Localization Testing
In the rapidly developing global marketplace, a localized product creates more business opportunities and catalyzes growth and expansion. BeatBlip allows thorough localization testing by enabling QA teams to run the same test in multiple languages, time-zones, and currencies.
BeatBlip supports localization testing of applications regardless of the technology they are built in.
In a traditional set up, test teams maintain language specific test libraries. BeatBlip eliminates the need to do that, and that’s the biggest advantage of BeatBlip’s localization testing. It doesn’t expect the users to write locale/language specific test scripts. A single set of the test scripts, written for English flavor, supports the testing of all the languages, currencies, and time-zones that the application under test supports.
From the automation perspective, BeatBlip makes it really simple for its users. It leverages the same set of language resources that the application uses from development perspective. And these language resources are externalized thus any change in them does not impact the scripts themselves. They can be added, updated, or deleted completely independent of the scripts. BeatBlip not only supports the validation of language and locale specific messages but also that of currencies, dates, and associated formats.
User builds a script for one language i.e. English and runs it for other desired languages by simply toggling the type of target local at the time of execution.
BeatBlip also allows users to build and execute test execution plans with exact same set of scripts but different local settings. These test execution plans can be run in parallel to save overall testing time.
Localization, abbreviated as L10N, is a testing methodology where a product undergoes thorough checks to see how it will run in a specific locale. During this test, various aspects such as language, interface, screen layout, keyboard, and script options are checked. The core principle behind this testing is to look at the existing information and ensure that its format meets the cultural, visual, social, and linguistic needs of users of a specific region or a locale.
In this era of globalization, products need to be localized to meet the needs and expectations of the local audiences. It is possible that a popular product meeting the needs and expectations of a particular territory, culture, or region is unable to meet the expectations of users belonging to another culture or region. Thus, only linguistic translation is not sufficient to localize a product as there could be several differences between two countries, cultures, and regions for each different aspect such as style, conventions, standards, designing, time-zone, font, color, etc.
Localization testing enables organizations to recognize, acknowledge, respect, and conform to the ideas of the locale they want to access rather than anticipating the local audiences to fit into your cultural norms. It also ensures the minimization of misinterpretations and misunderstandings from the outset.
- Date and time format (including numeric)
- Number formats (decimal separators, grouping of digits etc.)
- Currency symbol and currency market position
- Navigation and keyboard layout
- Data collation, sorting, and alignment
- Culturally specific color schemes, icons, and symbols
- Written text, images, avatars, and graphics which may create ambiguity, be misinterpreted, or viewed as ‘sensitiv’
- Specific legal requirements for any of the above or other content, related to a locale
- Enables testing teams to detect defects in early-stages and launch a high-quality product
- Reduces the test time, and overall testing and support costs significantly
- Ensures that a product can deliver the best user experience to the local audiences
- Helps the product gain popularity by providing regional language support and other localized features
- Boosts the adoption ratio in local markets
- Allows a business to transition towards becoming a global brand