DIANE GASKILL

IntroductionOver 40 years in tech pubs and closely related areas, including 10 years as a tech pubs managerCombination of startups (lots of hats) and large, Fortune 500 companies

Managed localization since 1995Engineering background in hardware design and software developmentCourse development and training, including 4 yrs USN instructorPre and post sale technical support engineer

Let’s talk about youHow many technical writers, editors, information architects?How many experienced in localization?How many not experienced in localization but are interested in learning about it?How many just needed a place to sit down and rest?

Globalization – G12NKey Definitions

Globalization – G12NThe expansion of business and communication across countries, continents, and around the world.

Key Definitions

Globalization – G12NThe expansion of business and communication across countries, continents, and around the world.Engaging with customers across languages, cultures and channels

Key Definitions

Key DefinitionsGlobalization – G12NThe expansion of business and communication across countries, continents, and around the world.Engaging with customers across languages, cultures and channelsNot a modern phenomenon. Long history going back 2300 years to the early days of Europe when traders established routes from Europe to India and the Middle East.

Key DefinitionsGlobalization – G12NThe expansion of business and communication across countries, continents, and around the world.Engaging with customers across languages, cultures and channelsNot a modern phenomenon. Long history going back 2300 years to the early days of Europe when traders established routes from Europe to India and the Middle East.Columbus was not on a mission to discover America. He was looking for a shorter trade route from Spain to India. His discovery of the American continents was a major event in the history of G12N.

Key DefinitionsGlobalization – G12NProblem: people around the world don’t all speak the same language. If you want to do business with them, you have to be able to talk with them in their language.

Key DefinitionsGlobalization – G12N

Problem: people around the world don’t all speak the same language. If you want to do business with them, you have to be able to talk with them in their language.Solution: Localization (L10N) bridges the gap between spoken languages and enables communication and busine$$ between the peoples of the world.

Key DefinitionsInternationalization – I18N

Key DefinitionsInternationalization – I18NI18N is the process of designing or creating a product and its documentation so that they can be localized in a cost-effective and timely manner, and used in any locale.

Key DefinitionsInternationalization – I18N

I18N is the process of designing or creating a product and its documentation so that they can be localized in a cost-effective and timely manner, and used in any locale. I18N applies to the entire product, including the software, online help, documentation, marketing collateral, graphical information, and packaging. It may also include localized support.

Key DefinitionsLocalization – L10N

Key DefinitionsLocalization – L10N

L10N is the conversion of content from a source language to a target language.

Key DefinitionsLocalization – L10N

L10N is the conversion of content from a source language to a target language.L10N is more than just translation. It includes the conversion of text, symbols, measurements, graphics, and expressions to the terms used in the target language.$ to DM, Yen, etc; Lb to Kg; Miles to Km, etc.

Key DefinitionsLocalization – L10N

L10N is the conversion of content from a source language to a target language.L10N is more than just translation. It includes the conversion of text, symbols, measurements, graphics, and expressions to the terms used in the target language.$ to DM, Yen, etc; Lb to Kg; Miles to Km, etc. Time – America: MM/DD/YYYY;

Asia: YYYYMMDD; Europe: DDMMYYYY

Questions?

Short quiz next period

L10N Lifecycle ‐ definition

Set of processes, executed in series and at appropriate times to accomplish the goals set by your L10N strategy.

L10N Lifecycle ‐ definition

Set of processes, executed in series and at appropriate times to accomplish the goals set by your L10N strategy.Not always the same

L10N Lifecycle ‐ definition

Set of processes, executed in series and at appropriate times to accomplish the goals set by your L10N strategy.Not always the sameDependent on other product-related lifecycles

L10N Lifecycle ‐ dependencies

Dependent on theproduct

development lifecycle L10NLifecycle

L10N Lifecycle – dependency #1

Typical product development lifecycle

ProductConceptProd Req

Doc

Drivers• Marketing• Engineering• Customers

InitialDesign

Mktg ReqDoc Preliminary

DevelopmentPrototypeEng Spec.

AlphaTest

BetaTest/s

ReleaseTo Mfg.

GeneralAvailabilityShip to Cust.

ProductDevelopment

L10N Lifecycle ‐ dependencies

Dependent on theproduct

development lifecycle

Dependent on the document

development lifecycle

L10NLifecycle

L10N Lifecycle ‐ dependencies

Dependent on theproduct

development lifecycle

Dependent on the document

development lifecycle

L10NLifecycle

L10N Lifecycle – dependency #2Typical document development lifecycle

ProductConceptProd Req

Doc

InitialDesign

Mktg ReqDoc Preliminary

DevelopmentPrototypeEng Spec.

AlphaTest

BetaTest/s

ReleaseTo Mfg.

GeneralAvailabilityShip to Cust.

PartyPartyParty

Add, edit, update info per bug fixes and features

Learn about product

Create Doc Plan

Create Prelim.Docs

Add , edit , info

ProductDevelopment

L10N Lifecycle – a never ending story

Product & Docs

L10N Lifecycle – Strategy

Product & Docs

Plan

(Initial Product Design)Use Mktg Eng Doc PlanCreate L10N Plan

l10N StrategyGoals ProcessesStakeholdersTeam members

L10N Lifecycle – StrategyDoc and product components to LSPSource and target languagesFile transferLSP deliverables• Target

languages• Formats /

MediaScheduleContactsDependencies

Plan

Product & Docs

L10N Lifecycle

(Initial Product Development)

Execute the planI18N product andDocumentationCreate L10N kit

Plan

SetupProduct & Docs

(Initial Product Design)Create Mktg Eng Doc PlanCreate L10N Plan

l10N StrategyGoals and processesStakeholdersTeam members

SetupInternationalize product and documentation

If the product is a software product, separate text and graphics from the code so that they can be localized without sending the code to the LSP. Use appropriate software development tools to manage the files and pointers.

SetupInternationalize product and documentation

If the product is a software product, separate text and graphics from the code so that they can be localized without sending the code to the LSP. Use appropriate software development tools to manage the files and pointers.Design the product and documentation so that they can be used in any locale. Consider file names with double-byte characters, dates and times according to any locale, etc.

Setup

Internationalize product and documentationIf the product is a software product, separate text and graphics from the code so that they can be localized without sending the code to the LSP. Use appropriate software development tools to manage the files and pointers.

Design the product and its documentation so that they can be used in any locale. Consider file names with double-byte characters, dates and times according to any locale, etc.Design the GUI to be language independent: consider label size, character sets, pictures, sound etc.

L10N Lifecycle

Product & Docs

Plan

Implement

Setup

(Initial Product Design) Create Mktg Req docCreate Eng SpecCreate Doc PlanCreate L10N Plan

(Product Development)

LocalizeTMTMSUpdates

(Initial Product Development)

Final L10N planInternationalizeproduct andDocumentationCreate L10N kitUse XML

Implement ‐ LocalizeConsiderations for L10N include:

Terminology – consistent languageContent structure and organizationLegal informationText expansionGraphical symbols: money, restroom symbols, electrical symbols and hand signals.

Product & Docs

Plan

Implement

Test Setup

L10N Lifecycle

(Beta test)In-country review and comments

Product & Docs

Plan

Implement

Test

Update

Setup

L10N Lifecycle(RTM, ship)

Update localized products and documentation

Product & Docs

Plan

Implement

Test

Update

Setup

L10N Lifecycle(Shipping)

Restart or continue

Questions?

L10N Lifecycle