Software Localization: Typical Mistakes
Tons of applications and websites claim they are localized for most of the markets and languages. The actual situation is a bit different. They added support of multiple languages and data formats but forgot about other crucial aspects of being friendly for the international customers. The following article covers typical mistakes such applications and websites make.
Same UX For Everybody
Every good marketing specialist can tell you that every segment of every market has its habits and preferences. The same can be said about the user experience. Many people prefer to use either simplified or complicated interfaces. Some segments have their preferences based on the alphabet, direction of writing (for example, right-to-left), and so on.
A good application will share custom hints on the preferred way to work with the application. For example, some markets may prefer to start work from communication-related activities, while others may want to check finances first.
Another best practice is to allow customers to customize the interface and minor UX features. These may include customization of dashboard or desktop, showing or hiding auxiliary elements and widgets, or even changing the layout using different themes.
Integrations With Local Services
A regular customer expects to use local services every time he is using a localized application. Typical examples are payment providers and shipping methods when a customer buys something online. You want to pay via your bank to avoid extra commission and want to use a local shipping agency for the same reason, right?
Some communities prefer to use local services to support local businesses. They use them not because they are cheaper or more convenient, but because they are helping compatriots or their friends. That is another reason to integrate with such services correctly.
Financial applications should take into account the country or even the region of a customer. Location may define tax legislation, additional costs related to the delivery of goods, and various metrics used to collect statistics.
Ask Real People
Focusing on real people's needs should be the very first priority of any project or application. The most crucial part here is to understand these needs and build a solution that satisfies them. However, just a few applications are genuinely trying to apply localization in this area.
It is a good idea to start from standard tools, like polls or focus groups. One way or the other, the application has to consider that different groups of people have different preferences and needs. Consequently, the application has to calculate these groups and suit their behavior to make the customer's life easier.
A similar thing can be with manual work and a bit of automatization. A company may hire designers, content managers, and SEO specialists to adjust the application's behavior for every marketing segment based on the language, location, and preferences.
The best practices mentioned above may sound trivial or even stupid, but many projects and applications do not follow them. If you develop one of them, it is always worth spending a little time thinking about how to properly localize the application and make your customers a bit happier.