06 — International Localisation
What localises, what doesn't, and how we make the call without diluting the moat.
The localisation matrix
| Domain | Globalise | Localise | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Curriculum spine (learning outcomes, four-signal model, Sprint 1–4 frameworks) | ✓ | Outcome consistency = evidence comparability | |
| Case studies & worked examples | ✓ | Cultural relevance drives engagement | |
| Coach competency framework (Sprint 7 §01) | ✓ | Quality bar must be invariant | |
| Coach accreditation rubric | ✓ | Same as above | |
| Coach recruitment funnel (Sprint 7 §02) | ✓ | Local labour markets, channels, professional bodies | |
| Safeguarding policy (thresholds, definitions) | ✓ | Hard-coded global minimum | |
| Safeguarding pathway (who you call, in what order) | ✓ | Local statutory bodies | |
| Financial wellbeing FCA-style boundary | ✓ (principle) | ✓ (specific regulator) | Boundary card cites local regulator |
| Menopause / health content | ✓ (clinical line) | ✓ (signposting orgs) | Sprint 4 signposting decision tree adapts |
| Evidence methodology (SROI, confidence factor) | ✓ | Comparability across regions | |
| Proxy financial values in SROI | ✓ | Local currency + local cost-of-condition data | |
| Brand identity & tone | ✓ | (light) | Brand voice consistent; language register adjusted |
| Language (delivery language) | ✓ | English-first markets first; translation playbook below | |
| Pricing architecture | ✓ | Tiers / packaging same | |
| Pricing levels | ✓ | Local purchasing power, FX, tax | |
| Contracting templates (MSA, SoW, DPA) | ✓ (skeleton) | ✓ (jurisdiction overlay) | Legal partner per market |
| Data residency | ✓ | EU vs UK vs NA hosting decisions |
Rule of thumb: anything that touches outcome measurement, safety, or quality is globalised. Anything that touches how a participant or buyer experiences us locally is localised.
Translation & language
Stages of language readiness (a region can only enter the next stage when the prior is stable):
- English-only delivery — viable in NL, Nordics, Ireland, Singapore (corporate context)
- Bilingual support materials — workbooks + pocket cards translated; delivery still English
- Localised delivery — coaches deliver in local language; supervision still bilingual
- Fully localised — supervision, evidence reporting, and client account management in local language
A market never jumps stages. Stage 3 requires ≥ 6 fluent local accredited coaches.
Translation policy:
- All translations human-reviewed by a domain-fluent reviewer (not just a linguist)
- Safeguarding & FCA-style boundary text translated by a regulated practitioner in the local jurisdiction
- No machine-only translation for participant-facing materials, ever
Regulatory & data
| Topic | Owner | Cadence |
|---|---|---|
| Per-region regulatory scan (financial guidance, employment, health) | Legal + Country Lead | At entry, then annually |
| Data residency mapping (where PII lives per region) | DPO | At entry, on any sub-processor change |
| Sub-processor register update | DPO | Per change |
| Local DPIA for new processing | DPO | Per new processing activity |
Brand & voice
Tone of voice rules survive translation: plain, evidence-led, never clinical, never preachy. The localisation reviewer checks tone, not just grammar. Local taglines are allowed; the brand promise is not negotiable.
Anti-patterns we will not repeat from peers
- "Lift and shift" a UK cohort into another market with only a currency change
- Hire a local sales team before a local Country Lead exists
- Translate the curriculum but not the case studies (immediately reads as foreign)
- Run SROI with UK proxy values in a non-UK market and quote it as local impact
- Use HQ-seconded coaches for more than one bridging cohort per region