The road to localisation

By Mark House

Here at RM Compare, we're committed to enabling the improvement of educational outcomes around the world. As part of that commitment, we're excited to announce we've started our journey towards localizing RM Compare! But what does "localisation" actually mean for a software product, and why are we making it a priority?

Localisation goes way beyond simple translation. It's about adapting RM Compare to fully meet the linguistic, cultural, and technical requirements of different regions and users. Think of it as making RM Compare feel native to you, no matter where you are in the world.

So, what does localisation involve? Here's a breakdown:

Language Adaptation:

  • Translating user-facing text: This ensures everyone can understand and use RM Compare in their own language, improving adoption and reducing confusion.
  • Adapting terminology: By using familiar terms and concepts, we can increase user comfort and make the platform more intuitive.
  • Adjusting date formats, number conventions, and currencies: This prevents misunderstandings and errors, particularly important for assessment data.

Cultural Customization:

  • Modifying images and graphics: Ensuring all visuals are culturally appropriate and resonate with local users.
  • Adapting colour schemes and visual elements: Aligning with regional preferences to enhance visual appeal and brand perception.
  • Customising cultural references: Making RM Compare more relatable and intuitive by understanding different nuances.

Technical Adjustments:

  • Resizing forms and dialog boxes: Ensuring content is properly formatted for different languages.
  • Modifying interface layout for right-to-left languages: Making RM Compare accessible to users worldwide.
  • Ensuring compatibility with local hardware and networks: Guaranteeing functionality and reliability, no matter where you are.

User Experience (UX) Localisation:

  • Tailoring navigation structure: Aligning with local user expectations to improve efficiency.
  • Adapting the overall user experience: Ensuring RM Compare feels intuitive to users, no matter where they are in the world.
  • Providing local customer support: Giving users access to help in their native language.

Compliance and Standards:

  • Ensuring adherence to local regulations: Keeping RM Compare legally compliant in each market.
  • Adapting measurement units and formats: Aligning with local standards to prevent errors and confusion.

Quality Assurance:

  • Conducting linguistic and functional testing: Verifying translations and functionality across all localized versions.
  • Performing cultural appropriateness checks: Ensuring that RM Compare respects local customs and sensitivities.

You might have already noticed a small, but significant first step in this journey! We've started presenting some pages in the Product Portal in both English and Welsh. You can see an example here: RM Compare for Wales. This initial effort demonstrates our commitment to serving diverse linguistic communities.

This is just the beginning. We recognise there is a lot more to do, and we're committed to investing in the resources and expertise needed to fully localize RM Compare. This will remain a roadmap priority for us. By truly localising RM Compare, we aim to empower educators and learners worldwide with a tool that feels familiar, intuitive, and perfectly suited to their unique needs. We believe this is crucial for achieving our overarching goal: enabling the improvement of educational outcomes, globally.

Stay tuned for more updates on our localization journey! We're excited to bring RM Compare to an even wider audience and look forward to hearing your feedback as we continue to improve.