When we hear the word agile, 2 things come to mind. First off, maybe someone sporty, and secondly, perhaps IT and software solutions. With enterprise IT teams already used to Scrum and other such models, their expectations have been changed. And this has meant other fields, like localisation, have had to modernise the way they work, too.
What is agile localisation?
It’s interesting to think that it wasn’t all that long ago that you had to wait for one translator to finish before the proofreader could start. And, if you had a big project, you’d have to separate it into lots of different pieces and then glue it all back together at the end. This isn’t sustainable, which is where agile localisation comes in, to ensure the continuity of your localisation workflows.
How does agile localisation work?
There are a number of different ways you can implement an agile localisation process in your company. First of all, you need to think about what works for you, and the end-goal of such a process.
Even though localisation isn’t everyone’s concern, it really ought to be. IT, sales and marketing all order translations, so you need a system that allows everyone to have equal access to their localisation team. Having ways to communicate through a localisation platform can really help to streamline communication between departments, translation agencies, and translators, too.
The next tip we would recommend is to integrate localisation into the production process as soon as possible. This will not only help reduce the time to market, it will mean you won’t be delayed by any minor mishaps along the way. Also, it will mean that your product will have an international feel from the word go – which will definitely resonate with potential buyers.
Another great feature of agile localisation is that you can recycle your translated content. Translation assets can be stored and then used again if you ever have any duplicate/similar content. And, best of all, it will save you time and money!
Agile localisation + automation
As you might have guessed, a vital part of your future agile localisation process will be automation. It can make sense to automise certain steps – from translation requests to deliveries. You can set up translation software that can connect to your CMS and automatically send new content that needs to be translated to the translation provider of your choice. They’ll be able to assign you a team of linguists at the click of a button, and work simultaneously or alone depending on what you need. If you’re on a tight deadline, you can even have a proofreader following behind to proofread translated text while the rest is being translated. And once it’s all done, you can have your content back in your CMS without needing to lift a finger.
Have you found yourself yearning for an end to all those emails sending translation files back and forth? How about adopting an agile localisation process, then? We can help – feel free to get in touch!