Cultural Cognition in Usability Evaluation

Torkil Clemmensen, Morten Hertzum, Kasper Anders Søren Hornbæk, Qingxin Shi, Pradeep Yammiyavar

    Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskriftTidsskriftartikelForskningpeer review

    Abstract

    We discuss the impact of cultural differences on usability evaluations that are based on the thinking-aloud method (TA). The term ‘cultural differences' helps distinguish differences in the perception and thinking of Westerners (people from Western Europe and US citizens with European origins) and Easterners (people from China and the countries heavily influenced by its culture). We illustrate the impact of cultural cognition on four central elements of TA: (1) instructions and tasks, (2) the user's verbalizations, (3) the evaluator's reading of the user, and (4) the overall relationship between user and evaluator. In conclusion, we point to the importance of matching the task presentation to users' cultural background, the different effects of thinking aloud on task performance between Easterners and Westerners, the differences in nonverbal behaviour that affect usability problem detection, and, finally, the complexity of the overall relationship between a user and an evaluator with different cultural backgrounds
    OriginalsprogEngelsk
    TidsskriftInteracting with Computers
    Vol/bind21
    Udgave nummer3
    Sider (fra-til)212-220
    Antal sider9
    ISSN0953-5438
    DOI
    StatusUdgivet - 2009
    • Cultural Usability

      Hertzum, M. (Projektdeltager), Clemmensen, T. (Anden), Yammiyavar, P. (Projektdeltager), Sun, X. (Projektdeltager), Nielsen, L. (Projektdeltager), Kumar, J. (Projektdeltager), Plocher, T. (Projektdeltager), Jacobsen, N. E. (Projektdeltager), Shi, Q. (Projektdeltager) & Hornbæk, K. (Projektdeltager)

      Det Frie Forskningsråd

      01/01/200631/12/2009

      Projekter: ProjektForskning

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