performance testing, security testing, transaction testing and many more types of testing can also be carried out in this context, depending on customer-specific requirements.