Usability, Culturally Speaking

Version 1.0 / 15 April 2004

Table of contents

• Getting a grip on cultural usability
• Testing cultural usability
• Aim for the experience

Have you ever tried using your phone with a language other than your own? Or walked through the city streets of an unfamiliar country? Suddenly everything seems to be different, even though only the language has changed - all of your energy goes toward learning the rules of interaction all over again.

Language is just one example of the cultural differences software developers face. It might feel like the world is getting smaller by the minute due to growing communication possibilities and information transfers, but cultural differences don't just vanish into the air. To be effective, product design must consider its target nations right from the start. In the worst case scenario, insufficient knowledge of cultural differences might be seen as offensive, which could lead to a profit loss or worse. In other cases, proper support for native language and even keyboard conventions is mandated by law — if the product doesn't work according to these rules, there will be no sales. Simple as that.

Some cultural differences may not appear to make sense. But just as some people might wonder why it is improper to show the soles of their shoes in certain countries, others may question the Finnish custom of beating ourselves with a packet of branches in a steam-filled room. A more productive approach is to take time to learn about different cultures in order to offer users the best possible solutions. Because when it comes to usability itself, people tend to approach logical usability problems and goal-oriented tasks in much the same way throughout the world. Cultural differences are much more focused on preferences in graphics and vocabulary than on core interaction. That's why we're taking a particularly close look at the user interface.

Getting a grip on cultural usability

The usability of any product is tied to user characteristics. Since culture is one of the factors affecting users, it also has an influence on usability. Cultural differences in mobile phone use are reflected in usage patterns, user interface components, and everything in between. The most important part of designing an application is paying attention to the target audience and the user needs; adding the element of cultural variety brings the endeavor to a whole new level.

When it comes to mobile devices and applications, usability is normally associated with the user interface. However, user needs vary culturally. Emotional and motivational needs have a direct impact on the usability and success of a design. These needs can include environmental settings, cultural values, economic possibilities, religious beliefs, etc. Culture shapes the development of values and beliefs and therefore influences interaction with a product. When designing for culturally diverse user groups, developers should consider the following development process steps:

• Identify all target cultures.
• Design and develop a global model that takes common designs into account.
• Bring in a culture-specific interface designer to revise the design.
• Conduct usability tests of culturally targeted versions.

Designing a product for a culture-specific target audience is no different from designing a product for a local user group. To create the best product, developers must put users at the center of the design process. One possible way to expedite this goal is to let representatives from target cultures take part in the product development phase.

User interfaces have some very culture-dependent issues that need to be addressed such as language; social context; units of time, currency, and measure; cultural values; symbols; and esthetics. The appropriate use of these elements is critical from a usability perspective. However, responding to culturally varying user needs doesn't have to mean developing a completely different design for each market area — addressing small UI issues might bring the design in line with cultural requirements. Because of the many restrictions with mobile devices, such as display and memory, the crucial issue is a logical and purposeful display of information.

Text. All users should have the option of using devices and software in their own language. A single application design that relies on "translated language" is not only not usable everywhere — it can cause severe problems. Language and terms cannot be translated word for word, and local language and phone conventions need to be taken into account. It is important to preserve consistency — to use the same terms that are used elsewhere in the phone UI. If this is not possible, the terms selected should be tested with real users.

Word wrapping and hyphenation need to be considered as well, since improper hyphenation of a word may change its meaning. Special attention should be paid to the scalability of words on a screen — for example, words written in one language differ in length from words in another language. The design should also consider appropriate reading directions (for example, right-to-left in Arabic cultures) and use of justified text or navigation systems fixed on the left. Some countries have multiple official languages and therefore need multilanguage support.

And remember, there is no such thing as an internationally funny joke or commonly known catch phrase.

Formats: numbers, dates and time. Depending on the application, the user interface has to be able to support multiple currency formats and different metric systems.

Images: icons, symbols, objects. Images form the visual language of a culture. The application must match the user's cultural characteristics. This goes beyond simply avoiding taboos and offensive icons: The application must also accommodate the way business is conducted and the manner in which people communicate in various countries. For example, symbolism associated with animals varies all over the world. Comprehension of Western or English-based icons, symbols, clichés, slang, acronyms, and abbreviations may be difficult for local user groups. Sounds can have cultural associations, too — for example dogs do not bark alike everywhere. This should be kept in mind especially when developing mobile games or other applications with audible dimensions.

Colors. Colors have culture-dependent meanings, as do icons and graphics. The color red, for example, may be used to represent a warning or an error message, but in another culture it may be used to promote a positive experience. Colors in user interfaces are mostly used for distinguishing objects from one another and grouping or verifying certain values, but the target users must understand them similarly.

Functionalities. The same application functions don’t necessarily apply to all cultures. For example, mobile phone users tend to do more than one thing at a time, so the navigation design should allow fast, simple movements with few navigational tools.

To sum up:

• Communicate in the country's native language.
• Support natural writing symbols and punctuation.
• Support native dates, currency, weight scales, numbers, and addresses.
• Support natural activities and environments.
• Communicate in an inoffensive manner.

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Testing cultural usability

It might seem like mission impossible to test applications and designs with all target culture representatives present. The main purpose of a usability test is to identify problems that make it difficult or impossible for a typical user in a foreign market to use important features of the product. As with all user testing, two basic principles can be applied: Involve real users and have them do real tasks.

As tempting as it might be to travel to a foreign country to conduct usability tests, in most cases it is impossible. Luckily there are other options. Developers can run tests remotely, hire a local usability professional to carry out the tests, or have somebody from the local office run the tests. A typical solution is to evaluate international usability in a few countries with at least one country in each of the main target areas.

Running a remote usability test for mobile applications can be tricky, but a little creativity can improve the quality of the feedback. Specifically planned usability diaries are one possibility. Appropriate test participants could be recruited via company Web pages or e-mail; users could then be asked to keep a diary of their interactions with the application in question and list any significant events, problems, or other relevant data. A usability diary typically asks a user to record the date and time of an event, location, significant information about the event, and ratings about how they feel, etc. The downside is that designers can't see how the user interacts with the application. However, some testing is preferable to nothing at all.

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Aim for the experience

Future mobile phones will have even more functionalities and graphical capabilities, which in turn will lead to more complex graphic interfaces and culturally specific elements. Although it is not possible to develop a product to meet the needs of every user group, designers should have a clear conception of how the product should work with at least one user group in mind. If the product is designed to work globally, it will win a bigger market and generate greater profit - not to mention a better user experience.

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