Overview of Localization Testing

What do we mean by Localization Testing?

It is type of testing which is performed to determine the product's quality for a particular location/ culture. This is only executed on the localized version of the application.

Few things to keep in mind before testing localization of application/ product:-

No matter if the application is designed for desktop or mobile or for online web application, it is expected to behave in the same way in localization testing. The objective is to attain a high level of accuracy in translation of text to match the user interface. Estimated time of testing the application depends on how many number of dialog boxes or pages are present which needs to be reviewed and the word count for localization. It basically involves the translation of application into local language used in the country and to make sure users are able to see and post content in their language or not.

Efforts required to test are dependent on the requirements, specifications and complexity of the localization features. It is very necessary that detailed test data should be provided to the testers so that good number of test cases can be covered which are of high level. There can be few scenarios where we can do ad-hoc testing but it is recommended that testing should be carried out formally to maintain quality. Also, while performing localization testing, same functions are carried out again and again in different languages. 

As trends in software development are changing rapidly, it is advised to implement agile methodology to meet the changes in requirements and testing methods used to test localization. A sprint in agile usually lasts for 2-3 weeks. It is very crucial for the tester to be familiar with the business requirements from localization point of view while testing the application. 

Following are some of the goals which causes challenges for the team while deciding the scope of localization testing:

• Whenever a new feature is added, to make sure that the previous functionalities work fine and test coverage is balanced.
• Validating the user's location: Location which gets stored when the users registers in the application should be mapped with the location which appears in the content.
• To make sure test cases are written in such a way that they are re-usable across different platforms.
• To make sure that accuracy is maintained across repetitive scenarios on different languages.
• To make sure that test execution is fast so that defects are uncovered as early as possible
• To validate whether all the functionalities and features are working on all platforms and environment which are supported by the application or not.
• To ensure whether the application works fine with its different versions or not
• To validate whether we have reached to a high level of optimization in test coverage on all platforms or not

Characteristics of Localization Testing:

• Affected modules such as UI and content
• Modules specific to region-specific, Culture/locale-specific and language-specific.
• Testing of Critical Business Scenarios
• Running upgradation and installation tests in the localized environment
• Plan compatibility tests for hardware and application according to the product’s target region.

UI Testing in Localization Testing:

• Look for Error messages, resource attributes and linguistic errors
• Typographical errors
• Validation of display environment standards
• Usability testing of the User interface
• Validate cultural appropriateness of UI such as colour, design, etc

Tips and Tricks:

• Proper test environment should be set up for testing the product
• Correct translation should be followed
• Begin your testing with static elements.
• Attention should be given to pop-up messages and error messages
• Make sure that user is able to enter data in locale-specific language or not