Windows 7 Localization Quality: A Journey
Ulrike IrmlerPrincipal Group Manager
Microsoft Corporation
1200 developers
500 marketers
Subsidiaries of 60+ markets
1500 developers
250 writers
1200 testers 500 program mgrs
OEMs
developers
It pros
consumers100 loc
Windows Client
Windows Server
Internet Explorer
Windows Marketing
Win32
Managed
Silverlight
DDUEML
AML
HTMLPowerShell
Devices and media
Security
Engineering system
Networking
User Interface
Wireless File System
Kernel
Search
XP Vista Windows 7
SKU Languages 23 35 35
LIP languages 54 57 60
Internal resources* 250 130 100
Software loc model in-house Mixed Outsourced
UA loc model Outsourced Outsourced Outsourced
Deliverables Box Box and Online Box and Online
Delta SKU langs 1->x
120 days 108 days 0 days
Volumes ~1 Million words ~2.5 Million Words ~11 Million words
Releases Client Client Client & Server
77 92 95
*includes project/vendor management, localization engineering and test
Quality Risk Factors
• Aggressive schedule and churn
• Localization tools limitations and improper usage
• Technical and Linguistic complexity
CHURN MANAGEMENT
LOCALIZATION TOOLS & USAGE
German: Title (as in Ms./Dr.)
Turkish: View (noun form)Swedish:
Enter (action)
Managed Code
Bugs per file
native
Context Portal
TECHNICAL AND LINGUISTIC COMPLEXITY
Alphabet Kanji Katakana HiraganaComputer 電子計算機 でんしけいさんき
コンピューター or コンピュータ
こんぴゅーたー or こんぴゅーた
My Computer 私の電子計算機 わたしのでんしけいさんき
マイ コンピューター or マイ コンピュータ
まいこんぴゅーたー or まいこんぴゅーた
Music 音楽 おんがく ミュージック みゅーじっくMy Music 私の音楽 わたしのおんがく マイ ミュージック まいみゅーじっく
Foreign and does not mean anything
Very specific. Sounds too formal and old.
Sounds cool and new. Not sure what it means though.
For children and not used for grown-ups. This is what the children learn first.
Risk by Language and MarketHigh riskHigh risk
Potential riskPotential risk
Potential risk - LIP
Potential risk - LIP
Mitigation Plan
Language Priority Native Triage Vendor support Add engineers
Native functionality
test LQG Self-HostCustomer feedback
Japanese 1 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y
Arabic 2 Y Y Y Y Y
Chinese Simplified 3 Y Y Y Y
Chinese Traditional 4 Y Y Y Y
Hebrew 5 Y Y Y Y Y
Hindi 6 Y
Portuguese (Brazil) 7 Y Y Y Y
Korean 8 Y Y Y Y
Dutch 9 Y Y Y