Get Started: QA Testing

Owned by Stacey Brown-Sommers
Jul 26, 2017

General training on how to do quality assurance testing. Each client is different! Always read the instructions.

A Training for New QA Testers

What is Internationalization?

What is Localization?

Internationalization and Localization refer to the process of adapting a product to different languages, regional differences and technical requirements of a target market.

For example, a software would be designed in such a way that it can be adapted to various languages and regions without engineering changes → Internationalization

The internationalized software is adapted for a specific region or language by adding locale-specific components and translating content → Localization

Localization includes 3 steps

  1. Translation.
  2. QA (Quality Assurance Testing).
  3. Engineering.

A product that has been translated/QA’ed/engineered from English to another language is called a localized product.

What is QA Testing?

The role of a localization QA tester is to review a localized product.

The QA Tester will compare the localized product with the English original and find all the mistakes (or “bugs”) between those. Such bugs include linguistic, functional, and graphic problems.

The QA Tester will report all the bugs and explain how to fix them.

Tips to become the best QA Tester

Always read through the instructions before you start testing.

Question everything you read, including testing materials, instructions, etc.  If something doesn’t make sense, don’t hesitate to ask for clarification.

Be detail-oriented.

Have basic computer and technical skills.

Have excellent linguistic and stylistic skills and abilities.

Have good interpersonal communication skills.

Manage time and prioritize.

If you work on several projects from the same customer, they could be related; make connections between those projects, apply  your knowledge of product names, terminology, etc. across such different yet related projects.

Go beyond instructions and try some “free testing”; you might find cool bugs!

Don’t forget to use a spell checker.

QA Work Flow and Processes

Heads-Up: When there is adequate notice from the client, the Mindlink PM team will send you a heads-up, either via email or on LinguistLink, with information on an upcoming project. The heads-up notification will include:

  • Estimated start and end date
  • Estimated time budget
  • Any other available project information, reference materials, special notes

Project Info: when you receive a notification with project info, it means the testing materials are available, and you are ready to start testing! Testing: follow the instructions in the project info and report bugs. Completion: Send the Mindlink PM team a completion email with the time you spent on the project and a bug report.

QA Work Flow and Processes: Tips

Managing your time is important. If you are not going to finish the project in the given time frame:

  • NOTIFY the Mindlink PM team immediately.
  • The PM team will instruct you how to proceed.  It will vary depending on the project.


Do not commit to a project if you feel like you cannot complete it in the given deadline.  Talk to the PM team first.  Some projects are more flexible than others.


Work environment and QA tools

Most projects can be done remotely, but some projects must be done at the client’s site. Please keep this in mind when you accept projects.

For remote testing you need to

  • Have good Internet connection, and the ability to check your email frequently.
  • Have common knowledge of MS Office tools like Excel, Word, PowerPoint, etc.
  • Be able to use other related tools like Paint, bug tracking tools, etc.

For client onsite testing you need to

  • Be able to commute to client’s site for the duration of the project.
  • Be able to use the client’s specific testing tools.
  • Respect client-specific rules/restrictions.