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Implementing the XLIFF Format Dell Inc. and Adams Globalization

Implementing the XLIFF Format Dell Inc. and Adams Globalization. Michael MacGregor – Dell Inc. Vivek Anand – Adams Globalization LISA Summit June, 2006. Agenda. Setting the Stage: Dell’s Partnership with Adams Globalization Identifying Software Development Challenges:

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Implementing the XLIFF Format Dell Inc. and Adams Globalization

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  1. Implementing the XLIFF FormatDell Inc. and Adams Globalization Michael MacGregor – Dell Inc. Vivek Anand – Adams Globalization LISA Summit June, 2006

  2. Agenda • Setting the Stage: Dell’s Partnership with Adams Globalization • Identifying Software Development Challenges: • Simultaneous Release of English and Localized Products • Multiple File Formats for Localization • Addressing Challenges: • Standardizing Deliverables and Processes • Criteria for Selecting a Standard • Implementing XLIFF as a Standard • Managing “Sim-ship” Issues with “Boneless” XLIFF • Increasing Efficiency through Parallel Localization Processes • XLIFF in Action: Translation and Issue Resolution • Additional Benefits of XLIFF Adoption • Summary • Q&A

  3. Background and Introduction Dell Inc. partners with Adams Globalization to deliver localized solutions to the global market Multi-Regional Software Development Localization (L10n) Technologies Custom L10n Solutions Global Product Testing

  4. Implementation Integration and Testing Deployment Development Submit Strings for Translation Integrate Translated Strings Integrate Adjusted Strings Deploy Product Translation Translate Strings Adjust Translations Product Testing Test Translations Report Issues Regress Issues SW Localization ChallengesClassic Development Cycle • Translation: • Provide translations • Ensure file integrity • Resolve content issues reported by test • Product Testing: • Confirm L10n functionality • Validate translations • Report issues found during test • Development: • L10n impact to product functionality • Ensure Internationalization readiness • Integrate translations into builds • Deploy product to global market

  5. English Development English Release Localization Development Localized Release English Development Global Release Localization Development SW Localization ChallengesSimultaneous Release Delayed Release: • Localized version is released some time after completion of English version of application Simultaneous Release: • Localized code ships simultaneously with English version • Single release to all regions – one media kit • Faster time to market • Presents a “moving target” – English can change during translations

  6. Software Component A Software Component C Software Component B Software Component D Software Component E Software Component F Custom A ANSI XML Style Sheet UTF -8 Multi-Lang XML UTF -8 Windows RC ANSI Java Properties UTF -8 UCN Esc XML File UTF -8 Windows MSI Unicode C++ Resource UTF -8 Properties File UTF -16LE SW Development ChallengesMultiple Development Environments Application (Suite) • Different technologies are used in each software suite component • Some components may utilize several different technologies, often requiring different file formats for string resources • Some formats are customized, unique to the product • This results in a project that requires multiple file formats to be localized

  7. Deliver Java Properties UTF -8 UCN Esc XML File UTF -8 Multi-Lang XML UTF -8 C++ Resource UTF -8 XML Style Sheet UTF -8 Windows MSI Unicode Windows RC ANSI Custom A ANSI Properties File UTF -16LE Translate Assess Pre-Translate Translate QC Assess Pre-Translate Pre-Translate Assess Pre-Translate Translate QC Assess Pre-Translate QC Assess QC Translate Translate Assess Translate Assess Pre-Translate Translate QC Assess Pre-Translate Translate QC Pre-Translate Translate QC QC Pre-Translate QC Assess SW Development ChallengesMultiple File Formats in Translation • Translations grouped by file type • String segments unique for type • Separate efforts in preparation, pre-translation, and QC • Each application has its own validation specifications • Difficult to automate • More risks to integrating translations Multiple formats result in very low leveraging across different file formats

  8. Deliver XML Style Sheet UTF -8 XML File UTF -8 Multi-Lang XML UTF -8 Java Properties UTF -8 UCN Esc Windows RC ANSI Windows MSI Unicode Custom A ANSI C++ Resource UTF -8 Properties File UTF -16LE Adjust QC QC Adjust Adjust Adjust Adjust Adjust Adjust Adjust QC QC QC QC Search QC QC QC DFCT Adjust SW Development ChallengesMultiple File Formats in Issue Resolution • Search through multiple files • Multiple instances across file types difficult to manage • Same validation issues as translation Similar challenges are presented when resolving translation issues reported during test

