The key to successful international products is often localization. Localization involves far more than simple translation. It includes both linguistic and cultural elements. Linguistic localization involves providing all aspects of language support. It can extend to providing multiple formats for dates and times, supporting the script or character set of multiple languages, allowing for multiple writing systems, and supporting all other aspects of written language.
Linguistic localization can raise significant layout issues.
Cultural localization involves providing culturally appropriate designs, which reflect the values and tastes of a particular culture. This may involve stylistic variations, altered color schemes, changed symbols or even typeface. This type of localization is extremely important, and extremely difficult. Run usability studies. After a design has been localized, it is critical that there be usability tests to make sure that the design and the localization are effective in all of the target locales.