{"id":2531,"date":"2017-06-26T16:06:21","date_gmt":"2017-06-26T14:06:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/phraseapp.com\/blog\/?p=2531"},"modified":"2023-08-16T11:54:51","modified_gmt":"2023-08-16T09:54:51","slug":"check-list-localization-team","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/check-list-localization-team\/","title":{"rendered":"From Good to Great: Building a Localization Team That Drives Success"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div id=\"acf\/text-block_2c61ba72a5ab240ca6350b22748c1142\" class=\"pxblock pxblock--text spacing--default bg--white\">\n\n\t\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"wysiwyg animate-in\">\n\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reached the point where your brand or product needs to connect with audiences across markets and in different languages? Now is the time to build a strong localization team to ensure that your <a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/how-important-is-localization-for-your-business\/\">localization strategy<\/a> is carried out with reliably high levels of quality and efficiency.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With localization requiring a variety of specialist skills, it\u2019s rare to find people who\u2019re proficient in more than 1 or 2 of them. It can also involve fluctuating and increasing volumes of work as well as pressurized timeframes for completing projects.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So how can you go about building your localization team? What roles should it unify\u2014now and in the future\u2014and how will you structure it? How can you get buy-in for your localization team from key decision-makers? Keep reading to learn best practices.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_69_1 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Overview<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/check-list-localization-team\/#a-decentralized-team-can-create-challenges\" title=\"A decentralized team can create challenges\">A decentralized team can create challenges<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/check-list-localization-team\/#centralized-localization-brings-control\" title=\"Centralized localization brings control\">Centralized localization brings control<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/check-list-localization-team\/#advocates-for-globalization\" title=\"Advocates for globalization\">Advocates for globalization<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/check-list-localization-team\/#which-team-model-should-you-adopt\" title=\"Which team model should you adopt?\">Which team model should you adopt?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/check-list-localization-team\/#what-roles-will-be-in-your-localization-team\" title=\"What roles will be in your localization team?\">What roles will be in your localization team?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/check-list-localization-team\/#specialist-skills\" title=\"Specialist skills\">Specialist skills<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/check-list-localization-team\/#manage-your-budget-wisely\" title=\"Manage your budget wisely\">Manage your budget wisely<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/check-list-localization-team\/#people-supported-by-localization-technology\" title=\"People supported by localization technology\">People supported by localization technology<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/check-list-localization-team\/#keep-human-error-to-a-minimum\" title=\"Keep human error to a minimum\">Keep human error to a minimum<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/check-list-localization-team\/#collaborate-easily\" title=\"Collaborate easily\">Collaborate easily<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/check-list-localization-team\/#translate-directly-onto-the-website\" title=\"Translate directly onto the website\">Translate directly onto the website<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/check-list-localization-team\/#work-without-physical-supervision\" title=\"Work without physical supervision\">Work without physical supervision<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/check-list-localization-team\/#recall-project-data-instantly\" title=\"Recall project data instantly\">Recall project data instantly<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/check-list-localization-team\/#control-who-sees-what\" title=\"Control who sees what\">Control who sees what<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/check-list-localization-team\/#a-localization-team-set-for-future-scalability\" title=\"A localization team set for future scalability\">A localization team set for future scalability<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"a-decentralized-team-can-create-challenges\"><\/span>A decentralized team can create challenges<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First things first, let\u2019s look at how your localization team can fit within your organization. Should you build one centralized team or split your resources across territories and functions?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Often, a company\u2019s approach to localization evolves in a decentralized manner, especially if there is no strategic plan to guide its development. Localization may be initiated by the marketing or product team, for example, and they develop processes and approaches that work for them.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Still, what about when the legal or HR teams need to localize materials, and they have completely different priorities and needs? Alternatively, localization efforts may begin in disparate languages or regions\u2014with each using separate tools or systems.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In both decentralized scenarios, you might be missing serious opportunities for efficiency, consistently high-quality outputs, and easy scalability.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"centralized-localization-brings-control\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Centralized localization brings control<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Taking a centralized approach to localization and building a dedicated localization team may seem daunting at first sight, especially if some of your localization tools are already entrenched, but it tends to offer high rewards.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you have global aspirations, localization should, ultimately, touch every part of your business. It will become an ecosystem involving a wide range of stakeholders, tools, systems, processes, and resources. Having a central localization team will enable you to set a solid foundation for localization, so you can keep control of it as it grows, and more people, languages, channels, and resources become involved.