Case Study: How journi Found the Right Localization Partner

With no shortage of companies that offer localization solutions, we often get asked, “How do I even pick the right localization partner?” Although there is no definitive answer, we recently sat down with the creators of journi to learn about their own initial struggles, and how they identified the key qualities required in a localization provider.

About journi

With the proliferation of smartphones, it has become increasingly easy to take hundreds, if not thousands, of pictures and videos during each vacation. This shutter-happy mindset created a new challenge for consumers: finding an efficient way to sort through these memories. In 2014, the founders of journi recognized this opportunity and built an app that allowed user to quickly organize their vacation photos and turn them into beautiful stories and photo books, which can then be shared with family and friends. Using journi, you can even automatically build a rich and meaningful story out of 500 photos in as little as 90 seconds.

Localization in the DNA

For the founders of journi, localization was never an afterthought. Rather, with their goal of building a truly world-class app, it was a necessity from the beginning. When the team initially sought out the right localization partner, they identified three key requirements:

1. Agility: As a start-up, journi operated on a two week sprint cycle. With changes that could happen up to the last minute, the team needs a partner that has the capability and flexibility to support their fast-paced operations.
2. Quality: This often goes without saying, but poor translation quality can ruin any localization efforts. The founders of journi recognize the importance of partnering with professional translators who are also specialized in app development.
3. Platform & Technology: With a small development team, journi simply didn’t have resources to dedicate to onboarding a complex localization system or platform. Whatever solution they chose had to be easy-to-use yet robust.

Initial Solution

journi initially worked with a different localization partner, but quickly realized that they were unable to fulfill the team’s requirements. For instance, the workflow proved to be quite cumbersome, given this vendor’s platform did not support screenshots. Consequently, journi had to upload screen by screen in order to provide translator an idea of what they are actually translating. This process significantly slowed down the localization workflow. In addition, journi found this vendor’s translation quality to be inconsistent and, therefore, did not completely trust them to move forward in languages that they were unable to review themselves.

OneSky’s Easy-to-Use API & Platform

After consulting with other startups who experienced successes in localization, journi selected OneSky to be their localization solution provider. The integration proved to be seamless this time around. As co-founder Andreas Roettl noted, “The OneSky API was extremely easy to understand and implement, and we were able to scale a lot quicker than we did before.”

Not only does OneSky provide integrations with key platforms like iOS and Android, but the translation management system is also designed to easily manage and maintain large amount of string files. With features like the OneSky Screenshot Widget, for instance, uploading screenshots is a breeze. (Learn how to upload screenshots attached to phrases ot OneSky here.) journi especially appreciates this feature since it enhances the quality of the translation. By allowing phrases to be tagged to specific screenshots, translators no longer have to second-guess their own work, as they know exactly what each phrase refers to.

Translation Quality & Consistency

The strive to provide the best-in-class localization solution does not stop at the OneSky platform itself. Andreas Roettl pointed out, “We can’t speak highly enough on the quality of the translations that we have received from OneSky over the last year. In the past, we’ve found that other providers may be able to do certain European languages well, but with OneSky, the quality has been consistent across all the different languages.” This consistency is achieved through the way in which OneSky runs its operation. Unlike many other localization solution providers, OneSky employs its own team of translators. This structure not only allows for better control over the translation quality, but it also ensures that companies like journi can request for their preferred translators, who are already familiar with the product and brand guidelines.

What’s Next

Now that journi is one of the most popular apps in Europe, the team is looking towards the East for expansion opportunities. With its headquarter in Hong Kong and access to many professional translators in different Asian languages, OneSky is perfectly situated to be journi’s localization partner.

OneSky has helped thousands of companies like journi enter new international markets with minimal hassle and expert translations and tools. Visit OneSky for more info on our products and services.

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