A presentation at Smashing Conference in in Toronto, ON, Canada by Jenny Shen
@JennyShen .. Build bridges, not walls Design for users across cultures Jenny Shen | Smashing Conference | June 2019
@jennyshen
Travelled to Lived in Worked with Users from countries countries clients countries 52 6 20+ 28 @jennyshen
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number one What is culture? @jennyshen
Cultural Dimensions hofstede-insights.com/product/compare-countries @jennyshen
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What does it mean for designers & developers? @jennyshen
“ It is no longer enough to simply offer a product translated in ten to twenty different languages. Users also want a product that acknowledges their unique cultural characteristics and business practices. —Elisa del Galdo and Jakob Nielsen, International User Interfaces @jennyshen
number two Culture affects product design @jennyshen
hofstede-insights.com/product/compare-countries @jennyshen
Dutch culture: • Pragmatic nature • Encourage thrift and efforts in modern education as a way to prepare for the future • Strong propensity to save and invest, thriftiness and perseverance in achieving results hofstede-insights.com/product/compare-countries @jennyshen
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transavia.com/en-NL @jennyshen
hofstede-insights.com/product/compare-countries @jennyshen
German culture: • The systematic overview has to be given in order to proceed. This is also reflected by the law system. • Details are equally important to create certainty that a certain topic or project is well-thought-out. hofstede-insights.com/product/compare-countries @jennyshen
booking page NL v.s. DE @jennyshen
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dangrover.com/blog/2016/01/31/more-chinese-mobile-ui-trends.html @jennyshen
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mozilla.com @jennyshen
mozilla.com.cn @jennyshen
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“ Typing Chinese takes a long time and finding the precise word isn’t easy. Search sucks, so optimize for browsing. —Bram Pitoyo, Design Strategist at Mozilla @jennyshen
Hypotheses: • Different interpretation of personal space: In Chinese culture, people are more used to crowded places and images. • Users like more choices on display. • Older generation are not familiar with the hidden keys or links and prefer direct visual information. @jennyshen
number three Quantitative data can give you clues about culture @jennyshen
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@jennyshen Not the real heat map. Mockup created for illustrative purpose
Hypotheses: • Users would like to know who Deskbookers is before using the service → lack of trust • Not enough information on the homepage, so users click into help to get more information, before using the application → lack of information @jennyshen
Star ratings Logos of German customers Reviews from German customers Local payment methods Company description with German address & email Trust logos @jennyshen
number four Conduct research to understand cultural nuances @jennyshen
Research Hofstede Country Comparison Tool Hofstede Insights @jennyshen
Research Secondary Research Google Scholar Internations Wikipedia Statista Pro tip: Research in the local language instead of English or your own language @jennyshen
Research Primary Research Ethnography study In-person user interviews Remote UX research @jennyshen
Research Informational Interviews International and local networks “ Shopping is a hobby for many Singaporeans. People buy just because something is on sale. There is nothing much else to do in the country beside shopping. —UX Manager at Singaporean fashion e-commerce platform @jennyshen
number five Apply market and user insights into product design @jennyshen
India & Romania Mexico & Brazil Localisation Payment Methods Cash Germany SEPA direct debit Installments China WeChat Pay SOFORT AliPay Giropay UnionPay Japan Cash Convenience stores (Konbini) JCB @jennyshen
Localisation Devices & Connectivity @jennyshen
Localisation Devices & Connectivity @jennyshen
Localisation Devices & Connectivity @jennyshen
UK China Localisation Medical Literacy Yes, I do. What does tonsil mean? @jennyshen
Localisation Taboos @jennyshen
Pancreatic cancer Localisation !!!! Taboos Gastro-esophageal laceration syndrome Stomach ulcer Gastric cancer @jennyshen
number six Get ready to dominate the world @jennyshen
number one Diverse teams @jennyshen
“ A [company] culture rich in diversity is key to business success. It allows us to better understand the business opportunities in various markets around the world, and develop products that resonate with consumers in diverse cultures.” —Mattel Inc. @jennyshen
number two Travel & Ethnographic Research @jennyshen
Living like a local is the best way to learn and experience local culture @jennyshen
75% More positive view on people of countries visited momondo.com/letsopenourworld/#the-value-of-travelling 76% More positive view on other cultures in general 76% More positive view on differences and diversity @jennyshen
number three Don’t Google Translate @jennyshen
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“ The way we are conditioned to see the world in our own culture seems so completely obvious and commonplace that it is difficult to imagine that another culture might do things differently. It is only when you start to identify what is typical in your culture, but different from others, that you can begin to open a dialogue of sharing, learning, and ultimately understanding. —Erin Meyer, The Culture Map @jennyshen
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As Internet access expands to the far corners of the world, product makers have the chance to see their work used by millions of people worldwide.
To create products for international users, we must be aware of the full range of human diversity with respect to language, culture and other forms of human difference. If the product doesn’t adapt to users’ differences and the rapidly changing world, our work will not truly meet the users’ needs.
Join this talk to hear how Jenny designed for users in Europe, North- and South America, Asia, and Southeast Asia.
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