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"advocates-for-globalization\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Advocates for globalization<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What if you\u2019re struggling to get buy-in for creating a dedicated localization team? Take time to emphasize to stakeholders and decision makers that localization plays a key strategic role in your organization\u2019s international success. Having a strong team will ensure your localization is carried out with reliably high levels of quality and efficiency.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At this strategic level, your localization team\u2019s key responsibilities will involve:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ensuring the <a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/localization-technology\/\">localization technology<\/a> used serves the whole organization globally.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Setting a consistent approach for every language and project in established <a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/translation-management-software-localization-and-translation-workflow\/\">localization workflows<\/a>.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Centralizing and making the best use of localization assets, such as translation memory.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Raising awareness of the <a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/localization-global-growth-driver\/\">importance of localization<\/a> across your organization as part of the global business plan.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"which-team-model-should-you-adopt\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Which team model should you adopt?<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now let\u2019s look at how you could structure your localization team. The most common models are:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In-house as part of the marketing, content, or product team.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In-house as a standalone department.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Outsourced through a partnership with a translation consultancy.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are reasons and benefits for each approach, so consider what would work best for you given your resources, priorities, and strategic plans.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"what-roles-will-be-in-your-localization-team\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What roles will be in your localization team?<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you decide to set up an in-house team, one of your first challenges might be working out which roles you need. When you\u2019re doing this, it\u2019s important to not only consider the roles you need now, but also the roles you\u2019ll need as you scale your localization efforts. By establishing a formal team structure with the right balance of roles from the beginning, you\u2019ll be able to maximize efficiency, and achieve consistent quality. And you\u2019ll be well placed to scale easily when you need to.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your localization team should ideally have the following capabilities or divisions:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Top-level management:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Guiding and overseeing your localization program and ensuring all processes stay on track in terms of efficiency, quality, and strategic goals.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Roles within this division can include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Program director<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Program manager<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-localization-manager\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Localization manager<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/one-day-in-the-life-of-a-product-manager\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Product manager<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Production:<\/b> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Taking care of the day-to-day work related to localization projects.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Roles within this division can include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-translator\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Translators<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Content creators (e.g., copywriter, technical writer, etc.)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Software developer or <a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-software-localization-engineer\/\">localization engineer<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Project manager<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Workflow manager<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Resource management:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Sourcing, managing, and supporting the people and resources involved in production.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Roles within this division can include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Resource manager<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Vendor manager<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Technology manager<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Quality management:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Ensuring your localization projects are of consistently high quality.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Roles within this division can include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Quality manager<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Localization tester<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"specialist-skills\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Specialist skills<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You\u2019ll probably find that some of the roles you need for your localization team can be filled by people who\u2019re already part of your organization. Try not to make the mistake, however, of assuming that people can do more than their core role.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, a software engineer is unlikely to have the skills to localize software, and many translators won\u2019t either. For this kind of project, you may need specialist freelance support if it\u2019s not an ongoing requirement.