3 Things That Hurt Effective Localization Project Management

Localization management is the way a company plans and implements a translation project. The localization managers play a vital role in making it a true success. But their job is not easy as they need to have knowledge in various fields, from human resources to linguistics. It’s these localization managers who are handling projects and all the workflows, communicating with clients, and collaborating with professionals around the world. 

Thus, planning and organizational skills are extremely vital for localization managers to effectively play their part. However, if there is a lack of planning, communication & reporting practices are not up to the mark, or a proper translation project management platform or tool is not used, even seasoned localization professionals can run into problems. 

Let’s take a closer look at 3 of the most common things that may hurt or lessen the effectiveness of localization project management.

i) To Over-Promise and show Unassertiveness

It’s not uncommon for a localization manager to come under pressure especially when it comes to undertaking more tasks, meeting a deadline, or moving it up to deliver multiple projects in a timely fashion. Therefore, it’s vital for a localization professional to be assertive about whether or not the task will be feasible. If you simply answer “I will see later what I can do here” or “maybe” to requests, it means you run yourself into problems that could send you weeks or even months of stress.

As a good localization manager, you should always scope out the project well. It will make your life a lot easier if you get a nice idea of the project duration. How you know it depends on your experience. Most professionals keep track of the hours they spend on each task, which helps to estimate the total project duration. 

After you’ve estimated how long a project will take, try not to mention a specific delivery date. Instead, you can offer a range that acts as an excellent safety buffer for delivering the project on time. For instance, you can add two weeks to the project duration you estimated in the first place. This will help you keep yourself away from the stress of moving fast or consuming too much time. The primary stakeholder will also be happy with your speed if you deliver within your timeline. 

ii) Planning Things only Inside your Brain

This happens to most of us. We generally plan things inside our heads and believe that we’ll remember them later. For someone like localization professionals, this presents an increasingly difficult challenge. Simply because they have got multiple projects or tasks to handle, each having a different prioritization level. 

Therefore, it’s crucial to have a written plan for everything. Your plan should mention a proper workflow to deliver a project within the time and budget constraints. By preparing such a plan, you let your team members know about your expectations of them. Your manager can also see this plan and get an overview of the entire project. Lastly, it could serve as an excellent presentation that you can showcase to potential clients in order to sell your services. A top localization management platform such as MarsHub is what you may require for your specific needs. You will get all the organizational tools in one place and can customize them for more actionable workflows for your job.

iii) Lack of Communication

Effective localization management necessitates proper communication with all the stakeholders, especially translators. If you don’t provide them with enough instructions, you’re sure to receive less than expected results. After all, translators can’t read what you’re thinking. So, if you don’t communicate things properly, you should be ready to welcome a huge amount of work that needs redoing. 

Communication can become a far greater challenge when you have to collaborate with remote teams. As per statistics, almost 90% of all localization projects involve remote handling. With that said, you as a localization manager should communicate effectively and make use of all the tools that could streamline your communication with the team and other stakeholders. For instance, you can make technology your best friend and invest in a localization management system. The best localization management system would be one that brings everyone together for you. This will reduce the number of messages and emails sent by 70-80%. There will be fewer miscommunications. All your translators, editors, and proofreader will be on the same page no matter which part of the world they are in. When there are no communication gaps, teams tend to perform better, and productivity increases. As a result, you as a localization manager will be able to finish projects on time with precise deliverables.

Also, read Effective Localization Project Management