Chinese Localization of a Foreign Exchange Analytics System
The project 
Shinetech’s responsibilities: software Internationalization, software & online help & database localization
Original language: English
Target language: Simplified Chinese
Technology: Java
Workload: 650,000 words
The Client
Focusing on foreign exchange and interest rate derivatives, the UK client provides investment advice and actionable trading strategies to its customers of well-known finance businesses.
The issue
At the beginning, Shinetech was responsible for the maintenance/support of the client's online foreign exchange analytics system which has run for more than 10 years. Read the case study
With the cooperation going forward smoothly, the client required Shinetech to carry on the Chinese localization work of the system.
Solution
Since that Shinetech ODC for the client had been familiar with the system for the long–term maintenance and enhancement of it, Shinetech localization team soon provided a total localization solution with minimal training and technical support from the client.
The system localization comprised following key aspects:
Internationalization--- internationalize the system so that it can be adapted to various languages and regions without engineering changes.
Resource files---access the UI resource files and convert them into RTF files, translate the menus, dialog boxes and strings in the RTF files, resize the user interface forms, and select menu hot keys.
Product screenshots---recreate new screenshots showing Chinese text, and transferring hot spots for links within the Help files.
Online help files--- integrate the Chinese screenshots into the online help files, so ensure that the subsequent translation of the Help files matched the actual menus, messages and dialog boxes.
Translation of user manuals--- reuse the TM and glossaries from the translation of the software and the online Help files by use of Trados and Catalyst for maximum of consistency and cost benefits.
Database redesign---redesign the database structure so that the system could show corresponding language (English or Simplified Chinese) according to the user's login language or its operation system's language.
Quality assurance
- Consistency check: careful check of the translation consistency among the UI, online help and the documents.
- Testing activities: linguistic testing+ smoke testing+ cosmetic testing (ie. UI testing)+ Functional testing made up the key testing activities of the project.
Results
The system completely supports Chinese OS and has already been put into use in a bank in shanghai, China.
- Shinetech's Java expertise and rich experience in software testing shortened the localization cycle.
- The tailored localization process assured the rational arrangement of the resources to reduce the cost of human resources without compromising to the quality.
- Special localization tools guaranteed the quality and shortened the localization cycle.
- The training and technical support cost was significantly cut since that we have been familiar with the system in the software maintenance phase.