<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"acf\/blog-cta-block_9ca169ef183776791fb6bb20ee1116c2\" class=\"pxblock pxblock--blog-cta bg--yellow image--orientation-portrait\">\n\t<div class=\"block-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image image--align-middle\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1700\" height=\"2200\" src=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/localization-team-ebook-cover.jpg\" class=\"attachment-original size-original\" alt=\"Localization team ebook cover | Phrase\" srcset=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/localization-team-ebook-cover.jpg 1700w, https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/localization-team-ebook-cover-232x300.jpg 232w, https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/localization-team-ebook-cover-791x1024.jpg 791w, https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/localization-team-ebook-cover-768x994.jpg 768w, https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/localization-team-ebook-cover-1187x1536.jpg 1187w, https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/localization-team-ebook-cover-1583x2048.jpg 1583w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1700px) 100vw, 1700px\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"content\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"subhead\">Free download<\/p>\n<p class=\"h6\">How to choose the right people for your localization team<\/p>\n<p class=\"small\">Discover the secrets to putting together the right team members to take your localization program to new heights.<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"btn btn--outline\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/resources\/localization-team\/\">Download guide<\/a><\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"acf\/text-block_8dd567adf412fd9e6c65102b3211ccbc\" class=\"pxblock pxblock--text spacing--default bg--white\">\n\n\t\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"wysiwyg animate-in\">\n\t\t\t<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"manage-your-budget-wisely\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Manage your budget wisely<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re facing budget constraints, bear in mind that cheap often isn\u2019t best when it comes to the people, technology, and suppliers you appoint. It can be better to localize fewer items, or work with fewer languages, and produce high-quality work than try to squeeze too much out of your budget and let quality slide.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another key point to bear in mind is that localization involves many different stakeholders, including people who commission and approve localization projects. Many of them won\u2019t be within your localization team, but almost all can have an impact on your efficiency and costs, for example, by causing delays or repetition. Therefore, it\u2019s important to factor that in as part of your approach to <a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/ultimate-guide-to-stakeholder-management-for-product-managers\/\">stakeholder management<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"people-supported-by-localization-technology\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">People supported by localization technology<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To streamline your localization efforts, as well as scale them in the long run, you\u2019ll also need a robust support infrastructure. This could include processes and support staff, as well as technology such as translation management software, machine translation, a translation memory database, term bases, etc.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Human effort is always the most expensive aspect of localization, so any manual tasks you can automate, without affecting quality, should be considered for automation. This will help to avoid human error and leave your team free to focus on what they\u2019re best at, while also maximizing your investment in localization.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now that you\u2019re all familiar with the nitty-gritty of how to put together a strong and scalable localization team, it\u2019s time to turn to what a strong localization team should be able to do to support the globalization efforts of your organization in the long run.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"keep-human-error-to-a-minimum\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Keep human error to a minimum<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Multiple customer requests, documents, mock-ups, prototypes, and screenshots\u2026 When you have a widely diverse and geographically dispersed team working in different time zones, the room for human error can be quite considerable\u2014and costly. A localization team just starting out may not have the process well-oiled yet, but that doesn\u2019t mean you can\u2019t achieve great results or give your project to a rookie team.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You need to make sure that your localization team has filters in place for keeping human error to a minimum. These apply across the board of specialties: from your original content writers, translators, and proofreaders, to your developers and coders. One error in coding can leave your product looking broken. One lapse mistake while testing can cause compatibility issues. Not having enough pace in website design can lead to longer languages breaking the parameters.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It stands to reason: We\u2019re humans, not machines. Translating volumes of texts from one language into several different ones or taking care of coding, images, and design simultaneously can quickly take its toll with its wide margin for human error. If you ever hear the words \u201cspreadsheet\u201d and \u201cemail threads\u201d bandied around, get your localization team up to date and let them know why <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/why-spreadsheets-suck-for-software-localization\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">spreadsheets don&#8217;t work for localization<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Using modern, cloud-based software for localization management that can completely automate the localization process is the most reliable way of keeping human error to a minimum.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When your localization team relies on <a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/translation-management-system-how-it-works\/\">translation management software<\/a>, many repetitive processes are removed and manual work becomes a thing of the past. This isn\u2019t only great news for your bleary-eyed translators whose fingers are going numb. It\u2019s great news for your end results as well.