On Local Language Products and Gaps - Virtual Keyboards
By; Amit Bhushan Date: 1st May 2015
This article is a continuation from the previous one on Lack of Language products in IT (http://www.managementparadise.com/article/7688/lack-of-local-language-products-and-the-telecom-sector); although would like to begin with May day congratulations to all Tech geeks. Thought there is a crying need amongst engineers to cite problems which needs to be solved while they might be good at ‘solutions’ though as is the case in India.
While the problems are many however only a couple of examples are cited taking examples of some well known products. Let’s start with local language search & surf. Take ‘google’ local language search engine for example with all its famous reputation in product development/adoption & user stickiness. One can select his/her preferred language and then start typing his ‘search’ options. The ajax will depict options in ‘local language’ which can be selected for extra comfort of users even if using an English keyboard (vice-versa i.e. say Hindi to English doesn’t work though).
The keyboard is the laptop keyboard in local language and as you type. For an existing ‘user’ comfortable in both languages i.e. English as well as his preferred language, this option works fine. However a ‘first time user’ not comfortable in English might actually be deterred. Perhaps what is needed is a virtual keyboard in local language to ‘pop up’ as soon as the cursor is moved to the languages option so that user can select his language and keyboard at the same time. He can then surf using ‘input in his language. The virtual keyboard should allow user to select other languages where input in other language is required. Such a situation to have screen blocked by a virtual keyboard needs to be supported with minimization feature for users having local language keyboard as they would only need this when they need to ‘input’ data in another language. Most present virtual keyboards are single language keyboards design to solve the ‘security’ needs with little else in mind. Multilingual keyboards are still not an option due to shortcomings in visualization of needs.
The user suddenly becomes more comfortable as soon as he sees the keyboard in his language ‘pops up’. The keyboard could have remained on screen till time user surfs the net in local language i.e. even when he is migrating to different websites. This may be a bit challenging however, but can be achieved with most of the unsecured sites. Perhaps the guy who fulfills the ‘gap’ also gets to sell his options to other sites as well and these may be other secured sites where such options is needed.
Perhaps a similar keyboard solution for ‘office’ applications might also go a long way to support users so that they can create record in whatever language they are comfortable with and provide push to bring non-users to user group and improve communications on net. This would also help people create content in multiple languages rather than relying on some bogus translations.
By; Amit Bhushan Date: 1st May 2015
This article is a continuation from the previous one on Lack of Language products in IT (http://www.managementparadise.com/article/7688/lack-of-local-language-products-and-the-telecom-sector); although would like to begin with May day congratulations to all Tech geeks. Thought there is a crying need amongst engineers to cite problems which needs to be solved while they might be good at ‘solutions’ though as is the case in India.
While the problems are many however only a couple of examples are cited taking examples of some well known products. Let’s start with local language search & surf. Take ‘google’ local language search engine for example with all its famous reputation in product development/adoption & user stickiness. One can select his/her preferred language and then start typing his ‘search’ options. The ajax will depict options in ‘local language’ which can be selected for extra comfort of users even if using an English keyboard (vice-versa i.e. say Hindi to English doesn’t work though).
The keyboard is the laptop keyboard in local language and as you type. For an existing ‘user’ comfortable in both languages i.e. English as well as his preferred language, this option works fine. However a ‘first time user’ not comfortable in English might actually be deterred. Perhaps what is needed is a virtual keyboard in local language to ‘pop up’ as soon as the cursor is moved to the languages option so that user can select his language and keyboard at the same time. He can then surf using ‘input in his language. The virtual keyboard should allow user to select other languages where input in other language is required. Such a situation to have screen blocked by a virtual keyboard needs to be supported with minimization feature for users having local language keyboard as they would only need this when they need to ‘input’ data in another language. Most present virtual keyboards are single language keyboards design to solve the ‘security’ needs with little else in mind. Multilingual keyboards are still not an option due to shortcomings in visualization of needs.
The user suddenly becomes more comfortable as soon as he sees the keyboard in his language ‘pops up’. The keyboard could have remained on screen till time user surfs the net in local language i.e. even when he is migrating to different websites. This may be a bit challenging however, but can be achieved with most of the unsecured sites. Perhaps the guy who fulfills the ‘gap’ also gets to sell his options to other sites as well and these may be other secured sites where such options is needed.
Perhaps a similar keyboard solution for ‘office’ applications might also go a long way to support users so that they can create record in whatever language they are comfortable with and provide push to bring non-users to user group and improve communications on net. This would also help people create content in multiple languages rather than relying on some bogus translations.