Localization in Information Technology Industries

The information technology industry is a broad one, a varied sector of the world’s economy that encompasses a gigantic range of uses, productions and distributions all over the world. From the provision, management and maintenance of internet services, to organising and distributing different forms of data, to the buying and selling of products online – the information technology industry knows almost no bounds in regards to its reach and what counts as “IT.” In this article we’re here to uncover a few things, such as: what exactly the IT industry is, how localization fits into said industry, and why it’s important to have your localization carried out properly and efficiently.

Let’s start with a statistic, according to Fortune Global 500 Magazine: Apple, Samsung, Sony, Amazon, Alphabet and Microsoft are among the top-ten highest grossing tech companies, and in 2016 brought in over $800 billion in revenue collectively. That’s an impressive number, almost a trillion dollars in revenue, but is that IT? And what makes any of those companies IT based? Well the answer to the former question is seemingly up for debate by many people in differing contexts, however the definition of IT is pretty simple. Information technology comes down to, the utilisation of computers to store, study, retrieve, transmit or manipulate differing forms of virtual data and information. With that definition in mind, it’s very easy to see why some may see what does and does not fit into the IT industry as a debatable conversation.

The argument here comes down to context, what company does what, in which way, and for what reason. From a general sense, is Microsoft any different to Apple? And if Google can be seen as an IT company, why can’t Amazon? Again, it comes down to context, and when we’re looking at companies of such huge scale, with such a large revenue stream coming from differing subsidiaries, it becomes a difficult topic to manage.

Let’s start with a statistic, according to Fortune Global 500 Magazine: Apple, Samsung, Sony, Amazon, Alphabet and Microsoft are among the top-ten highest grossing tech companies, and in 2016 brought in over $800 billion in revenue collectively. That’s an impressive number, almost a trillion dollars in revenue, but is that IT? And what makes any of those companies IT based? Well the answer to the former question is seemingly up for debate by many people in differing contexts, however the definition of IT is pretty simple. Information technology comes down to, the utilisation of computers to store, study, retrieve, transmit or manipulate differing forms of virtual data and information. With that definition in mind, it’s very easy to see why some may see what does and does not fit into the IT industry as a debatable conversation.

The argument here comes down to context, what company does what, in which way, and for what reason. From a general sense, is Microsoft any different to Apple? And if Google can be seen as an IT company, why can’t Amazon? Again, it comes down to context, and when we’re looking at companies of such huge scale, with such a large revenue stream coming from differing subsidiaries, it becomes a difficult topic to manage.

Is the Information Technology Industry Just Tech?

Let’s look at the core of information technology; in a wider lens, we understand it as retrieving, distributing and creating information with the use of technology. However, when you think of an “IT” company, its responsibilities may be far more specific than that. Although once again on a large scale, Cisco, Comcast and AT&T are great examples of IT companies, especially in regard to their distribution of information, such as internet access. Responsibilities of someone working for these companies may include administration, of networks, equipment, or software, installation and development of software, or planning, management and implementation of technology for use within the company, otherwise known as tending to the company’s technology-cycle.

Other intentions of companies in the information technology industry include: building and maintaining system architecture, database and application design, operation and system support and security services. We may not feel that Microsoft, the creators of the Xbox are in the information technology industry, but we must remember that the same company created the Windows operating system, and the Office software suite. Just because these companies are large in scale, should not overshadow the fact that they set out to do the same thing as a service such as AVG Security, or that of a local UK company.

The list continues as software, hardware and maintenance are not the only services that have a claim to the industry, internet service providers, or ISPs, as well as telecommunication and broadcasting companies such as Sky or BT are both rightfully placed in this sector. Information is passed just as efficiently through telephone or television, and it’s unfair to say that just because computers are not directly involved on the customer’s end, that the company’s intention isn’t to distribute information of some kind.

What Can Be Localized in IT

Regardless of the circumstance, the changes between general view and specific, or the differences in mode of operation between a larger company and a smaller one, the bottom line remains the same – localization is necessary in the information technology industry. Why? You may ask, in what way does localization fit in with my internet service provider supplying me with internet? Or, how do translation services have anything to do with my Windows operating system? The answer, although not directly related to you as a customer, is still one of a high calibre that has vibrating effects throughout the information technology, and the many other industries that surround it.

Before a company even begins localization, it is important to start with a solid base, in this case using the form of a good service, be that a single translator, or team of linguists that will be helping you through the process. They must be skilled in the technology industry, but also be able to hone in on specific fields of said industry, finding not only problems that arise during the process, but also the solutions, and in a timely and reliable manner too. However, this alone isn’t enough, because although being able to do such a thing in your native language is impressive, and may get you far in your home country, it’s not even close to being adequate for a job in translation services. Operating user interfaces, software, programs, navigating code, maintaining a network and developing applications are all crucial parts to this industry, and being able to do it in numerous languages is a necessity for companies who are looking to expand to different regions.

In General, it’s important to remember that localization goes beyond translation; in essence, at the very heart of localization is communication. Being responsible for the conveyance of a company’s intents and methods from one language to another, helping keep everyone on the same page, working towards the same goal, regardless of their location around the world. The IT industry is no different, you are not just providing manuals, translated project plans, or showing someone of another culture how to do something. There is more to it in information technology, you are modifying a product, transferring it to another culture in order to make the conveyance of information in that region easier, which will ultimately help that part of the world grow.

Going beyond this, slightly deeper into the responsibilities of a linguist in localization, we see similar roles as the ones referred to above, but now on a global scale. Application development, conveyance of hardware usage by manuals and guides, general communications via internet, telephone or face-to-face support, as well as enterprise solutions such as client relations, and systems or business intelligence.

 The Impacts of IT Localization

The exact and finite details of how localization must be done properly in the information technology industry, as with any other, are of course contextual. We can reel off a dozen more examples of how localization fits into the sector itself, but without context and reasoning, it’s just mindless listings. For example, the administrator of a system coding its network to make sure it is reliable for the customer who pays for its services in a different country, or a linguist translating a guide for an in-development pre-release version of Windows from American-English to French, does not really contribute to a lot (in the grand scheme of localization’s impact on IT.) What is meaningful on the topic of impact, however, are examples of getting localization right, for example, language and writing formats. All translators must deal with this, learning the parameters and intricacies of one language, before converting it and said information into another, this is simple. What is not simple, are the ways in which technology can often get in the way of translation work. How so? Well, in regard to formatting, for one, the fact that some languages are written left to right, some top to bottom, and some right to left. This is all fine and manageable until you are tasked with a job based around coding, language presentation, or hardware such as keyboards. These are the types of issues translators in the IT industry must deal with, each have workarounds, but must be addressed and catered for when expanding your company, which is why it’s so important to choose the most proficient translation service available.

In an industry as large as that of information technology, or simply technology, the examples for localization become just as broad as the sector itself. Regardless of this difficulty to pinpoint and verify the specifics, it is very easy to see the big picture in what the information technology industry and the localization services behind it are trying to achieve. Information, it’s in the name – using technology of any kind to allow people to receive and convey information throughout the world. Most people wouldn’t be able to do this themselves, but the IT industry allows them to speak to another human on the other side of the planet, or understand the ideas that someone else has presented on the internet, and that’s why it’s so important. The information technology industry truly empowers humans, being able to offer communication and connection in increasingly easier ways as both time and technology move forward.