Localization Testing: what to focus on?

September 01 10:00 2014 by Nataliia Vasylyna Print This Article

There are many programs that have versions in numerous languages. Such programs require localization testing besides other common testing types.

Those, who perform mobile testing, desktop testing and web site testing, know that localization is an important aspect of a software product, and its checking requires substantial efforts.

Some people wrongly believe that localization testing means just verifying if the words are translated correctly. In fact, this testing type comprises a vast number of activities and many aspects, none of which should be neglected.

In Course of Localization Testing One Should Verify:

whether the text is translated properly;
whether local cultural peculiarities have been considered during translation, including formats of date, time, numbers and so on;
whether the special symbols are supported on the server and required devices;
whether proper symbols are called up by various key combinations; key combinations for peculiar symbols are different in different languages;
whether gesture inputs are interpreted and responded correctly;
whether specific non-English characters are displayed and processed correctly, for example, in an authorization procedure and other;
whether non-English symbols are printed correctly;
whether files and data with strange symbols are appropriately saved.

A software testing company would agree that the mentioned aspects are important and must operate as intended in each application version.