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Product Coalition PodcastA higher level, approachable, weekly insights series about staying curious in product and driving career growth, funded by member support Author: Jay Stansell
The Product Coalitions mission is to make mastery of product management globally accessible. www.productcoalition.com Language: en Genres: Business, Management, Technology Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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EP99 Localization debt: the hidden bottleneck slowing down your launch
Thursday, 18 December, 2025
SummaryIn this episode, Jay Stansell interviews Andrew Sachs, a veteran in product strategy and localization. They discuss the concept of localization debt, the evolution of localization solutions, and the importance of integrating localization into product development from the start. Andrew shares insights on the differences between Smartling and Google Translate, the challenges of ensuring translation quality, and the necessity of building a business case for localization. The conversation also touches on data privacy concerns and the future of translation technology, including real-time translation capabilities.Takeaways* Localization debt arises when language considerations are an afterthought.* Manual processes in localization lead to accumulating debt.* The shift to cloud-based solutions has transformed localization.* Machine translation has evolved but still requires human oversight.* Quality in translation is subjective and requires native speakers.* A global-first approach should be integrated into product development.* Building a business case for localization is essential for market success.* Localization should be considered in the design and development phases.* Data privacy regulations impact localization strategies.* The future of translation includes real-time capabilities and AI integration.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Localization and Smartling02:18 Understanding Localization Debt06:13 Evolution of Localization Solutions09:46 AI’s Role in Localization16:29 Building a Global-First Product21:14 Making the Business Case for Localization24:42 Managing Localization Backlogs25:56 Handling PII and Jurisdictional Constraints27:12 The Future of Translation Technology This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.productcoalition.com/subscribe
