NAVIGATING E-LEARNING LOCALIZATION
A practical guide for translators, instructional designers and e-learning specialists
Preparing e-learning materials for a global audience. Internationalization, neutralization, translation and localization
NAVIGATING E-LEARNING
LOCALIZATION
practical guide for translators, instructional designers and e-learning specialists
Preparing e-learning materials for a global audience. Internationalization, neutralization, translation and localization
Who’s involved in the process? Key roles and stakeholders
Step 0. Internationalization. Laying the foundation for effective e-learning localization
Localization workflow
Step 1. Finalizing the source version
Step 2. Extracting content for translation
Step 3. Translation
Step 4. Reengineering
Quality assurance: ensuring the accuracy of localization
Common challenges and possible solutions in e-learning localization
Streamlining e-learning localization with AI: innovative tools for smarter, faster, and more cost-effective multilingual content
PREPARING E-LEARNING MATERIALS FOR A GLOBAL AUDIENCE
Internationalization, neutralization, translation, localization
To make your e-learning solutions suitable for a global audience, you can use strategies that take into account essential criteria such as your budget, the time-constrains, the nature of the topic being learnt, the needs of the learners, the characteristics of the target audience or the target language, among others. And yes, translation can be one of those strategies but translation is not the only strategy available to optimize your e-learning materials for a global audience. So, first of all, let’s clarify the possible strategies at your disposal: internationalization (or i18n), neutralization, translation and localization.
Based on the degree of adaptation to specific audiences, their languages and cultures, these strategies are sequential and interconnected, building a continuum. The basis of this continuum is internationalization, since all other strategies build upon it. So, let’s start with internationalization, which will lay out the foundation for the other three.
A_Internationalization
Internationalization is a concept we borrow from the software and web industries that can be defined as “the process of designing and developing a product, application, or document in such a way that it can
be easily adapted for various languages and cultural contexts without requiring extensive reengineering”. The key goal of internationalization is to ensure that content, user interfaces, software, and digital platforms are flexible and ready for localization into different languages and regions.
E-learning materials share many common points with those industries but there are particular aspects that must be considered to take into account the specific interactive and multimedia nature of e-learning content. We will deal in detail with the internationalization process later but here you have a summary of the main points:
• Identifying appropriate resources that will streamline the localization process
• Building in accessibility, at least AA-level compliance
• Designing neutral content and writing for a global audience that will make the eventual translation process smoother
• Choosing visual, text and multimedia that will fit well in other cultural contexts Planning for flexibility and text expansion for languages that require more space than the course language.
Internationalization sets the foundation for translation and localization since it makes them easier by designing and developing a flexible and easy to adapt learning solution. It also enables neutralization as part of the content strategy since the content itself requires minimal or no adaptation.
On the other hand, internationalization does require an upfront investment and technical complexity the benefits of which might not always be obvious at the very first stages of a project. It also requires a know-how and awareness that no everyone in the e-learning industry has. I hope this guide contributes to changing that!
However, internationalization alone will not bring you very far. It does provide the structure for a successful localization
process but you still have to figure out what the best strategy for you and your target audience is.
B_Neutralization
Neutralization refers to the process of creating content in a way that minimizes the need for extensive localization. Essentially, it involves designing more generalized or culturally neutral e-learning materials to make them broadly understandable without requiring translation or significant adaptation.
In e-learning, neutralization typically involves keeping the content in a single, widely understood language, most often English, while avoiding heavily regionspecific, culturally bound, or linguistically complex elements.
Hard truths from my localization projects
Case Study: A Cautionary Tale of Poor Internationalization Planning
• About the project
I worked on a global e-learning course on trade issues, developed in English for an international audience. Unfortunately, the course design didn’t anticipate future language versions. Everything was tightly packed onto slides with all the content placed on the base layer, which made the localization into French an incredibly challenging task.
