This document discusses how agile development practices can be applied to software localization and content translation to build bridges between rapid software development and high translation quality. It defines key terms like agile, localization, and single-sourcing. It also outlines benefits like reduced costs and time to market through techniques like translating content in batches per sprint and shipping all language versions simultaneously. Challenges covered include linguistic issues, quality assurance, and cultural adaptations needed for different languages and regions. The document provides examples and resources for combining agile and localization best practices.

1. Agile Localization
Building Bridges Between
Translation Quality and
Rapid Software Development
Laura Dent
Freelance Technical Writer
www.linkedin.com/in/lauradentwriter
@laurainspace

2. Overview
• About Me
• About You
• Definitions
• Agile
• Localization
• Software and Content
• Benefits and Challenges
• Agile Localization Process
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3. About Me: Laura Dent
• Freelance technical writer specializing in single-sourcing
and localization; clients include translation agencies and
product companies
• Content Strategist at Rosetta Stone, language-learning
software company; localize software and documentation
– SimShip with Agile
• Adjunct faculty at James Madison University, teaching
Technical Communication for Computer Science
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4. About You
Poll: What is your level of experience in …
• Agile?
• Embedded in Software Team?
• Software:
• User Interface Text (UI)?
• User Experience (UX)?
• Content:
• Single-Sourcing?
• Localization?
• Software?
• Documentation?
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5. Intersections
Agile Software
Development
ContentLocalization
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Agile Localization of Software and Content

6. Intersections
• Agile Software Development
• What agile is made for – rapid iterations
• Empowering developers
• Agile Software Development and Content Strategy
• Natural combination – Software UI text is Content
• Documentation Writer  Content Strategist
• Upstream – embedded in Agile software team(s)
• Single-sourcing of documentation saves localization costs
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7. Intersections
• Agile Localization of Software and Content – Sweet Spot
• Challenges
• Benefits
• Software Internationalization
• Terminology: glossary and style guide – consistency of
content: UI text and documentation
• Hybrid: Between waterfall (handoff) and agile (incremental):
Batches
• Other approaches: n-1 (translating previous content); tiered
languages, SLA with LSP
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8. Agile Development
• Agile software development
• vs. Waterfall
• Agile Manifesto
• Methodologies
• Scrum
• Kanban
• Test-Driven Development (TDD)
• Extreme Programming (XP)
Many agile environments are a blend of these
• Processes
• Sprint planning
• User Stories
• Daily meetings
• Sprint review
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9. Agile Manifesto
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10. Waterfall vs. Agile
Waterfall:
• Linear
• Sequential
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Agile:
• Cyclical
• Iterative
© Study.com
Documentation Writer:
You are here
Content Developer:
You are here
and here and here

11. Agile Development Process
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By Scrum_process.svg: Lakeworksderivative work: Sebastian Wallroth (talk) - Scrum_process.svg, CC BY-SA 3.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10772971

12. Globalization to Localization
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13. Software Internationalization
• Take the text out of the code
• Create external “locale” files for localization
• Create file structure for software to “switch” locales
• Make translatable strings
• Don’t concatenate strings – make complete strings
• Avoid variables if possible (within sentences)
• Allow for text expansion in GUI screens
• Link – Verknüpfung
• Login – Anmeldung
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14. Content for Localization
• Glossary: consistency of terminology
• Software UI text: clean and concise; allow room for
expansion
• English (source) content: write for translation
• Single-sourcing documentation: make use of variables
and conditionals – carefully
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15. Content: Single-Sourcing
Single-Sourcing: Use of a single document or set of files
to produce multiple variations in the output.
Single-Sourcing can
repurpose content across
the organization.
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16. Single-Sourcing and Localization
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17. Localization in Action
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18. Localization in Action
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19. Localization Challenges
• Linguistic – grammar differences
• Formatting – screen size (software), paper size
(documentation)
• Quality
• Linguistic QA Ideally, need in-country review
• Timing
• Cultural and legal issues
• Process
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20. Linguistic Issues
Common to Software and Content
• Don’t use variables for common words.
• Don’t concatenate strings (using variables):
• <subject> + <verb> + <object> doesn’t work in languages that have
the verb at the end (German, Japanese)
• <adjective> <noun> doesn’t work in Romance languages; word order,
number/gender agreement
Example – English:
• “The <device/machine> should be plugged in. Then, turn it on.”
French:
• L’appareil doit être branché. Puis, allumez-le.
• La machine doit être branchée. Puis, allumez-la.
Example courtesy Jennifer Schudel, Advanced Language Translations
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21. Benefits of Agile Localization
• Rapid time to market
• Continual improvements in translation quality
• Cost is spread over time
• Linguists become SMEs in your product
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22. Agile Localization Process
• Hybrid: Between Agile and Waterfall
• Finalize source text
• Larger batches to translate
• Service Level Agreement (SLA) with Language Services
Provider (LSP) for lots of quick turnarounds
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23. Iterations
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Iterations each Sprint
• Source content
• Translations
• Review
• Revisions
• Localization Engineering
• Release

24. N-1 or SimShip?
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• N-minus-1 (or more): Localize
content of previous Sprint
• SimShip: Ship all languages
simultaneously
• Later cycles:
• Documentation
• Rich content (multimedia)
• Tiered languages

25. SimShip
Rosetta Stone story:
• Software and documentation localized in 9 languages
• Agile software development environment
• Software: All languages shipped simultaneously
(SimShip)
• Documentation (Help and manuals) followed later
• Now use Scalable Agile Framework (SAFe) to sync
teams
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26. n-1 (or more): Tiered Languages
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27. Localization by Sprint
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New content added
(and revised) each Sprint

28. Scalable Agile Framework
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SAFe® Training from Scaled Agile® http://www.scaledagileframework.com/posters/

29. Program Increment (PI) Planning
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30. UI Content/Localizations
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“May I take your order, please?”

31. Kanban Board
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32. Resources
Flare Webinars:
• “Using MadCap Flare to Support Your International Content Strategy”
https://www.madcapsoftware.com/demos/signup.aspx?id=1144010340194854916
• “A Case Study in Translation Management – How to Reduce Costs by 90% While Enabling
New Markets”
https://www.madcapsoftware.com/demos/signup.aspx?id=1146179877138420211
Jennifer Schudel, Advanced Language Translations: Presentation, “Five Things to Consider
When Developing Multilingual Content”
• http://www.madcapsoftware.com/demos/player.aspx?v=2197c5687bd28
• http://assets.madcapsoftware.com/webinar/Presentation_FiveThingsFlareTranslation.pdf
Venga Global eBooks (I wrote or edited):
• “Single-Sourcing to Reduce Translation Costs”
http://www.vengaglobal.com/resources/ebooks/single-sourcing-to-reduce-translation-costs/
• “Software Localization in the Agile Environment”
http://www.vengaglobal.com/resources/ebooks/software-localization-in-the-agile-environment/
• “5 Smart Steps for Software Internationalization”
http://www.vengaglobal.com/resources/ebooks/5-smart-steps-for-software-internationalization/
Val Swisher, Content Rules http://contentrules.com/about-us/team/#val
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33. Thank You!
Questions?
Laura Dent
www.lauradentwriter.com
laura@lauradentwriter.com
www.linkedin.com/in/lauradentwriter
@laurainspace
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