Localization Testing
Localization testing involves testing the localization of an application within the actual interface of the final product. Testing helps us find and correct bugs and translation errors before the localized version of the application or game reaches users.
At Alconost, localizations are evaluated by translators who are native speakers of the target language and have extensive testing experience. During testing, we focus on:
- The completeness of the translation — we look for strings that are still in the source language.
- Grammar, spelling, punctuation, and typos.
- The encoding and readability of the font — we find flaws in the way characters such as diacritic marks or ideograms are displayed.
- String length and agreement in inflected languages — we look for text that doesn’t fit on buttons and other errors that can occur when text is displayed in the UI.
- The relevance of units of measurement (length, weight, etc.) for speakers of the target language — for example, if a character’s weight is indicated in an American game, it needs to be listed in kilograms rather than pounds when the game is localized into Russian.
- Unity of style and the communication of wordplay, jokes, and other factors that add color to a game or application.
- Consistency throughout the translation — we find places where the same item, character, or function is referred to in various ways in the translation.
How We Perform Localization Testing
A translator who is a native speaker of the target language installs a localized build and launches the application on their device. If you are unable to give the translator access to such a build, we request that you take screenshots of all screens from the localized version of the application. In this case our translators will evaluate the quality of the localization based on the screenshots.
The translator or a translation project manager enters information about any issues into a special spreadsheet or the client's bug tracker. Messages about errors are accompanied by screenshots where necessary. Once the corrections have been confirmed, the translator fixes the localized text. If a problem requires a technical solution, the corrections are made in cooperation with the developer.
We perform localization testing of games and applications for iOS, Android, Windows, and MacOS. We can also test localizations of console games and websites.
How Much Does Localization Testing Cost?
The cost of localization testing depends on the number of hours spent on the testing process. The rates below are in US dollars per hour spent by a specialist:
