Internationalization Testing

Definition

Internationalization testing is the system testing of an integrated, blackbox application against its internationalization requirements requirements.

Goals

The typical goals of system usability testing are to:

• Cause the application to fail to meet its internationalization requirements so that the underlying defects can be identified, analyzed, fixed, and prevented in the future.

Objectives

The typical objectives of system usability testing are to:

• Partially validate the application by determining if it fulfills its internationalization requirements including:
  • Native languages, language idioms, spelling, and character sets.
  • Formats of contact information such as name, address, and phone number.
  • Currencies including real-time currency conversion.
  • Legal issues such as import/export laws, tariff and sales tax calculations, customs documentation, trademarks, and privacy laws.
  • Culture (e.g., use of inappropriate colors, symbols, or product names).
• Report these failures to the development teams so that the associated defects can be fixed.
• Help determine the extent to which the application is ready for launch.
• Provide input to the defect trend analysis effort.

Examples

Typical examples include internationalization testing of an application by:

• Users from different cultures.
• Users from different countries.
• Native speakers of different languages.
• Subject matter experts in different legal issues.

Preconditions

Internationalization testing typically can begin when the following preconditions hold:

• The internationalization requirements to be tested have been specified and implemented.
• The independent test team is adequately staffed and trained in internationalization testing.
• The application under test exists.

Completion Criteria

Internationalization testing is typically complete when the following postconditions hold:

• The independent test team has tested the application against its internationalization requirements including:
  • Native languages, language idioms, spelling, and character sets.
  • Formats of contact information such as name, address, and phone number.
  • Currencies including real-time currency conversion.
  • Legal issues such as import/export laws, tariff and sales tax calculations, customs documentation, trademarks, and privacy laws.
  • Culture (e.g., use of inappropriate colors, symbols, or product names).

Tasks

Internationalization testing typically includes the independent test team performing the following testing tasks:

• Test Planning
• Test Reuse
• Test Design
• Test Implementation
• Test Execution
• Test Reporting

Environments

Internationalization testing is typically performed on the following environments using the following tools:

• Development Environments
• Production Environments

Work Products

Internationalization testing typically results in the production of all or part of the following work products from the test work product set:

• Documents:
  • Project Test Plan
  • Master Test List
  • Test Procedure (a.k.a., test protocol, test script)
  • Test Report
  • Test Summary Report
• Software and Data:
  • Test Suite
  • Test Case
  • Test Data

Phases

Internationalization testing typically consists of the following tasks being performed during the following phases:

Guidelines

• TBD