Localize a workflow, not only the words on a screen
Check examples, formats and comprehension with people in the intended context.
Understand the working language
People may use one language for conversation, another for documents and familiar mixed terminology for a particular task. Ask how the task is performed today rather than assuming a translated interface solves the whole problem. A fictional field-service tool might need recognizable equipment names while its instructions use the language technicians prefer for reading.
Review formats and examples
Check dates, units, names, address fields and sample values alongside translated labels. A technically correct phrase may still sound unfamiliar in daily work. Keep an original meaning note for ambiguous terms and ask a knowledgeable reviewer to compare the intended action with the translation. Avoid treating automated translation as the final answer for important workflow text.
Test the complete task
Invite participants to use the localized flow, including validation errors and confirmation messages. Ask what they think an action will do before they choose it. Pay attention to text expansion, line wrapping and missing characters as well as comprehension. A screen that fits in one language may require a different layout in another.
Maintain language decisions
Keep a small shared glossary with the term, context, selected wording and reviewer note. Update examples when the workflow changes, not only when text is edited. Your next action is to localize one task end to end, review it with a participant and record the terminology choices that future contributors should preserve.
