How to Do Globalization Testing

Localizing a product to adapt to a new market is a significant factor for success, but how do you decide where to adapt your product?

That’s where globalization comes in. When planning profitable and scalable market launches, globalization equates to the big picture, but it doesn’t solely involve creating an initial globalization strategy.

It also requires globalization testing to gauge how efficiently the strategy works and adjust it, as necessary. Understanding how globalization testing works can help you improve the likelihood of success with your globalization strategy.  

What is Globalization?

While there is no universally accepted definition of globalization testing, it is ultimately the process of testing market acceptance and growth. An initial globalization strategy tests the business case of localizing a product in various markets.

It plans a localizing and market launch process to bring in the most profit. Globalization testing assesses the actual process to ensure it is on track to be a profitable launch and modify the strategy if it doesn’t adhere to the overall profit goal.  Globalization is the business strategy that allows for internationalization, which prepares a product for all viable market launches, and localization, which adapts a product to specific markets.

Globalization is strategic planning, internationalization is tactical, and localization is a more “boots on the ground” level of implementation. In the testing process, globalization focuses on market and scalability testing. Conversely, internationalization testing focuses on testing product adaptability across different markets. It’s centered around functional testing, like checking if dates and time formatting automatically adjust to various geographical locations. The third testing process, localization testing, considers more technical issues, such as string imports/exports, line break issues, translation formatting, etc. Combining the three creates a comprehensive testing process that helps guarantee a product’s integrity and profitability.  

Globalization

Strategic

Research and tests demographics, expenses, and expected profit margins for multiple markets

Internationalization

Tactical

Analyzes and tests product functionality and adaptability for multiple markets and languages

Localization

“Boots on the ground”/Technical

Implements and tests file engineering processes and translation/content accuracy and acceptability  

What is the Globalization Testing Process?

Since globalization focuses on the financial benefit of initiating product localization, the testing process troubleshoots any aspects that could decrease this benefit. An efficient globalization testing process might include:  

• Testing if the product can be easily localized to multiple languages without needing a complete redesign to optimize expenses  

• Gauging how accurate projected overhead costs were and adjusting budgets for future market entries  
• Assessing how customers are reacting to the current product design with beta products or post-launch  
• Revamping new market release strategies based on earlier market responses  
• Rank profitability of markets to adjust scaling plans  

The most crucial aspect of any globalization testing process is adaptability. While anticipation and preparation are vital points in a globalization strategy, the testing process must easily adapt the strategy to reflect any market changes that could hinder your product’s success.  

Why is Globalization Testing Important?

Globalization testing is the only way to validate the market decisions based on the initial research. No matter how in-depth research is before market entry, it is never guaranteed that the market will react as expected to your product. Testing how well the developments align with the initial planning can help you adjust the strategy if expenses overwhelm the launch or consumers aren’t engaging with the product as much as expected.

It can also provide valuable feedback to change the strategy for future launches, avoiding the same mishaps. If everything is going according to plan, globalization testing can be a great way to validate your company’s research methods and keep you on track for future market successes.  

As markets continuously evolve, getting serious about incorporating globalization testing into your strategy can help your company evolve with them. Working with a localization management platform with a better understanding of possible globalization obstacles and how to prevent them can help you be more proactive in reaching your globalization goals, setting you up for successful product localization in chosen markets. It also yields time to take on other tasks necessary to launch your product on time.

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