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Cultural Dimensions and Global Web Design:
What? So What? Now What?
Full paper
This paper introduces dimensions of culture, as analyzed by
Geert Hofstede in his classic study of cultures in organizations, and considers
how they might affect user-interface designs. Examples from the Web
illustrate the cultural dimensions.
Reference:
Aaron Marcus and Asociates, Inc.
1144 65th Street, Suite F
Emeryville, CA 94608 USA
Tel: 510-601-0994, Ext. 19
Fax: 510-547-6125
Aaron@AmandA.com
www.Amanda.com
Power Distance (PD):
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Access to information:
highly (high PD) vs. less-highly (low PD) structured.
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Hierarchies in mental
models: tall vs. shallow.
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Emphasis on the social and
moral order (e.g., nationalism or religion) and its symbols:
significant/frequent vs. minor/infrequent use.
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Focus on expertise,
authority, experts, certifications, official stamps, or logos: strong vs.
weak.
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Prominence given to
leaders vs. citizens, customers, or employees.
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Importance of security and
restrictions or barriers to access: explicit, enforced, frequent restrictions
on users vs. transparent, integrated, implicit freedom to roam.
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Social roles used to
organize information (e.g., a managers’ section obvious to all but sealed off
from non-managers): frequent vs. infrequent
Individualism vs. Collectivism (IC):
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Motivation based on
personal achievement: maximized (expect the extra-ordinary) for individualist
cultures vs. underplayed (in favor of group achievement) for collectivist
cultures
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Images of success:
demonstrated through materialism and consumerism vs. achievement of
social-political agendas.
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Rhetorical style:
controversial/argumentative speech and tolerance or encouragement of extreme
claims vs. official slogans and subdued hyperbole and controversy
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Prominence given youth and
action vs. aged, experienced, wise leaders and states of being
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Importance given
individuals vs. products shown by themselves or with groups
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Underlying sense of social
morality: emphasis on truth vs. relationships
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Emphasis on change: what
is new and unique vs. tradition and history
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Willingness to provide
personal information vs. protection of personal data differentiating the
individual from the group
Masculinity vs. Femininity (MAS):
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Traditional
gender/family/age distinctions
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Work tasks, roles, and
mastery, with quick results for limited tasks
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Navigation oriented to
exploration and control
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Attention gained through
games and competitions
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Graphics, sound, and
animation used for utilitarian purposes
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Feminine cultures would
emphasize the following:
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Blurring of gender roles
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Mutual cooperation,
exchange, and relational support (rather than mastery and winning)
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Attention gained through
poetry, visual aesthetics, and appeals to unifying values
Uncertainty Avoidance (UA):
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Simplicity, with clear metaphors, limited choices, and restricted amounts of data
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Attempts to reveal or forecast the results or implications of actions before users act
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Navigation schemes intended to prevent users from becoming lost
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Mental models and help systems that focus on reducing "user errors"
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Redundant cues (color, typography, sound, etc.) to reduce ambiguity.
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Low UA cultures would emphasize the reverse:
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Complexity with maximal content and choices
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Acceptance (even encouragement) of wandering and risk, with a stigma on “over-protection”
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Less control of navigation; for example, links might open new windows leading away from the original location.
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Mental models and help systems might focus on understanding underlying concepts rather than narrow tasks
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Coding of color, typography, and sound to maximize information (multiple links without redundant cueing.)
Long- vs. Short-Term Time Orientation (LTO):
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Content focused on
practice and practical value
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Relationships as a source
of information and credibility
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Patience in achieving
results and goals
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Low LTO countries would
emphasize the contrary:
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Content focused on truth
and certainty of beliefs
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Rules as a source of
information and credibility
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Desire for immediate
results and achievement of goals
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