Future Beyond Borders: Transforming the Research Software through Internationalization, Localization and Translation

Historically, US research software has predominantly been utilized within the country by domestic researchers. However, recent years have seen a surge in international collaboration, with research software playing a pivotal role [1] [2]. International users can represent a substantial user base for some research software, and foreign engineers have huge potential to contribute significantly to the US software community. As a result, it is crucial for RSEs and researchers to recognize the importance of software internationalization and localization, and to acquire the methodologies necessary for their effective implementation. This talk will offer guidance on designing, developing, and testing internationalized research software, ensuring that it meets the needs of a global audience in the future.This talk will be structured from broad concepts to specific skills (i.e., Internationalization → Localization → Translation) to present software design principles that can prepare for research software a global impact in the future. The first section (~3 mins) will cover globalization/internationalization, focusing on the product design perspective. This part will cover the concept of internationalization, some regulations for product owners to keep in mind, product design principles, and potential costs, with examples for demonstration. The audience will learn the importance of including internationalization considerations at the proposal drafting stage, rather than leaving it as a task during the development stage. [3][4] The second section (~4 mins) will transition to localization. The presenter will discuss the meaning of localization and how the lack of localization can hinder the global promotion of US research software. Examples will illustrate the steps of designing, developing, and testing software localization. At the end of this section, the presenter will provide a checklist for RSEs and researchers to refer to in future localization processes. [5][6] The third section (~4 mins) will focus on translation, a crucial component of localization. The presenter will introduce software design and development principles for adding translation capabilities, followed by a discussion of common translation tools that RSEs can use for popular frontend and backend frameworks. The section will conclude with a focus on utilizing AI tools to enhance translation quality. [7][8] Overall, this talk aims to inspire the research software community to rethink software from an international perspective and empower them with the knowledge to promote U.S. research worldwide in the future.