Localization Testing

In order to perform Localization testing, test engineer should follow following levels:


Globalization Testing (Internationalization Testing): The goal of globalization testing is to detect potential problems in application design that could inhibit globalization. It makes sure that the code can handle all international support without breaking functionality that would cause either data loss or display problems. Globalization testing checks proper functionality of the product with any of the culture/locale settings using every type of international input possible.

Localizability Testing: Localizability testing verifies that you can easily translate the user interface of the program to any target language without re-engineering or modifying code. Localizability testing catches bugs normally found during product localization, so localization of the program is required to complete this test. Successful completion of localizability testing indicates that the product is ready for localization. You can use pseudo-localization to avoid the time and expense of true localization.

The most effective way to perform pseudo-localization is to modify the program's resources automatically. For example, here is what English-speaking localizers do when they translate a program's UI:

a. Replace English text with text containing non-English characters. For example: For a, use à or å For c, use ĉ or ç For n, use ń or ñ.

b. Add extra characters to your resource strings. In many cases translated text is longer than the English original ("some string" becomes "+++some string+++").

c. Stretch your dialog boxes. Localizers usually do this when the string length grows due to localization.

Localization Testing: Localization translates the product UI and occasionally changes some initial settings to make it suitable for another region. Localization testing checks the quality of a product's localization for a particular target culture/locale. This test is based on the results of globalization testing, which verifies the functional support for that particular culture/locale. Localization testing can be executed only on the localized version of a product.



Related Testing Topic:
a. Black Box testing