Thesis
A Practical Set of Cultural Dimensions for Global User-Interface Analysis and Design

by Valentina-Johanna Baumgartner (vj.baumgartner@mavas.at)

In order to write my thesis in the field of user-interface design I developed an questionnaire for gathering expert opinion. If you are an expert in the field of user-interface design, please take part in this survey by answering my questionnaire online. This may take you about 10-15 minutes and would be a very valuable contribution to my thesis. For those who prefer to do this questionnaire off-line, I prepared a word document. Please send it to: vj.baumgartner@mavas.at
Abstract of my thesis
Localization of content of user interfaces is often misunderstood as translating text. Content is much more than text, it includes metaphors, mental models, navigation, interaction, and appearance. Current content management systems (CMS) are not able to handle most cultural differences - especially regarding graphical appearance - automatically.
To support the eventual development of a CMS that could handle these requirements, I want to find out which dimensions of culture should be used to facilitate user-interface analyzes and design.
Main thesis
The objective of the work is to find the most appropriate dimensions to use for culture-oriented evaluation of user interfaces. The first step is to find appropriate dimensions through research, especially through expert-questionnaire. In a second step I plan to find an optimal way to visualize the dimensions when applied to countries/cultures (e.g. using star charts, Venn diagrams, tree maps or cartograms). This visualization could lead to an exploration of how these dimensions, coupled with cultural data could feed content management systems (CMS) to produce semi-automated localization of not only, text, but images, metaphors, navigation schemes and interaction.
Supervisors and Cooperations
Do the questionnaire
  • the online questionnaire (loading may take a few seconds...)
    or
  • download the questionnaire as word document
For more information

My portfolio: http://mavas.at/val
Do not hesitate to contact me: vj.baumgartner@mavas.at