Internationalization: solving the UI/UX challenges of multilingual solutions

How does translation into other languages affect your UI/UX? Problems and solutions 

Translating apps into several languages is essential to reach a global audience, but it is not always as simple as it seems. This internationalization process can alter the design and the user experience, especially in the user interface (UI) and user experience (UX). One of the most common challenges is the layout break: when the design is affected by the length or the arrangement of the words in other languages. 

In this article, we will explore the main problems and solutions to reduce the impact of translation in the design and functionality of your app. 

The challenge: layout breaks and design discrepancies 

When an app has been designed for a specific language, such as English, the length of the texts in the interface is optimized for that language. Nevertheless, when translating the app into other languages, the words may be longer, or they may need more space. For example, a “Submit” button in English can be considerably expanded when it is translated into German as "Einreichen". This can cause problems such as: 

• Undesirable line breaks: A text that fits perfectly on a line in English may need two lines in another language, disrupting the design. 

• Text outside the limits: Longer words may overrun the limits of buttons or text boxes, affecting the aesthetics and the legibility.  

• Unsuitable spacing: the interface components may become imbalanced, with a lot of space between them due to the length of the text. 

These problems don’t only affect the appearance, but also the functionality and the user experience. A broken design or a design which is difficult to read may lead to frustration among the users and, ultimately, to the loss of business opportunities. 

Solutions to minimize the impact on the UI/UX 

To deal with these problems of layout break when translating apps, it is fundamental to approach the internalization with two simultaneous perspectives: the content and the design. 

1. Raise awareness among the team: from translation to design 

One of the first strategies to minimize the problems of layout breaks is working closely with the translation team, making sure that they are aware of the space limitations in the interface. The collaboration between the translation and the design teams is key to finding creative solutions without sacrificing the language quality and the UX. 

• Synonyms use and language simplification: In some cases, it is possible to use shorter words or alternative expressions that adapt in a better way to the available space. The translation team can suggest synonyms that keep the original meaning of the message but fit better in the design. 

• Contextual adjustments: Raising awareness among the translation team about the context of each UI component allows them to choose words or sentences that do not break the layout. For example, in buttons and tags, where the space is limited, they can prioritize shorter terms, whereas in areas with more space, they can opt for more complete translations. 

This collaboration between translators and designers helps to reduce the risk that the text overloads the interface or generates layout mistakes, what enhances the user experience from the beginning. 

2. Technical adjustments and flexible layout 

Even with the best efforts of the translation team, there will be situations in which the differences between languages will be too big to avoid design adjustments. In these cases, it is recommended to implement technical modifications in the layout to make the interface more flexible and adaptable to all languages 

• Specific rules per language: In some cases, it is useful to define CSS rules or specific technical adaptations for certain languages which tend to occupy more space (like German or Russian). For example, increasing the size of the buttons or allowing the text to dynamically adjust inside the components may avoid overrunning and unwanted line breaks. 

• More flexible layout: designing the interface with flexible and adjustable layouts allows the content to adapt to different text lengths without compromising the aesthetics. Using dynamic measure units, such as percentage or “rem”. instead of fixed values, allows the UI components to grow or to be reduced depending on the size of the content. 

•  Continuous localization tests: regular tests with different languages during the development process help to identify and correct problems of layout breaks at an early stage. The use of responsive design tools and A/B testing allows to detect the behavior of translated texts in different resolutions and devices. 

The importance of specialized teams in internationalization. 

The internationalization of apps isn’t a simple translation process; it involves a deeper approach that combines the design, the translation and the technical development. Working with teams specialized in multilingual apps is essential to guarantee that the process flows without any problem and that the translation challenges are correctly dealt with. 

• Experience in multilingual apps: the layout and translation teams that already have experience in internationalization projects can foresee and tackle possible problems of layout breaks at an early stage of the development process. This avoids last-minute surprises and guarantees that the app is ready to be launched in different markets. 
• Margin for optimization: considering that internationalization can be complex, it is important to provide the design and the translation teams with the necessary time and resources to carry out tests and adjustments. A rapid approach may lead to improvised solutions affecting the user experience quality in certain markets. 

Conclusion 

Translating an app into different languages may seem a simple step, but it has a deep effect on the UI/UX if it is not properly handled. The problems of layout break, as well as the line breaks and the text overrunning the limits may compromise the usability and appearance of the app, negatively affecting the user experience. 

To tackle these challenges, it is essential that the translation team is aligned with the design limitations, looking for creative solutions that respect the layout. At the same time, the development teams must implement a flexible and adaptable layout that can adjust to the length variations in the different languages. Working with specialized teams in multilingual projects ensures that the internationalization process is as fluid and efficient as possible, guaranteeing an optimal user experience in all markets and languages. 

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