Localization testing
Checking translations, formats, directions and currencies per locale.
Mandatory for 0 of 46 product types. Usually run by a QA engineer.
What it catches
- truncated strings
- wrong formats
- untranslated text
What it misses
- logic errors
Which product types need it and why
| Product type | Status | Reason or condition |
|---|---|---|
| accounting and invoicing SaaS | recommended | Becomes mandatory when a second tax jurisdiction is supported. |
| clinical trial management software | recommended | Becomes mandatory when participants complete questionnaires in more than one language. |
| e-signature service | recommended | Becomes mandatory when signers in a second language are supported. |
| government services portal | recommended | Becomes mandatory when a language access requirement applies. |
| language learning app | recommended | Becomes mandatory when a new interface language ships. |
| ride-hailing app | recommended | Becomes mandatory when the app operates in a second country or currency. |
| travel booking app | recommended | Becomes mandatory when the app charges in more than one currency. |
| dating app | optional | May help when the app launches in a second language and profile prompts are translated. |
| messaging app | optional | May help when the app ships right-to-left languages. |
| mobile game | optional | May help when the game launches in markets with another language. |
| social network | optional | May help: safety labels lose meaning in poor translation. |
| video conferencing tool | optional | Optional: helps when clients ship in several languages, no attached risk depends on it. |
| buy now pay later service | not needed | Not needed: plans are offered in one market and currency. Becomes recommended when a second market, currency or disclosure language launches. |
| crypto exchange | not needed | Not needed: the exchange launches in one language. Becomes recommended when a second market launches with a local-language interface. |
| data pipeline | not needed | Not needed: there is no user-facing text. Becomes recommended when source files arrive in several locales with different number and date formats. |
| desktop application | not needed | Not needed: assumes one interface language. Becomes recommended when a second language ships. |
| ecommerce store | not needed | Not needed: one language and one currency. Becomes recommended when the store ships to a second country or currency. |
| electronic health record system | not needed | Not needed while the system runs in one language and one country's coding systems. Becomes recommended when a second country or language is sold. |
| email marketing platform | not needed | Not needed: the app and hosted forms ship in one language. Becomes recommended when the app or hosted forms ship a second language. |
| ERP system | not needed | Not needed: assumes one country's tax and pay rules. Becomes recommended when a second country's legal entity goes live. |
| EV charging app | not needed | Not needed while the app ships in one market, language and currency. Becomes recommended when the app serves a second country or currency. |
| expense management tool | not needed | Not needed while every employee submits expenses in one language. Becomes recommended when expense forms or receipts ship in a second language. |
| fleet and logistics tracking | not needed | Not needed: one language and unit system ship. Becomes recommended when fleets in a second country or unit system are served. |
| grocery delivery app | not needed | Not needed: the app runs in one language and currency. Becomes recommended when a second country or language launches. |
| identity and access management service | not needed | Not needed: assumes hosted pages in one language. Becomes recommended when tenants enable a second locale. |
| insurance app | not needed | Not needed: policies are sold in one language and jurisdiction. Becomes recommended when policy documents are issued in a second language. |
| smart home or IoT app | not needed | Not needed: one language ships. Becomes recommended when the app or device setup ships in a second language. |
| kids app | not needed | Not needed: the app ships in one language. Becomes recommended when a second language ships. |
| lending platform | not needed | Not needed: disclosures are issued in one language and one jurisdiction. Becomes recommended when the platform lends in a second language or country. |
| LLM-based assistant | not needed | Not needed: no evidence of harm tied to UI language here. Becomes recommended when the assistant is offered in a second language with its own approved answers. |
| loyalty program app | not needed | Not needed: the program runs in one market and currency. Becomes recommended when points are earned in a second currency. |
| online marketplace | not needed | Not needed: one country and one currency. Becomes recommended when cross-border sellers or a second currency are added. |
| mental health app | not needed | Not needed while content ships in one language. Becomes recommended when a second language is added, since crisis numbers differ by country. |
| machine learning model service | not needed | Not needed: reason texts are in one language. Becomes recommended when clients in a second language receive reason codes. |
| mobile banking app | not needed | Not needed: the app serves customers of one bank in one language. Becomes recommended when a second language or market ships. |
| neobank | not needed | Not needed: the app launches in one market and language. Becomes recommended when a second country licence or language ships. |
| peer-to-peer payment app | not needed | Not needed: the app sends money within one country and language. Becomes recommended when cross-border sends or a second language ship. |
| patient portal | not needed | Not needed while the portal serves one language. Becomes recommended when a second language is offered to patients. |
| pharmacy delivery app | not needed | Not needed: one language and one country's prescription rules. Becomes recommended when a second language or country ships. |
| software as a medical device | not needed | Not needed while the device is cleared in one market with one language and unit system. Becomes mandatory when a market with different glucose units or decimal format is added. |
| SDK or client library | not needed | Not needed: the SDK shows no user-facing text. Becomes recommended when it ships UI strings. |
| subscription box service | not needed | Not needed: one country, one currency. Becomes recommended when the box ships abroad or bills in a second currency. |
| telemedicine app | not needed | Not needed while intake and visits run in one language. Becomes recommended when intake or interpreter booking ships in a second language. |
| event ticketing platform | not needed | Not needed: the platform sells in one language and currency. Becomes recommended when events in a second country go on sale. |
| stock trading app | not needed | Not needed: the app serves one market and language. Becomes recommended when the broker opens accounts in a second country. |
| wearable companion app | not needed | Not needed: one language and one unit system. Becomes recommended when imperial and metric units or a second language ship. |
Done conditions used on playbook pages
Each mandatory cell has its own done condition, written for that product type.
Tools
Alphabetical. Not recommendations.
localization testing
- Lokalise QATranslation management with in-context review. webiosandroidcommercial
- Pseudolocalization (Android, iOS)Built-in pseudolocales to find truncation and hard-coded strings. iosandroidopen-source