Case Study: NHS Test & Trace App

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Localising the NHS Test and Trace App for Millions of UK Users

Overview

Prestige Network partnered on the localisation of the NHS Test and Trace app, helping make one of the UK's most significant public health digital services accessible to multilingual communities across the country.

Working within an agile software development environment, our localisation specialists translated, tested and continuously updated the application in 11 widely spoken languages, ensuring users could access important health information in their preferred language throughout the pandemic.

From the first project meeting to launch, the entire localisation programme was delivered in just eight weeks while supporting multiple product updates every day.

Challenge

The success of the NHS Test and Trace app depended on widespread public adoption.

To ensure the application was accessible to as many people as possible, it needed to communicate clearly with communities whose first language was not English, helping remove language barriers that could prevent engagement with an important public health service.

The project presented several significant challenges:

• Localising the app into 11 commonly spoken languages across the UK.
• Delivering the entire localisation programme within an eight-week development schedule.
• Keeping pace with an agile software development team releasing multiple updates each day.
• Testing every language version after each software update to ensure consistency, functionality and accuracy.
• Maintaining high linguistic quality while working within an exceptionally fast-moving development environment.

The combination of strict deadlines, continuous product updates and multilingual quality assurance required close collaboration between developers and localisation specialists throughout the project.

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Solution

Prestige Network established a dedicated localisation team that worked alongside the NHS development programme throughout the project.

By embedding our linguists into the development cycle, we were able to mirror the pace of the software team, ensuring every update was translated, reviewed and tested before release.

Agile Software Localisation

Our localisation specialists translated all user-facing content across 11 languages while maintaining consistency of terminology, tone and public health messaging.

Working within an agile workflow allowed our team to respond quickly as new features and updates were introduced throughout development.

Localisation Testing (LQA)

Translation alone was only part of the process.

Following each software update, our team completed localisation quality assurance for every language version. This ensured translations displayed correctly, functioned as intended and remained accurate in the live application.

This testing ensured users received a seamless experience regardless of their chosen language.

Continuous Localisation

Following the successful launch, Prestige Network continued supporting the application through an ongoing localisation programme.

Over the following 18 months, our team translated, reviewed and tested daily product updates. As a result, this became one of Prestige Network's longest-running localisation projects.

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The Outcome

Prestige Network helped deliver a multilingual digital experience that supported wider accessibility and public engagement during a critical period for the UK's healthcare system.

We combined professional translation, software localisation and continuous localisation testing. As a result, the NHS Test and Trace app remained accurate across 11 languages.

The project demonstrates Prestige Network's expertise in supporting large-scale digital transformation programmes where speed, quality and multilingual user experience are essential.

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