  9. XML Style Sheet UTF -8 C++ Resource UTF -8 Windows RC ANSI Windows MSI Unicode Custom A ANSI Java Properties UTF -8 UCN Esc Multi-Lang XML UTF -8 XML File UTF -8 Properties File UTF -16LE Standardized File Format QC QC Adjust QC Adjust QC Adjust Adjust QC Adjust QC QC Adjust QC Adjust QC Adjust Adjust Automated QC Single Process XSL Translation Memory Common Translation Memory Format Translation Memory Translation Memory Translation Memory Translation Memory Translation Memory Translation Memory Translation Memory StandardizationLocalization Deliverables & Processes Standardization • With standardization, only one file format is used • Achieves common translation memory format, which increases leveragability across components, and consistency of translations • Single process stream for all localization activities with automated QC

  10. StandardizationSelecting A Standard Criteria for selecting a standard • Cannot be a custom file format, must be an industry standard • Unicode (UTF-8) • Easy to adopt by Development and by Translation • Facilitates content management • Protects terms not to be translated • Easy to validate with automation • Extensible

  11. StandardizationSelecting A Standard - XLIFF • XML-based format • Extensible Namespaces • Project related data • Neatly packaged units for translations • Clearly defined segments • Enables “locked” text segments • Enables “locked” trans units • Comments available for translators OASIS XML Localization Interchange File Format (XLIFF)

  12. Parse & Extract Translate Convert English Resource File English XLIFF File Implementing XLIFFOutbound Translations • Separate translatable strings from other text • Copy or convert data into XML • Protect non-translatable terms • Build XML file

  13. Translate Rebuild Integrate English Resource File Translated XLIFF File Localized Resource File Implementing XLIFFInbound Translations • Retrieve translations from XLIFF file • Build localized resource file (using latest English version) • No “Skeleton” (SKL) file

  14. Parse & Extract Translate Rebuild Convert English Resource File (Updated) English Resource File English XLIFF File Localized Resource File Translated XLIFF File SKL File Implementing XLIFFUsing SKL File Development continues Files do NOT match • SKL file holds non-translatable text • XLIFF holds translatable text • Application fails to launch • Functional failure in application at runtime

  15. Parse & Extract Translate Rebuild Convert English Resource File (Updated) English Resource File English XLIFF File Localized Resource File Translated XLIFF File SKL File Implementing XLIFFBoneless - Without SKL File Development continues Files Match • No SKL file used • XLIFF still holds translatable text • Some English text may appear • Application functions normally

  16. Parallel Processing through XLIFF StandardizationSerial Processes • Standardization facilitates parallel process in localization TRANSLATE TEST TRANSLATE ADJUST TRANSLATE TEST QUAL TEST ADJUST ADJUST • Each group must wait for file to become available • Issue resolution cannot start until Translation is complete • Translation must wait for adjustments to finish • Test Team cannot test while edits are in progress • Excessive “downtime”, lacks efficiency

  17. Parallel Processing through XLIFF StandardizationParallel Processes • Standardization facilitates parallel process in localization • Resources are broken into subsets for each process team • While translation is under way, Issue Resolution can still occur • Changes from Translation and/or Issue Resolution are integrated as they arrive • Test is able to focus on the latest changes, reducing cycle time • Compressed project cycle; more efficient utilization of resources TRANSLATE TEST TRANSLATE ADJUST TRANSLATE TEST QUAL TEST ADJUST ADJUST TRANSLATE TRANSLATE TRANSLATE TEST TEST QUAL TEST ADJUST ADJUST ADJUST

  18. Process improvements through XLIFF adoption • Increased leveragability • Improved product quality • Improved efficiency of processes • Drastically reduce pre-translation activities • Fewer file integrity issues • Less overall down time

  19. Convert XLIFF File UTF -8 Content Manager Process improvements through XLIFF adoption • Extensible format enables tool-based change tracking and audit capabilities Software Development Stream Reporting Localization Development Stream • XLIFF implementation changed localization processes without impacting main stream software development processes

