Wikimedia Apps/Team/Translation and Localization

Translation processes

New feature

1. Product identifies which target audiences (wikis) will receive the feature first (For example, target languages for Edit Patrol were: Indonesian, Spanish, French, Chinese (Simplified), and Chinese (Traditional))
2. Designer lists all required text strings required for new feature in a Google Sheet
3. Designer follows established Design Team translation process to ensure timely translation of required strings in Google Sheet into target languages.
4. Engineers add strings and translation instructions to Translate.wiki, and volunteers begin translating (All languages)
5. If feasible, Product Manager and Designer coordinates secondary review of translations in Google Sheet (by ad-hoc requests to staff, or product ambassadors).
6. Engineers input translations into translate.wiki for target languages
7. Volunteers continue adding and correcting translations for all other languages in Translate.wiki

Usability testing

• Designers follow established process from Design team (Notion).

Office Hours and Demos

• Synchronous office hour sessions or consultations should have interpretation support available in the language of the Wiki (Community Relation specialist works with Movement Communications to arrange for interpretation).
• For asynchronous sessions or recorded demos: provide original and translated transcripts. They may be machine-translated into the target language. If possible, have transcript reviewed by representative from Movement Communications.

Project Pages

1. Project page content should be added to MediaWiki with <translate> tags around sessions. Follow best practices for Page Translation
2. Mark the page for translation (Requires MediaWiki admin rights).
3. Request expedited translation of the project page from Product Ambassador or Design Research for first target wiki.
4. For other languages, pages are translated gradually through translate.wiki.

Notes for Specific Wikis

Chinese Wikipedia:

• Translations for App interface: the team should translate into both Simplified and Traditional. Translate.wiki only allows for translations into zh-hans (Simplified) or zh-hant (Traditional).
• Email Communication with users: the team should translate content into both Simplified and Traditional Chinese variants to accommodate users who may prefer one over the other.
• On-Wiki Notices: Since the Chinese Wikipedia platform supports automatic language conversion, the team may translate into either Simplified or Traditional Chinese for notices posted on-site. The platform will automatically convert the content to the preferred script.