Localizing engineering

Localization engineering is the field of expertise related to the technological aspects of the cultural adaptation process for content. It involves tasks such as project analysis, content extraction, file preparation, quality control, and integration into the final format.

Companies with a worldwide presence create content for different purposes on a wide variety of platforms and digital media, evolving as rapidly as new technology does. Quite often, translators, reviewers and post-editors lack the tools and the knowledge to identify and extract in a reliable and efficient manner those elements requiring cultural adaptation. That is the main reason why localization engineering knowledge is key. It facilitates the communication between the content creation stage, the language processing, and the integration of the adapted elements, which ultimately delivers the product to the target audience.

This entry describes the most common tasks where the role of the localization engineer adds value to the process. In addition, the different types of projects often requiring localization engineering are described. A special mention is made regarding the advantages of using specific technology for process optimization, productivity improvement and linguistic quality control. Finally, we will elaborate on the skills and training necessary for a professional from another discipline in the localization industry to acquire the knowledge required for a position as a localization engineer.