Global User Interface Design

Tony Fernandes

Claris Corporation
5201 Patrick Henry Drive Santa Clara, CA 95052
USA
(408)987-7000
Email: tony_fernandes@claris.com

Abstract

Computer software products have become a world-wide commodity. Yet little thought is given to how products that are shipped internationally should be designed to maintain a high level of usability. This tutorial looks at how this issue should be addressed in the user interface through interaction design, visual design, and through an understanding of the world's cultural differences.

Keywords:

International, User Interface Design, Diversity, Culture

Introduction

Form its very origins, graphical user interfaces have stressed the use of "real world" objects in the hopes of making the experience of using a computer a familiar one. Because many popular operating systems and applications have been designed and developed in the United States, they typically use American "real world" objects and cater to American tastes. As computer software leaves the business and scientific community and increasingly becomes a part of the international consumer market, the notion of how a user interface is designed needs to change with it. In order to do this, interface designers must develop knowledge about the world's cultures and build that knowledge into their designs from the very beginning.

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

Many user interfaces have adopted the use of metaphors "...that are familiar and real-world based..."1 Which real world? Historically, it has been the American real world: mailboxes, garbage cans, folds, and the rest of it. The idea is a valid one: understand the environment in which the interface will be used and make the screen a seamless representation of it. The problem is that environments vary all over the word but the user interface usually doesn't.

CURRENT STATE OF AFFAIRS

When microcomputer software products became on integral part of American business, software manufacturers began marketing their products to overseas businesses. Because foreign markets were viewed as having limited market potential initially, American software manufacturers shipped English versions of the products all over the world. American applications were so revolutionary that customers were willing to take it upon themselves to use ,or learn, English as well as the jargon of corporate America. No thought was put into issues such as productivity, satisfaction, and usability. As foreign markets grew, however, companies sought to gain a competitive advantage by translating the written language used in their software products.

Today, we find products translated to many foreign languages, with varying degrees of quality. Although great progress has been made, very little thought or understanding is going into the design of user interfaces so that they cater to cultural as well as national issues.

CULTURAL ISSUES

Issues that impact the user interface from locale to locale include:

Nationalism: As recent history has shown, nationalism is still very much a driving force in the world. Designers need to take into account what is considered an inherent part of a nation or culture and what is considered a threat to it.
Language: A language with various dialects can easily cause problems. People are often insulted by the use of words that represent a "low status" dialect.
Social Context: In many languages of the world, who made a statement has a much bearing as what the statement was. With the increasing use of audio and video in user interfaces, lack of knowledge in this area can produce an insulting result.
Time: Date and time formats vary from country to country as well as calendars.
Currency: Money may make the world go round but the symbols used to denote it vary from locale to locale.
Units of measure: Both the metric system and English units are used in the world.
Cultural values: Notions of quality, normality, cleanliness, and propriety vary according to culture. Uncomfortable or offensive images can be used in user interfaces due to ignorance or arrogance regarding other cultures of the world.
Symbols: Food, animals, and everyday objects can have symbolic meanings that may convey unintended messages to the user.
Esthetics: Cultures have their own "look and feel" which involves the symbolic user of colors, patterns, shapes, and textures.

GUIDELINES

A set of international guidelines should be developed by organizations that design products for world-wide use. These guidelines must be based on knowledge of various cultures and not technical expediency.

References

1. IBM, CUA, Advanced Interface Design Guide, IBM 1989