If you’re a Product Owner working in the agile application development field, or a translator working for a software publisher, you know how essential it is to remain flexible and responsive to the changing needs of mobile, web, SaaS application development. One major challenge you might face is managing translations and terminology used in your applications. How can you quickly make changes to translations without constantly relying on developers?
Common Challenges in Translation Management
When working in an agile environment, it’s common for requirements to change rapidly. You might need to adjust translations to accommodate new markets, fix errors, or even simply refine wording to enhance the user experience. However, traditionally, this meant engaging developers to make these changes, which could be time-consuming and resource-intensive.
Furthermore, coordinating with external or internal translation teams can be a real headache. Translation deadlines can slow down development, and ensuring linguistic consistency across the entire application can be challenging.
Advantages of Fast I18n
This is where Fast I18n comes into play. This solution empowers Product Owners and translators to quickly edit translations and terms used in their applications without constantly relying on developers. Here are some key benefits:
1. Speed and Autonomy
Fast I18n gives Product Owners and translators the ability to manage translations independently. You can make instant changes without waiting for development resources to become available. This significantly speeds up the translation update process.
2. Cost Reduction
By reducing the dependency on developers for simple translation tasks, Fast I18n saves time and money. Developers can focus on more complex tasks, while Product Owners and translators gain autonomy.
3. Linguistic Consistency
Fast I18n provides tools to ensure linguistic consistency throughout the entire application. You can easily identify and correct linguistic inconsistencies, improving the user experience. Additionally, Fast I18n manages «Translation Management Chaining».
Concrete Use Case Examples
To better understand how Fast I18n can accelerate the translation management process, here are some concrete examples:
1. Quick Error Correction
Imagine launching a new feature, but there’s a translation error in a button. With Fast I18n, you can immediately correct this error without waiting for a code update. The translation will be updated in the applications as soon as the client starts the app.
2. Adapting to Local Markets
Suppose you want to target a new market and need to translate your application into a new language. Instead of going through a complex process, Fast I18n allows you to create and manage these translations easily. Adding a language becomes straightforward.
Practical Tips for Product Owners
To maximize translation management efficiency in an agile environment, here are some practical tips:
1. Train Your Team
Ensure your team is well-trained in using Fast I18n. The more comfortable they are with the tool, the more effectively they can leverage it.
Developers have resources to easily integrate Fast I18n into their projects. Fast I18n integrates with existing solutions such as:
- Vue I18n: vue-i18n
- I18next: react-i18next, i18next-vue, svelte-i18next, I18Next.Net, i18next-php, i18next-ios, i18next-android
- Python: python-i18n
2. Involve Translators
Closely collaborate with your translation team to maintain translation quality. Fast I18n facilitates communication and collaboration between teams.
How Fast I18n Works
Fast I18n works by integrating a translation management system directly into your application. You can add, modify, and delete translations using a user-friendly SaaS interface. Once changes are made, they are visible in the application without requiring a code update. Translations are cached to always use the latest version when the application starts.
Concrete Examples of Use
To illustrate the benefits of Fast I18n, here are some concrete examples of use cases:
Case 1: User Interface Modification
Imagine a development team working on an e-commerce application. Product Owners want to make changes to the user interface, including the “Add to Cart” and “Checkout” buttons. With Fast I18n, product teams can easily update these labels without needing to request changes from developers or touch the application’s source code. This speeds up the deployment of translation changes.
Case 2: Collaboration with External Translators
When the application needs to be translated into multiple languages, and external translators are involved, Fast I18n facilitates collaboration. Translators can work directly on a user-friendly interface from their browsers, without requiring access to the application’s code. The integration of new translations into the application happens automatically once they are ready.
Integration of FastI18n into the Development Process
Integrating Fast I18n into the application development process is simple and effective. Here’s how developers can implement it:
- Library Installation: Developers can integrate Fast I18n into their project by simply installing the library using common package managers like npm or yarn. It is compatible with industry-standard solutions, allowing for easy migration of an existing project to this solution. Compatible libraries include, among others:
- Vue I18n: vue-i18n
- I18next: react-i18next, i18next-vue, svelte-i18next, I18Next.Net, i18next-php, i18next-ios, i18next-android
- Python: python-i18n
- Configuration: Once installed, Fast I18n can be configured to support the target languages of the application.
- Collaboration with Translators: Translators can work on translations using a dedicated tool, making translation management straightforward.
- Integration of Translations: Once translations are ready and validated, they are automatically updated upon application startup. No release is required to incorporate translation changes.
Conclusion
Translation management in agile application development can be a significant challenge. However, with solutions like Fast I18n, Product Owners and translators can gain speed, autonomy, and efficiency. By reducing the time and costs associated with translation management, Fast I18n becomes a valuable asset for agile development teams. So, don’t hesitate to adopt it to simplify your translation management process and provide an exceptional user experience to your international audience.