Re-defining Localization at Yahoo! as a corporate strategic growth driver

Re-defining Localization at Yahoo! as a corporate strategic growth driver

Salvo Giammarresi, Ph.D.Senior Director of Localization

[email protected] 11, 2011

A great global Internet brand

Yahoo! attracts more than 680 million unique visitors a month, reaching 50% of the global online population and accounting for 5% of all time spent online globally.

Source: comScore Media Metrix, Worldwide, March 2011

Salvatore Giammarresi @ Localization World Santa Clara 2011

No. 1 Mail service in the US

Source: comScore Media Metrix, U.S., March 2011


No. 1 Instant Messenger in the US

Source: comScore Media Metrix, U.S., March 2011



You get the pattern…

How can localization help drive growth?


The prelude: a huge opportunity

Localization teams fragmented, ad-hoc No standard localization processes No real central vendor management No quality success criteria or KPIs set No central financial oversight

Operationally: Not scalable, not efficientStrategically: Localization often was an after-thoughtFinancially: No central budget & oversight


The goal Centralized and strategic localization team Standard localization processes Central vendor management Quality success criteria and KPIs Central financial oversight

Operationally: Scalable, efficientStrategically: Localization as a fore-thoughtFinancially: Central budget & oversight


The plan – phase I

Raise executive awarenessof the power of localization

Set a corporate goal: enable all our products to be localizable and get more products in more locales

Centralize all localization teams and budgets


The plan – phase II Standardize on a

scalable localization process

Re-define the role of the Localization Project Managers

Re-define the interaction between the Localization team and other functional teams


The plan – phase III Establish KPIs & success criteria

Re-confirm & deepen the partnerships with our LSPs

Standardize on one localization platform

Create a scalable, automated and continuous localization engine with very few friction points


Localization at Yahoo Yesterday

Budgeting

Processing

Workflow

LSP

L10n PM

Tool 1

Budgeting

Processing

Workflow

LSP

L10n PM

Tool 2

Budgeting

Processing

Workflow

LSP

L10n PM

Tool 4

Budgeting

Processing

Workflow

LSP

L10n PM

Tool 3

Budgeting

Processing

Workflow

LSP

L10n PM

Tool 5

Budgeting

Processing

Workflow

LSP

L10n PM

Tool 6

Product 1 Product 2 Product 4 Product 5 Product 6


Product 3

LSPs Crowdsourcing

Global Live Products

Localization at Yahoo Tomorrow



Workflow ManagementL10n Project Management Terminology Style Guides

Metrics&KPIs

Machine TranslationL10n QA

I18n QA

Product 3

Global Live Products

Localization at Yahoo Tomorrow



C o n t i n u o u s L o c a l i z a t i o n w o r k f l o w

Product 3

Today Localization is a corporate priority

Yahoo’s visionTo deliver your world, your way

One of 2011 strategic priorities: Modernize, Globalize and Localize our platforms and products


Future

What is the next evolution of our localization team?


Final thoughts Localization teams play a huge role in a company’s success When operating horizontally in a centralized fashion,

localization teams have a unique perspective on what and how to optimize across many teams

Localization teams can be catalysts for change within organizations

Very few teams have the end to end perspective that localization teams have

It’s harder to affect larger organizational changes if you first have not optimized your localization eco-system


Thank you!

Localization World Santa Clara 2011

Salvo Giammarresi, Ph.D.Senior Director of [email protected]

Re-defining Localization at Yahoo! as a corporate strategic growth driver

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