Considering the increasing demand for brand localization for the foreign market, the need for professional localization tools and platforms also increases. There are plenty of localization project management platform options available out there. However, choosing the right localization platform is the biggest challenge. You must first understand the expansion needs of your business and how you want to achieve your growth goals.
If you’re looking for professional localization management tools, you must also think about different features and the execution of localization tasks. In this article, we’ll talk about localization management tools and what are the features your localization management platform should have.
What is a localization project management platform?
It is an online platform that offers different tools and resources to effectively manage your localization projects. Localization is a tough job indeed, and you need to have the right tools and features to keep the localization processes agile and smooth. Localization management platforms are meant to make your localization tasks hassle-free and easier with the smart features that it provides.
These platforms not just provide translation and task management features, but also aid the localization teams to collaborate with each other. Advanced tools in these platforms allow translators, both in-house and freelancers, to communicate in real-time. Using these platforms would enhance your overall localization speed and quality of outcomes that again contributes to the successful completion of the localization task. Localization platforms make it much easier for project managers to carry out the day-to-day localization processes on time without overloading the employees.
Must-Have Features in Localization Project Management Platform
Finding your perfect professional localization platform is not going to be easy. You have to do comprehensive research to analyze the features and tools that a localization platform is offering. Following are some important tools that every professional-level localization platform must provide.
Machine Translation Feature
Probably the most important localization features to handle your excessive translation load. Having a machine translation tool is a must in your localization platform. It does not mean you need to totally rely on machine translations only, and there is no need for a human translator. A Machine translation system is just a tool to ease your translation load. Although we have professional machine translation technologies out there that offer high-quality global enterprise translation, still there are chances of errors. So, once you have generated automated translations from machine tools, you must always proofread the translated files by professional translators. This way, your content will remain error-free, and professional translators would give a more human touch to your translations.
Translation Memory
When it comes to machine translation, translation memory is a must-have feature in your system that increases the speed of translations and improves the quality. In translation memory, you have your previous translation record that is used to generate new translations more quickly. This is also a tool that allows your translation system to get wiser over time. The more translation you will produce, the more reference data your system would have to generate new translations, which automatically improves the overall quality of translations.
Glossary
Just like translation memory, a glossary in your localization system is used to enhance the quality and relevancy of translations. It is your brand dictionary that contains the definitions and terminologies of a brand that the system and translators must be aware of before translating your content. This way your brand voice will remain consistent, and all translators would follow the same tone and style guidelines in their translations.
Quality Assurance Tools
Your professional localization platform should have a quality assurance tool that would help you eliminate grammatical and other errors from your content. Not all localization systems are the same when it comes to testing the quality. The quality assurance processes that your localization platform will use may vary which is going to have a huge impact on your overall translation content quality. Once your translations are done, QA testing would eliminate all mistakes from the content. it will make the proofreading much easier and less time-consuming for the translators.
File Management
We know how complicated traditional manual localization operations are. File management is so time-consuming when there is no automation involved, and everything is manual. In the case of localization management tools, your workflow gets automated which makes it much easier for you to handle translation files. There will be no need to send updated files back and forth, and copy-pasting the content because a professional TMS translation management system would manage files effortlessly, making the localization job less complicated for project managers.
Communication Feature
To successfully carry out any localization, promoting effective communication between team members is the key. To make sure that your localization team stays on track and never loses the vision of final goals, it is important to keep good communication going. Most localization platforms also offer advanced communication features to their users that allow them to collaborate with other teammates in real-time. For businesses with remote employees, this is a feature to make it easier for remote workers to collaborate with in-house teams. Communication features also allow teams to communicate with clients and get them on board for feedback on the project.
Security measures
Your sensitive and confidential information goes on the localization platform, so you must ensure that they are secure and provide 100% data protection. With the increasing cyber security issues, you must be careful about the protection of your brand information, and it should be in trusted hands. Ask your service provider about the security measures they perform to keep your data secured for breaches.
Summing Up!
Above are listed some important project management features you must look for in your localization platform. However, it all depends on your unique business needs and your expansion goals. Most localization platforms provide customized packages to their clients tailored to meet their localization project requirements.