• Challenges encountered From the outset, it was clear that internationalization hadn’t been part of the plan. There was no content chunking, and the Storyline resources, like layers, weren’t used effectively. On top of that, each slide included complex voice-over and animations, which added an extra layer of difficulty. To make the course ready for localization, I had to extensively restructure it: splitting slides, reorganizing content into
layers, and readjusting animations.
• Lessons learnt This project drove home a tough reality: the quality of the source version directly impacts the quality of the localized output. It’s the classic case of “garbage in, garbage out.” For me, this experience reinforced the importance of:
• Early Involvement: Having localization experts involved from the beginning to ensure the course is flexible and wellstructured.
• Proposing Reviews: If localization experts are brought in late, insisting on a quality review of the source version before starting the localization process.
• Knowing When to Say No: Sometimes, if a source version isn’t suitable, declining the project might be the only way to maintain quality standards.
B1_Linguistic Neutralization
When neutralizing language, the content is written using simple, clear, and universally understandable terms. For example:
- Avoiding idiomatic expressions, slang, and metaphors that may be confusing for nonnative speakers.
- Using plain language and avoiding overly complex sentence structures that might be difficult for learners who speak the language as a second or third language.
- Sticking to terminology that is widely recognized in the field or using international standards.
B2_Visual Neutralization
The imagery, icons, and visual design of the e-learning module should avoid cultural specifics. This includes:
- Using symbols and visuals that are universally recognized (e.g., using a generic envelope icon for email rather than a mailbox icon specific to a certain country, using the image of gold coins instead of country-specific banknotes).
- Selecting images and characters with diverse, multicultural appearances to make the content feel inclusive and globally relevant.
B3_Content Neutralization
The content itself is designed to be as culture-agnostic as possible. This involves:
- Avoiding references to specific holidays, events, or local customs that may not be relevant to a global audience.
- Designing case studies, scenarios, and examples in a way that they can apply to various cultural settings without extensive modification.
B4_Interface and Multimedia Neutralization
For multimedia elements like videos, audio, and interactive activities:
- Using voice-over or subtitles in a neutral accent that is easily understood by a global audience (e.g., a mid-Atlantic English accent).
- Keeping interface elements (e.g., navigation buttons) in English or using icons whenever possible, while ensuring they are intuitive, so even those with limited English proficiency can navigate the course.
Neutralization, within this continuum of strategies, will make the translation process easier and smoother since the content has been simplified. For obvious reasons, when neutralization happens, localization is not really on the agenda anymore since content, language, visuals and multimedia have been made neutral.
This option is then cost-effective, save times – no need to wait for translation or localization –and maintains consistency across diverse groups, regions, or countries.
Neutrality can be a very helpful strategy but it also comes with challenges and limitations like finding the right balance between neutral and relevant content, between neutral and creative content. In some cases, neutralization can make the content feel generic or uninspiring, without culturally specific references or meaningful storytelling which can lead to learner disengagement.
In other cases, neutralization alone is insufficient, for example in highly regulated industries where compliance training may need to be recreated or localized to address country-specific regulations, legal requirements, and terminology.
C_Translation
Translation is the most well-known strategy of localization. It involves converting the text of the e-learning course into a different language, without changing the design, multimedia, or instructional approach.
Translation is frequently used in large international organizations or corporations. In these cases, it’s important that all employees—no matter their language, culture, or location—work through the exact same training, ensuring consistency in how they understand critical policies or rules, for example. This consistency helps avoid differences in interpreting guidelines that are essential to the organization’s functioning since training courses are offered in multiple languages (e.g., English, French, Spanish), using the same images, scenarios, and exercises. This ensures uniformity in how policies are communicated, making it ideal for content that must be interpreted and applied consistently.
However, given that the content has not been adapted to the local cultural context, the learning experience might feel disconnected or irrelevant to the target audience.
When the internationalization process has not been performed correctly, the translation stage can face serious technical constraints such as inappropriate authoring tools to display right-toleft language or lack of space for text expansion. It is therefore essential to take into account internationalization right from the beginning of the project.
