Just last week I visited with a past customer with a possible new project. Actually I was there primarily discussing implementing Globalyzer, and they brought up the possibility of having our team provide services for them. The situation was not unusual in that they had clear high-level directives (as in get it done yesterday) for the internationalization effort, but hadn’t figured out the how part of the equation. As is often the case, the first request was to do an extensive assessment and architectural document. I told them what I’m going to tell you here. We’ve found projects that start with detailed technical assessments and documentation, often end up stalled for a year or more.

1. 4/30/2010 Software Internationalization Project A…
Getting Globalization Projects Approved and Started Fast
Internationalization Articles September 27th, 2007
Share this Article: Forward to an associate right now (requires a Pop-up window)
Just last week I visited with a past customer with a possible new project. Actually I was
there primarily discussing implementing Globalyzer, and they brought up the possibility of having our team provide
services for them.
The situation was not unusual in that they had clear high-level directives (as in get it done yesterday) for the
internationalization effort, but hadn’t figured out the how part of the equation. As is often the case, the first
request was to do an extensive assessment and architectural document. I told them what I’m going to tell you here.
We’ve found projects that start with detailed technical assessments and documentation, often end up stalled for a
year or more.
While assessing and architecting are essential activities, they don’t give executives the Return on Investment (ROI)
answers, nor the teams involved the picture they need to initiate development. After seeing many projects flounder,
we’ve changed our approach with our customers to first perform a quick budget analysis and project plan. We do
this through a combination of interviewing technical staff and management to quickly gain architectural knowledge,
while leading discussions on requirements.
In parallel, we perform a detailed code analysis using Globalyzer, a leading software internationalization tool, to
create an accurate inventory of code-level issues including embedded strings, locale-support-limiting methods and
functions and analysis of the database schema. By combining our methodologies with Globalyzer’s broad power, we
can get a quick picture of what must be done, even over very large and complex code bases.
This in turn gives our customers a set of numbers, requirements and time frames from which they can align
budgeting, resources and global sales and marketing efforts. Once that’s taken care of, more detailed design and
implementation is ready to begin.
Take the time to read our Globalization ROI whitepaper in our download library. It provides example ROI formulas to
help you think and present software globalization in terms your CFO or other executive members will appreciate. For
him or her, approval will be first about presenting returns and a clear path to success, rather than interest in the
detailed technical issues covered in an architectural document.
Got a project that needs internationalization yesterday? Contact us to get it on the fast track.
Share this Article: Forward to an associate right now (requires a Pop-up window)
http://www.lingoport.com/roivstech 1/3

2. 4/30/2010 Software Internationalization Project A…
Return to Newsletter
Resources
Internationalization Articles
Internationalization Newsletter
Internationalization Whitepapers
Videos
Webinars
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter and white papers for free internationalization news, articles, and Webinar
announcements sent via email.
Click Here to Subscribe
Contact Us
Phone: +1.303.444.8020
Email: info@lingoport.com
http://www.lingoport.com/roivstech 2/3

3. 4/30/2010 Software Internationalization Project A…
http://www.lingoport.com/roivstech 3/3