3 tips to implement your localization platform smoothly

Product and implementation are inseperable. Implement a great product poorly and you won't be happy.

Seems obvious but when it comes to enterprise-grade platforms, where use cases go from complicated to impossible, it's often unclear what the best approach for implementation looks like.

What we've seen in our experience is that simple, incremental, and 80/20 drive the best and most effective results.

1. Simple - enterprise-grade programs can get exceedingly complex - an XML file with embedded JSON with over 2000 keys that need to be mapped as translatable or not, that need to be routed to multiple agencies and go through an in-company approval/sign-off process for instance. But there are simpler use cases in super complex environments. Whether it's a simple use case end to end or a simple part of a complex process, it's feasible to slice and dice to tackle simple things first.
   
   This is important because simplicity maximizes adoption speed, empirical feedback and gets people onto the platform as early as possible. It's also key because you collect a few key wins early on that buy you time and credibility. Often we see people starting with the complex scenarios and we understand that's a big threat to a successful implementation.
2. Incremental - now that you've laid out the groundwork for the simple, create a plan that makes sense that allows you to build and iterate on your way to complex. Don't go from 0 to 60mph without going through 10,20, 30, and so on first. It seems obvious but it's important to decide incremental steps that make sense for your organization and maximize the native capabilities of your Translation Management System (TMS).
   
   
   
3. Unless your localization program is super simple, chances are there will be exceptions. Lots of them in fact. Try to push them off as much as possible and focus on those situations that can be well addressed by your platform. Just remember the 80/20 rule and ensure that exceptions aren't becoming proportionally significant because then they are no longer exceptions. That's when the platform or the framework have to be revisited in a deeper way.

Want to brainstorm with our team on how to best implement an enterprise-grade Translation Management System (TMS)? Schedule a free consultation. We'd love to chat.