EP99 Localization debt: the hidden bottleneck slowing down your launch

About this episode

Jay Stansell interviews Andrew Sachs about localization debt and its impact on product launches.

Summary In this episode, Jay Stansell interviews Andrew Sachs, a veteran in product strategy and localization. They discuss the concept of localization debt, the evolution of localization solutions, and the importance of integrating localization into product development from the start. Andrew shares insights on the differences between Smartling and Google Translate, the challenges of ensuring translation quality, and the necessity of building a business case for localization. The conversation also touches on data privacy concerns and the future of translation technology, including real-time translation capabilities. Takeaways * Localization debt arises when language considerations are an afterthought. * Manual processes in localization lead to accumulating debt. * The shift to cloud-based solutions has transformed localization. * Machine translation has evolved but still requires human oversight. * Quality in translation is subjective and requires native speakers. * A global-first approach should be integrated into product development. * Building a business case for localization is essential for market success. * Localization should be considered in the design and development…

People in this episode

Host: Jay Stansell

Guest: Andrew Sachs

Topics covered

• localization debt
• product development
• translation quality
• data privacy
• real-time translation

Keywords

• localization solutions
• Smartling
• Google Translate
• cloud-based solutions
• machine translation
• global-first approach
• AI integration

Mentioned in this episode

Products: Smartling, Google Translate

Books & works: Understanding Localization Debt, Evolution of Localization Solutions, Building a Global-First, The Future of Translation Technology

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