How to Build a Top-Performing Localization Team

Building a localization team is like creating your own Avengers. You need to assemble a diverse group of talents to take on the toughest challenges.

Like the Avengers, your localization team needs a leader, clear roles, communication channels and stylish costumes to win the battles.

Well, maybe not that last one. But you get the idea.

Now, let’s get into what makes a great localization team and how to build it.

Pro tip: A professional localization management platform Centus can centralize and streamline your team’s work to save money, cut turnarounds, and bring better translations. Check it out here.

Localization team members: roles and responsibilities

Building a great localization team starts with understanding the roles and responsibilities within the team. Each role is important to your localization success. Here’s a breakdown:

Localization Project Managers

This role is responsible for the entire localization process, delivering projects on time, in scope and on budget. The localization manager defines the localization strategy and sets goals that tie in with the overall business goals. They work with marketing, product development and customer support to make sure localization meets company standards and target market expectations.

Responsibilities:

• Team management and coordination
• Planning and scheduling
• Resource management
• Quality control
• Risk management
• Reporting

Translators and Linguists

Translators and linguists are the language experts who bring your content to life in different languages. Their main job is to translate text from the source language to the target language. But their role goes beyond translation. They must also adapt the content to the target audience’s culture and preferences, a process called localization. That means understanding idioms, cultural references and the right tone and style for different types of content.

Their main tasks are:

• Translate the text from source language to target language.
• Localize the content to the target audience’s culture and preferences.
• Keep terminology and style consistent across all translated content.

Editors and Proofreaders

After translators have done their work, editors review the translations for accuracy, consistency and style guides. They check for grammar, spelling and punctuation errors to make sure the content is error-free and polished.

Their tasks are:

• Find and fix grammar, spelling and punctuation errors.
• Ensure localized content meets quality standards.
• Give feedback to translators to improve future work.

Developers

Developers provide the technical support to make sure localized content goes into different platforms smoothly. This includes handling different file formats and making sure they are localized without losing any original functionality or user experience.

Their tasks are:

• Assist with technical support and integration of localized content into different platforms.
• Build and maintain tools to automate the localization process.
• Manage file formats and make sure they are localized.
• Implement automation to reduce manual work.

QA Testers

QA Testers job is to make sure the localized content works correctly in its final environment whether it’s a website, software application or digital document. They test thoroughly to find any issues that may have been missed during translation and editing. This includes functional testing to make sure all features work as expected and linguistic testing to check for language accuracy and cultural correctness.

Their tasks are:

• Test localized content layout and equivalency to the source language.
• Bug Tracking of any errors or issues found during testing.
• Ensure the localized content is user-friendly and works in the target market.
• Give feedback to improve the localization process and prevent future issues.

How to manage a localization team

Managing a localization team requires a mix of strategic planning, clear communication and ongoing support. Implementing best practices will help your team to work efficiently and deliver high quality localized content. Here are best practices for a high performing localization team:

Communicate clearly and openly

Clear and open communication is the foundation of a successful localization team. Have regular check-ins and meetings to make sure everyone is on the same page and aware of their tasks. Use communication tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams or Zoom to have real-time discussions and updates. Encourage team members to share their ideas, feedback and concerns openly. Open communication prevents misunderstandings and makes sure everyone is working towards the same goal.

Manage projects effectively

Effective project management is key to keeping localization projects on track. Use project management software like Asana, Trello or JIRA to create detailed project plans, set milestones and track progress. Assign clear roles and responsibilities to each team member and make sure deadlines are well defined and realistic. Review project status regularly and make adjustments as needed to address any issues or delays. A structured project management approach will ensure projects are delivered on time and within budget.

Quality assurance

High quality in localized content is key to your business success. Implement quality assurance (QA) processes to ensure translations are accurate and culturally correct. Define clear quality benchmarks and criteria for evaluating localized content. Use multiple rounds of review and testing to find and fix errors. Involve editors, proofreaders and QA testers in the process to maintain high standards. Continuous quality checks and feedback loops will improve your localization overall.

Use technology and automation

Technology can help your localization team to work more efficiently. Use translation management systems (TMS) and computer-assisted translation (CAT) tools to streamline workflows and maintain consistency across all localized content. Consider automation solutions to handle repetitive tasks like glossary management, translation memory updates and QA checks. Machine translation (MT) can be used for initial drafts which human translators can then refine. Using technology reduces manual work, minimizes errors and increases productivity.

Pro tip: Don’t tire out your team with a multitude of tools. Instead, use a localization management suite Centus that combines all the aforementioned tools in one handy and highly interoperable platform. Learn more.

Monitor and feedback

Monitoring and feedback is key to continuous improvement. Set key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the performance and efficiency of your localization. Track metrics like translation accuracy, turnaround times and user satisfaction. Have regular performance reviews to assess individual and team performance. Give constructive feedback to help team members improve and develop. Recognize and celebrate to motivate your team and keep them engaged.