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/top-benefits-localization-automation\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Built-in automation capabilities<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> will help your localization team integrate new orders via an API. They can tag and update keys, recall important data, and import and export locale files. The built-in translation memory allows for all content to be stored and reused so your localization team can look up older versions with ease. They will also be spared from repeatedly writing out the same hard-to-use terms, thanks to a glossary with terms and terminology explained.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"collaborate-easily\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Collaborate easily<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There\u2019s no point in having the leading marketers in your chosen country, the expert advice of a legal team, and native translators specialized in your field if they can\u2019t all work together. If you aren\u2019t fortunate enough to create some utopian-style theme park of a working facility\u2014like Google\u2014with everyone together on one campus, you have to face reality.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your localization team will most likely be dispersed. They may be working from small offices, or down to a single translator or coder working from home. If they can\u2019t effectively collaborate and communicate, your project is going to get nowhere fast. So, don\u2019t overlook this key element to ensuring the success of your localization team.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Imagine the worst-case scenario of your team being unable to <a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/top-5-ways-product-managers-can-encourage-team-collaboration\/\">collaborate effectively in localization<\/a>:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All geographically dispersed localization team members are being emailed spreadsheets left and right.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Developers are creating and dispatching loads of isolated strings.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Translators have no context and are pretty much working on gut feeling, without knowing if they\u2019re translating a call to action (CTA), a subheading, or simply a text passage.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Developers have no idea what to do with the translated texts as they receive them.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When anyone has a question, it gets emailed to a project manager who\u2019s not on shift. They then send it to the person in question, another day is lost and your email threads\u2014having a snowball effect.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A translation management system can help you gather all your team in one place\u2014the same place you keep all the files and data related to your project. By <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">fostering real-time collaboration<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on a single platform, you can ensure a seamless, accurate, and on-time translation and localization workflow in the long run.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"translate-directly-onto-the-website\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Translate directly onto the website<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Imagine the time and hassle you could save your localization team if your translators could type directly onto the website that needs to be localized. No more receiving documents or strings with no context. No more need to guess where the words need to go or the maximum character count.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The whole team can see the words going up as translators proceed with translation and where each word will \u201clive\u201d in the user interface (UI). Your project is greatly sped up and the accuracy increases as well. Your team members can upload screenshots, tag other people involved, ask questions when in doubt, and see their work taking shape exactly how the end result will look. No more teaching complex coding to a specialist in Urdu translations, or the inner workings of a hard-to-grasp system.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can also offer people with limited technical skills the chance to work easily and more effectively without having to decipher source code. Not only that, but they\u2019ll be placing the text where it belongs for developers. So, you\u2019ll get perfect translations in context that aren\u2019t incorrectly divided or broken down. Your localization team will even have an in-context editor that lets them make edits in real time as they go.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"work-without-physical-supervision\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Work without physical supervision<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is kind of a no-brainer: Even if we go back to the dark days before translation software existed to smooth the passage of your localization team, you can\u2019t have a project manager cracking the whip over every team member from Bangkok to Bangalore.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, localization projects\u2014automated or not\u2014still require a large amount of coordination. You need team members that you\u2019re comfortable working with, who have a proven track record, and who can work with limited supervision. The best way to achieve that is to rely on a robust translation management system.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Not only will it ensure that your localization team members are on the same page, but it will also make them aware of the amount of work that meets them each day. In doing so, they can assign and complete tasks assigned to them, while the TMS tracks their work progress.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A translation management solution will allow you to get a snapshot of the stage of any given project at any given time. This keeps all the back and forth around the world down to a minimum. You simply log in to the same system as your team members and can check at a glance the progress your localization team is making. Their workflow is optimized and your life is made easier when you get clients calling and asking how things are going.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When your localization team works in harmony and knows about tasks for the day ahead, any corrections needed, and what other people are doing, they don\u2019t need a project manager \u201cstanding\u201d over them. They can get on and work optimally, independently, and with improved results.