Localization

Adding Value with Localization & Translation

Localization is simply taking a product created for one locale, and adapting it for use in a foreign locale. The result, when done correctly, is a high-quality native translation that retains the impact of the product.

Because TrainSmart develops the initial English eLearning tools, we already know the technical side of the equation. We have localization partners in many countries and cultures around the world that make the process more efficient and less expensive. 100% of our work passes through a rigorous Quality Assurance process that includes multiple levels of review, each ending with a sign-off by you, the client, before anything moves forward.

The advantage of localization is that the alternative — creating entirely new training materials from scratch in each new environment you’re expanding into — is extremely expensive.

Localizing your existing materials will save you time, money, and stress; it will also ensure that everyone in every country is getting the same training.

What Does Localization Look Like?

First, we evaluate the product to be localized, and identify any jargon, idioms, colloquialisms, false friends, or other turns of phrase that don’t translate easily from one language or culture into another.
(For example: ‘boot’ refers to the trunk of a car in the UK, but in the US it’s something you attach to a car to keep it from driving away.)

Then, we create a glossary of those ‘untranslatable’ terms and their nearest or most appropriate translations in the target language. The client signs off on the glossary before we proceed.