What is Localization and Nationalization?

 

Localization itself, is basically providing a version of an Application, Feature, or Device for a specific location (for example a country). This is an important feature to be able to have a product widely adopted in other countries, as well as support different populations within countries. It has applicable use in a variety of areas including Telemedicine, Medical Examinations, First Aid, Disaster and Outage Recovery, humanitarian and Relief Aid, Call Centers, Personal Services, and most other Whole Healthcare APPs.

 

Creating different versions can be expensive if each version has to be rewritten from scratch and require large staffs with multiple language and cultural backgrounds to support it.

 

By creating upfront development standards to support this feature, and using Object Oriented Programming and Techniques, this can be accomplished through having mirrored text, graphics, and audio object directories that each cover a specific language. The actual code is the same, and each language is then selected when a version of the program is built. This same concept can be expanded to support multiple languages at the same time, as well as create versions to support regional and cultural differences and beliefs.

 

Adapting for Regional Differences, Cultural Differences, and Different Beliefs are an important aspect of the System. These factors have a major influence on how we treat and provide services to others. Some of these are to provide information to providers that may not be familiar with how their service could affect a person’s different culture or beliefs, while others help the provider understand regional differences. This is to support people working in their own regions, as well as people helping in other regions.

 

Some examples:

 

• There are certain examinations, treatments,  and even discussions that are not permitted in some countries or by members of the opposite sex, that are perfectly fine in other countries

 

• There are certain diseases and conditions Special Genetics for a specific group, Diseases, Ailments, Parasites, Venoms, allergies that are specific to certain areas in the world that need to be checked for (and known about) that are not relevant in other areas

 

• Different Conventional and Alternative Treatments are accepted in different areas, cultures, and beliefs that need to be considered

 

• There are lifestyle and health practices followed by some individuals that need to be taken into consideration

 

• There can be household customs that need to be understood and followed for individuals performing Personal Services

 

The envisioned System expands the basic Localization concept to support several additional features using the same basic technology and methods:

 

• Support for different language text and diagrams for both the Provider and the Receiver of Services to reduce cross language and culture boundaries

 

• Provide some “on-the-fly” translation capability using basic web based verbal and text translation tools (not perfect, but do add value in communications)

 

• Provide some “canned” translation capability based on the individuals selection of certain menu items, or pictures (or parts of pictures). These consist of verbal, text, and/or pictures with questions, selectable items and/or explanations that can provide translations between individuals for a wide range of applications:

  • House cleaning requests and instructions

  • Cooked or Grocery food requests (including preferences and allergies)

  • What needs to be done and costs

  • Clinic and Medical Examinations

  • Treatments

  • Emergency Medicine

  • Social Services

  • Etc.

 

• Support for additional versions of Text and Graphics for specific culture, beliefs, and regional differences

 

The System is designed to support Localization and Nationalization with minimal impact on developers.  In fact with some of the common inheritable features, that work is already done for them. Supporting Localization and Nationalization is accomplished by using Common Standards, Object Oriented Design, Online Translation, Common Features, Native Speakers, and Regional Subject Mater Experts. This allows developers to create their App, Device, or Service in one language and let others change the graphic and audio components for the differences in language, culture, and specific differences for other regional versions.

 

There are several ways of cost effectively creating many different versions of both privately created and common inheritable Apps and Features to make the System and its components supportable and usable worldwide.

 

Structure, standards, and common features are the key to lower costs, reduce duplication of effort, provide common look-and-feel, and gain acceptance. Standards and structures will allow a Development Team to create an initial version of an App or Device in one language and region, and then have an external support group provide the development of common and unique mirrored directories to support their product in multiple languages, dual languages, regions, cultures, and beliefs. In most cases the code is the same, just the text, graphics, and/or audio may be different.

 

• Common Standards and Development Kits to make sure that the programs are created properly and the development is designed with the knowledge that their development can support other regional, language, culture, and beliefs.

 

• Common APPs and Features associated with Managed “Personal Services”, will support many different services and industries, dropping the cost of the per-unit price.

 

• Support for a wide variety of powerful common reusable features ranging from basic Operational System Features (installation, Registration, Configuration, Monitoring, Maintenance, and Support) or functional features within APPs (Scheduling, Data Storage/Retrieval, Analysis, etc.) plus other System Features. Each of these would have common reusable text, graphics, and sound to provide developers these features in multiple languages, cultures, regions, etc. as part of their development package

 

• Online and printed manuals, product documentation, training, test procedures, help, etc. are planned to have a common structure, be modular, and provide outlines and common documentation on their operation and support, which would be available in different languages

 

• One of the APPs would be Online Translation (written and audio) to provide a fallback if the APP/Device/Feature cannot support a specific case

 

• Subject Mater Experts would be used to evaluate  the changes required to support any regional, cultural, and/or belief differences

 

• For common inheritable elements, plus the unique parts of APPs and Features associated with private development, the creation of the different versions can be done with automatic web translation tools and then modified by native speakers (potentially from domestic or worldwide Universities)

 

• Subject Mater Experts familiar with the device/APP, region, culture, and/or Beliefs, would be used to validate the product and any updates (potentially from worldwide universities and organizations)

 

• Common Program Switches would be defined to be able to embed code differences for certain major categories that would require code differences  (e.g. US vs. Pakistani Muslim medical procedures)

 

This is how Whole Healthcare can get to the people that need it most, while reducing the costs for the product development, launch, marketing, and support and increasing product volumes. People with less training, using their own native language, can now support and treat people almost anywhere, with more capability and fewer mistakes. Added with telemedicine and audio translation services, people can use the tools and be supported worldwide in almost any area.

 

Additional benefits of common “look and Feel” and “User interfaces/tools” across Apps and devices make it easier to for end-users to pick up and use additional APPs, Features, and Devices with less training and making fewer mistakes.

 

Other examples of how Localization and Nationalization play a part in the System and this initiative include:

 

< Intelligent Adaptive Examination and Treatment Decision Tree>

 

<Audio Tools and Services>

 

<Visual Tools and Services>