What is LQA (Localization Quality Assurance)?

LQA, localization quality assurance, is the review pass that checks localized software for defects. It spans two layers: linguistic quality, whether translations are accurate, natural, and consistent with the glossary and style guide, and presentation quality, whether the translated build actually renders correctly.

The presentation layer is where localization bugs hide: truncated labels where the translation ran long, overlapping elements in RTL layouts, literal :name placeholders leaking to users, dates and numbers in the wrong format, and untranslated strings that bypassed the pipeline. These only surface when someone looks at the real UI in the target locale, which is why in-context review beats spreadsheet review.

Some checks automate well: placeholder integrity, glossary compliance, missing keys, and length limits can all run in CI. Judgment calls, whether a translation reads naturally, whether tone matches the brand, still need a human reviewer, typically a native speaker working through the live product screen by screen.