My Learning Blog

If localization is the key part of the project, as designers, it is important to know how will we localize? Would we outsource the solution to a vendor or build it inhouse. For larger projects, typically, English language is done inhouse and the solution is outsourced to translation companies for other languages. If the solution is smaller, say the content needs to be localized in one or two other languages, organizations might want to bring the localization experts inhouse so that the teams can work closely. Here are some general guidelines I learnt while working on localization projects: General Think globally. Keeping data and functionality location independent. Different languages convey the same thought differently. Also, some languages are longer than others. Therefore, always, always, always leave room for text expansion in the page while designing space for text in buttons, menu items and paragraphs. Stick to the examples that have similar interpretation globally...

It's been a long while since I last blogged! So much has happened since...I lost my father who I was very close to and whose passing away I am still to come to terms with, I became a mother of a beautiful baby boy, I moved overseas, changed my home a couple of times, got a new job and am now on the verge of being laid off. Phew! We will see how the last one turns out. For now, I should blog more regularly...atleast better than what I've been doing for the last one year or so.