  20. Deliver Convert Windows RC ANSI XLIFF File UTF -8 XML Style Sheet UTF -8 Properties File UTF -16LE Custom A ANSI C++ Resource UTF -8 Windows MSI Unicode Java Properties UTF -8 UCN Esc XML File UTF -8 Multi-Lang XML UTF -8 Translate Assess Pre-Translate Translate Pre-Translate QC Pre-Translate QC Pre-Translate Pre-Translate Translate QC Assess QC Assess Assess Assess Translate Translate Assess Pre-Translate Assess Pre-Translate Translate QC QC Translate Pre-Translate Pre-Translate QC Translate QC Assess Translate QC Assess Process improvements through XLIFF adoption Standardized Format in Translation • Tools convert multiple file types into one common format – enabling standardization without impacting code development processes • Processing complexity minimal – need for only one CAT filter • Increased leverage of localized content across multiple components • QC fully automated for XLIFF files

  21. Process improvements through XLIFF adoption CAT – Without XLIFF Translatable text not easily identifiable Tags are included in word counts Editing tags breaks the file Special terminology not protected

  22. Process improvements through XLIFF adoption CAT – With XLIFF Translatable text in target tags All other text cannot be edited Sections within a string can also be blocked

  23. Deliver XML Style Sheet UTF -8 XML File UTF -8 Multi-Lang XML UTF -8 Java Properties UTF -8 UCN Esc XLIFF File UTF-8 Windows RC ANSI C++ Resource UTF -8 Custom A ANSI Properties File UTF -16LE Windows MSI Unicode Adjust Search QC Adjust QC Adjust QC Adjust QC QC Adjust QC Adjust QC Adjust DFCT Adjust QC QC Adjust Process improvements through XLIFF adoption Standardized Format in Issue Resolution • Single search point for all strings related to a software component • Common format reduces risk of file corruption by using one standard • XLIFF file format provides associated English string in <source> tag for quick and easy reference • Use of <mrk> tags prevent adjusting of strings currently out for translation, avoiding potential version conflicts

  24. Process improvements through XLIFF adoption Issue Resolution with XLIFF String is out for translation Translator cannot modify any part of string Note identifies why the string is blocked English Text is next to translation

  25. Additional Benefits through XLIFF adoption • Achieved cost savings through reduced overhead and greater leveraging (30% reduction in cost) • Revolutionized the level of client-vendor cooperation in bringing high quality localized products to Dell’s Enterprise customers worldwide • Seamless interface between Software Development and Translation • Simplified process enables greater visibility to issues; easier to root cause and resolve with less “finger pointing” • Simplified processes and logistics allow for greater focus on additional process improvements

  26. Summary • By standardizing localization deliverables, many of the challenges surrounding a large scale effort can be resolved • Reduced overhead for processing files • Increased leveragability for multiple components • Safer file handling for translation and issue resolution • Easier to implement automation • No further need for customization for new products or additional languages • Standardized process can help foster better communication between client/vendor, improved cost savings for both organizations, and set the stage for future process improvements

  27. Q&A ?

  28. References • XLIFF is featured in the 19 Sept 2005 edition of XML Journal"What Is XLIFF and Why Should I Use It?" • XLIFF 1.1 Specification, Committee Specification, 31 Oct 2003 • XLIFF 1.1 Schema, Committee Specification, 31 Oct 2003 • Physical Map of The World, 2003 http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/world_maps/world_rel_803005AI_2003.jpg

  29. OASIS XLIFF Specification • What is XLIFF? • OASIS XML Localization Interchange File Format (XLIFF) • XML based format, which provides a common ground for localization development to occur unhindered by custom or proprietary formatting requirements • “The purpose of the OASIS XLIFF TC is to define, through extensible XML vocabularies, and promote the adoption of, a specification for the interchange of [localizable] software and document based objects and related metadata. “ • http://www.oasis-open.org/committees/tc_home.php?wg_abbrev=xliff • XLIFF standard reduces risk of human error throughout localization development • Provides clearly defined nodes for translatable content • Defined nodes for comments, protected content, concatenation grouping, and other key information that may be useful to translators, but should not be counted as part of the translation word count • Original English text included along side translations, easily referenced • XML format facilitates automated QA

  30. Summary • by standardizing file formats, many of the challenged we discussed have been resolved • we’ve reduced overhead for file processing • we’ve increased leveragability across all components • single file format means safer handling for translation and issue resolution • and we’ve been able to automate the QC process • by choosing xliff, we’ve standardized our processes, with no further need for customization • standardized processes have improved our communication, and improved cost savings for both organizations. we’ve also set the stage for future process improvements

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