Communicating Interculturally — Cheat Sheet #1

Localisation

Adapt language, culture, and context so the experience feels native.

TLDR

Localisation (L10n) goes beyond translation. It aligns words, culture, formats, and user expectations so products feel local and trustworthy.

Definition

Localisation adapts a product or message so it feels natural in another language and culture. It covers wording, tone, imagery, formats, and expectations.

Core principles

Language

Adapt words, tone, register. Replace idioms with cultural equivalents.

Culture

Check images, colours, humour, and references for fit.

Technical

Formats for dates, numbers, currency, units, scripts, layout.

Experience

Keep brand, IA, and usability consistent across locales.

Compliance

Respect local laws and standards including privacy and safety.

Co‑creation

Partner with local speakers to validate tone and context.

Workflow

1
Internationalisation
Design product for multilingual support.
2
Translation
Render text, tone, and naming conventions.
3
Cultural review
Check visuals and references in situ.
4
Testing
Linguistic + functional QA with users.
5
Iteration
Refine and repeat post‑feedback.

Example: “Add to cart” across locales

English

Add to cart

Spanish (Spain)

Añadir al carrito

Spanish (Mexico)

Agregar al carrito

Arabic (RTL)

أضف إلى السلة

Takeaway. Localisation is not just words. It creates a local experience that matches language, culture, and user expectations.

Part of the series on Communicating Interculturally.