There is no question that the Internet has brought people from around the globe closer (virtually) than ever before, but there are still quite a few barriers to be conquered when one is looking to market  software internationally. English is the unofficial “computer language” of the 21st century, but what if your menus and code were originally written in Mandarin? Or you have software in English but really want to attack the Japanese market? Translating your software is a surefire way to truly take your product global.

A software translation may seem like a daunting task, but I’ve compiled a list of 5 questions to ask before you give a translation agency your project.

1)Will the finished product be tested in-house?

2)Will the translation hinder customer functionality in any way?

3) How will layout and design be affected? This is especially important when translating software into or out of the Roman alphabet.

4)Will the software be globalized, localized, internationalized?

5)Will the translation include things like software manuals, license agreements, warranty agreements and disclaimers?