Localisation
Localisation is the process of adapting a product’s content, layout, language, and functionality to meet the cultural, linguistic, and regional preferences of different target audiences.
It’s not just about translating words — it’s about ensuring your product feels natural, familiar, and usable for people from different regions, cultures, and backgrounds.
Localisation vs Internationalisation
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Localisation (L10n) | The actual process of adapting content, visuals, formats, and functionality for a specific market. |
| Internationalisation (I18n) | Designing a product in a way that makes it easy to adapt for different languages and regions. |
Internationalisation prepares your product for localisation.
Localisation Challenges
1. Text Expansion
Some languages take up more space than others (e.g. German text is often longer than English).
2. Reading Direction
Left-to-right (LTR) vs. right-to-left (RTL) languages (like Arabic or Hebrew).
3. Cultural Sensitivity
Avoid culturally inappropriate images, colors, gestures, or expressions.
4. Units & Standards
Kilograms vs. pounds, kilometers vs. miles, Celsius vs. Fahrenheit.
What Gets Localised?
| Element | Example |
|---|---|
| Language & Text | Translations, date formats, number formats, units of measurement |
| Currency & Pricing | USD vs. JPY vs. EUR, local tax rules |
| Date & Time Formats | DD/MM/YYYY vs. MM/DD/YYYY, 12-hour vs. 24-hour clock |
| Images & Icons | Symbols that might mean different things in different cultures |
| Colors & Meanings | Red = danger in one culture, good fortune in another |
| Forms & Inputs | Address formats, phone numbers, name ordering |
| Typography Choices | Supporting non-Latin scripts like Arabic, Chinese, or Devanagari |
| Voice & Tone | Formal vs. casual language, slang, humor |
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