Localization has never been more essential or complex than it is today. Businesses aiming for global reach rely on seamless translations, localized interfaces, and culturally appropriate content to connect with diverse markets. However, despite all the advancements in localization tools, a critical gap remains: they often fail to meet the needs of buyers.
Localization at scale isn’t for the faint of heart. With 24 languages, 2.7 million words annually, and over 400 developers producing content daily, Pipedrive has mastered the art of agile localization. At the helm of this monumental task is David Edwards, Group Design Manager of Internationalisation.
In a recent episode of The Agile Localization Podcast, David shared insights into how Pipedrive manages its vast and complex localization operations. From the importance of automation to working seamlessly with developers, here’s a behind-the-scenes look at Pipedrive’s localization machine.
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Continuous Localization: Scaling with Automation
Pipedrive operates in a dynamic environment, deploying new updates multiple times a day. Managing such a continuous flow of multilingual content required Pipedrive to embrace automation and scalability.
Central to their strategy is a continuous localization framework supported by translation management software (TMS). Crowdin, their TMS of choice, serves as the single source of truth for all translations. This platform ensures that content flows seamlessly from developers to translators and back into the product with minimal friction. Without such a hub, David notes it would be chaos.
Key to their success is a tight integration between Crowdin and their development pipelines. Every time a developer merges code, the TMS automatically synchronizes the new strings, ensuring translations remain up-to-date without disrupting the developers’ workflow.
Continuous Localization for Your Team
Tackling Linguistic Complexities
With 24 languages to manage, including complex ones like Estonian, Finnish, and Japanese, the team faces unique challenges.
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Agglutinative languages, where endings are added to words, require flexibility and attention to context.
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Languages like Japanese and Korean present challenges with character-based scripts, requiring careful handling of variables and links.
David credits much of their success to their trusted language service provider (LSP), which ensures high-quality translations regardless of linguistic complexity.
Quality Control in High-Speed Environments
Maintaining quality at scale is no small feat. Pipedrive employs a multi-layered approach to ensure their translations meet high standards:
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Clear Roles and Responsibilities: Localization project managers ensure everyone, from translators to developers, understands their role in the process.
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Screenshots and Context: Providing translators with visuals minimizes errors and ensures accurate translations.
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Two-Person Review: Every translation undergoes a two-step process, with an editor reviewing and approving the translator’s work before it goes live.
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Regular QA Audits: External quality audits help identify areas for improvement, ensuring ongoing reliability.
This structured approach has allowed Pipedrive to achieve consistent quality while managing a high volume of translations. Over time, as the team has become more familiar with the system, the frequency of errors has decreased, allowing for more flexibility in quality control.
AI in Localization: A Work in Progress
Despite the hype around AI, Pipedrive has adopted a cautious approach to integrating it into their localization workflows. Initial experiments with AI-powered translations didn’t yield significant cost or time savings for high-impact content like product localization.
However, AI has proven valuable for low-jeopardy content, such as their knowledge base, which operates autonomously in 19 languages. David sees immense potential for AI as its capabilities continue to improve. For now, Pipedrive focuses on balancing automation with human oversight, ensuring quality remains paramount.
Final Thoughts on Agile Localization Masterclass with David Edwards
David and his team at Pipedrive have transformed localization from a daunting challenge into a well-oiled machine. Through automation, clear processes, and a commitment to quality, they’ve built a scalable system capable of handling millions of words across 24 languages.
While challenges remain, Pipedrive’s approach offers valuable lessons for anyone tackling large-scale localization. Whether it’s integrating the right tools, maintaining visibility, or embracing AI thoughtfully, their success is a testament to the power of agile localization done right.
David’s Background
Originally from the UK, David moved to Estonia and transitioned into the tech industry despite a background in national branding and national identity, which he studied during his PhD at the University of Glasgow. At Pipedrive, he oversees the localization of over 2.7 million words across 24 languages annually.
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