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"recall-project-data-instantly\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recall project data instantly<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As you begin to roll out your web or mobile app localization, you\u2019ll start to appreciate the enormity of the volume of work\u2014and words. Whether your budget is small, and you\u2019re starting with a handful of languages, or you\u2019re Coca-Cola, localizing down to the English locale used in India or a rare language like Quechua\u2014you\u2019ll start building up a sizable body of localization work, and that can get pretty disorganized, pretty fast.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As you start to build up more and more clients, the workload will likely increase as well. What may happen when you need to make edits to one project, or a client asks you to recall their Nigerian French web localization that you did in 2016? If your localization team doesn\u2019t have the ability to recall data instantly and easily, the project will most probably take quite some time.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In fact, without a versatile search function built into your translation software, it\u2019s like looking for a needle in a haystack. Barely anyone wants their top talent wasting time looking for the impossible. That\u2019s why it\u2019s key to make sure your team has access to a versatile search function that lets them recall information instantly. This will avoid frustration among team members and keep everyone sane. It will also help you keep hold of your clients and improve your bottom line.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"control-who-sees-what\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Control who sees what<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Getting your whole localization team to collaborate on a single platform is key in today\u2019s global economy. However, there are certain project details you may not want everyone to see.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Imagine the following worst scenarios:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You have users who can speak directly to your localization team members, not the ones you want them to; they can easily lift the details of your best translators and cut out the middleman.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your French translators don\u2019t need access to the Portuguese version of your app.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your localization team working on a mobile app project doesn\u2019t need to be distracted by another client\u2019s multilingual website.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These examples make it clear that your localization team needs to be able to control who sees what through extensive role and permission management. Not only will you avoid potentially awkward conversations about pay raises, but you\u2019ll also make sure that no one is overtasked. Everyone sees what they should on a need-to-know basis. Just ask James Bond. It\u2019s the best way to avoid collateral damage.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"a-localization-team-set-for-future-scalability\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A localization team set for future scalability<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Having access to the best localization technology won\u2019t transform your team members into the localization dream team overnight\u2014just as having all the right skill sets without harnessing their abilities may not lead to a successful project.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Getting it right is about making sure that your localization team is able to join forces and collaborate effectively in a single place. Once you reach that happy place, there will be no looking back.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As demand for localization grows in your organization, you\u2019re likely to need more managers, more production staff, and more specialists. With a well-defined structure around key divisions and responsibilities, it will be straightforward to scale your localization team in the future according to your needs.<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"acf\/blog-cta-block_caf731bffef5737034737a865a3c0dea\" class=\"pxblock pxblock--blog-cta alignfull bg--grey image--orientation-landscape\">\n\t<div class=\"block-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image image--align-middle\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1890\" height=\"1730\" src=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/phrase-localization-suite.png\" class=\"attachment-original size-original\" alt=\"Phrase localization platform key visual | Phrase\" srcset=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/phrase-localization-suite.png 1890w, https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/phrase-localization-suite-300x275.png 300w, https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/phrase-localization-suite-1024x937.png 1024w, https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/phrase-localization-suite-768x703.png 768w, https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/phrase-localization-suite-1536x1406.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1890px) 100vw, 1890px\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"content\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"h6\">Unlock global business with the Phrase Localization Platform<\/p>\n<p class=\"small\">Expand into new markets with all the tools you need in one technology suite for high-quality, fast, and scalable localization.<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"btn btn--outline\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/platform\/\">Explore Phrase Platform<\/a><\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Is your brand ready to reach a global audience? With a dedicated localization team in place, you can maximize your potential for success in new markets.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":47,"featured_media":1238,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_stopmodifiedupdate":true,"_modified_date":"","_searchwp_excluded":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[38],"class_list":["post-2531","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-localization-strategy"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2531"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/47"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2531"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2531\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":89434,"href":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2531\/revisions\/89434"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1238"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2531"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2531"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}