D_Localization
Localization goes beyond translation, in most cases, it adapts the text as well as also the multimedia, images, icons, and instructional strategies to suit the cultural norms and preferences of the target audience. In this stage, localization touches every aspect of the course to ensure it is fully relevant to the learners’ environment and needs.
Localization may also involve adapting case studies, adjusting the tone of communication, or modifying interactive elements (such as quizzes or discussions) to fit the local learning context.
However, localization might not always require translation but still requires adapting multimedia, images, or instructional strategies. Think, for example, of an e-learning course developed in
English for a USA audience that needs to be adapted for a South African, Australian or Irish audience. It would still be English but specific components will still need localizing. It could also be the case of an e-learning module developed in Spanish for an audience in Spain that needs to be delivered in Mexico. The images might not be relevant, the video voice-over would need to be replaced by a Mexican speaker and even the language might be reviewed, but not translated. They might not be the most frequent examples but they are nevertheless also possible localization projects that illustrate perfectly how localization is much more than just translation.
Full localization ensures a deeper connection with learners by making the course feel native and tailored to their specific context. This level of adaptation increases engagement, comprehension, and retention, but it requires more time, effort, and resources.
However, localization can be more complex and time-consuming than the other strategies we have previously seen since it implies not only translation but also cultural adaptation of multimedia elements, visuals, scenarios, examples or learning activities. This complexity can result in higher costs, especially when dealing with multiple languages. Furthermore, ensuring consistency across different localized versions can be challenging. Maintaining the same quality standards and overall experience while adapting to different cultural norms requires careful coordination.
Despite the added value of localization, some limitations and challenges need to be taken into account. Despite best efforts, localized content may not always resonate perfectly with all target audiences. Regional language variations, for example, in Arabic or Spanish, can create unforeseen issues that require further adaptation. Successful localization requires the involvement of local experts or native speakers who understand the cultural and linguistic nuances of the target audience. Accessing this expertise can sometimes be difficult, particularly for specialized content.
Summary of strategies. Finding the balance
I18N NEUTRALIZATION TRANSLATION LOCALIZATION
WHAT IS IT?
Designing and developing e-learning content that is flexible and ready for localization
Creating content in a way that minimizes the need for localization
RELATIONSHIP TO THE OTHER STRATEGIES
CHALLENGES
> Enables neutralization as a part of the content strategy
> Provides the foundations for translation and localization
> Makes the translation process easier, smoother, simpler
> Is not really relevant for localization
Converting textual elements from the source language into the target language
Adapting all relevant aspects to suit the cultural norms and preferences of the target audience
Subprocess of localization
LIMITATIONS
> Upfront investment
> Technical complexity
> Finding the right balance between neutrality and relevance > Limited creativity
Provides the structure, lays out the foundation but does not do the cultural adaptation > Reduced engagement
> Insufficient / not possible in some cases when necessary to deal with specificities
No cultural adaption, might feel disconnected or irrelevant
> Easier process when follows i18n
> The opposite of neutralization
> Does not always require translation
> Complexity & cost
> Maintaining consistency across localized versions
Technical constraints if the source version not developed properly
> Dependency on expertise
(local or native speakers required)
> Not always a 100% cultural fit
Alongside these strategies, the following criteria will play a big role in that decisionmaking process:
• Budget, that will vary based on the cost of translation, multimedia localization, etc.
•Time constraints that will define what is feasible or not in each specific project
• Nature of the e-learning topic that will set the tone for content specificities
• The target audience, their culture, their context, their needs, … As for any other learning project, you must know your audience.
• The target language, regional varieties and their implications
• Expertise available for the target language which can be challenging in specific contexts
• The stakeholders involved in the project.
In the next chapter we’ll be having a closer look at this last point: who are the most frequent.
chapter
02
coming next …
Who’s involved in the process? Key roles and stakeholders
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