Software design for global markets

Software localization is the process of adapting a web or mobile app to the culture and language of users in a specific market.

Taking software global by adapting it to local requirements can be the difference between a software company that thrives in a fiercely competitive global market and software that struggles to attract an international user base.

Localization, together with internationalization, is part of the overarching process of globalization.

To take your software global, you first need to prepare your source code for localization to remove any barriers to deploying your software internationally. This is known as internationalization—more on it later on.

Localization always comes after internationalization, and it has several core elements:

• UI/UX Design: Designers adapt the user interface of your software product in all preferred languages to catch any design breaks that might have a negative impact on the user experience (e.g., word length in call-to-action buttons).
• Content translation: At the same time, the software's content gets translated and all accompanying assets such as images are adapted to each market’s requirements.
• Testing and quality assurance (QA): Finally, localization testing is necessary to ensure software user interface (UI), UX, and functionality are accurate for every region before deploying the software into production.

Until next time, keep the conversation going.

Best Regards,

Avi Bhattacharya