Module 8: Culture, Language, and International Aspects of Usability
Videos for Module 8/Week 8 of Class
Video 1: Hofstede's Model of National Cultures (Run time: 9 min, 01 sec)
The Dutch social scientist Geert Hofstede devised theoretical framework many in business and technology use to understand how humans perceive and respond to technology and society. As such, this framework is viewed by many as a foundation for understanding cultural factors affecting usability, design, and use. This video presents an overview of Hofstede's ideas. As you review these entries, consider how Hofstede's ideas create a framework for understanding how humans use technologies and how they define what constitutes use and usability based on such factors.
Video 2: How Culture Drives Behaviours (Run time = 12 min, 7 sec)
In this video, Julien S. Bourrelle -- a speaker, teacher, and consultant in culture and communication -- expands on ideas of how culture shapes human behaviors and responses as well as how such behaviors are learned -- and change -- over time. As you review this video, consider the implication these concepts on culture have for how individuals from different cultures interact with technologies -- and with each other through technologies -- and what such concepts mean for what constitutes a usable design in different cultures.
Video 3: How Language Shapes the Way We Think (Run time =14 min, 12 sec)
In this video, cognitive scientist Lera Boroditsky the speaker notes how the language we speak reflects differences in how humans perceive the world around them and discuss ideas with each other. In so doing, the speaker provides a different perspective on how culture affects the ways in which humans use items in their world and thus perceive usability. As you review this entry, consider how it connects to ideas of culture, design, and use associated with concepts noted in the prior videos here.
Video 4: Could Your Language Affect Your Ability to Save Money? (Run time = 12 min, 13 sec)
In intercultural communication, the role language plays in behavior -- and what such factors mean for usability and design -- is a matter of debate. What is clear is that language affects how we think and this factor affects how we perceive and react to things in our world. In this video, economist Keith Chen provides a perspective on how greatly language might affect perceptions and behaviors. In so doing, he provides a particular approach on how language and culture might affect expectations of design and usability. As you listen to this entry, consider how it compares to Lera Boroditsky's talk (Video 3 of this Module) on language, culture, and perceptions and what implications these ideas could have for assessing usability in international contexts.
Video 5: Perspectives on Culture (Run time = 13 min, 50 sec)
In this entry, Gert Jan Hofstede -- the son of Geert Hofstede whose ideas we examined in the first video here -- presents an update on his father's work on culture and behavior. In so doing, he notes how the evolution of technology has affected and been affected by cultural factors and provides insights on how cultural factors might affect expectations of design and usability. As you view this video, consider how the ideas presented here compare to and differ from those noted in the first video in this section and the implications these ideas could have for usability and design.
As you review these video entries, consider
The Dutch social scientist Geert Hofstede devised theoretical framework many in business and technology use to understand how humans perceive and respond to technology and society. As such, this framework is viewed by many as a foundation for understanding cultural factors affecting usability, design, and use. This video presents an overview of Hofstede's ideas. As you review these entries, consider how Hofstede's ideas create a framework for understanding how humans use technologies and how they define what constitutes use and usability based on such factors.
Video 2: How Culture Drives Behaviours (Run time = 12 min, 7 sec)
In this video, Julien S. Bourrelle -- a speaker, teacher, and consultant in culture and communication -- expands on ideas of how culture shapes human behaviors and responses as well as how such behaviors are learned -- and change -- over time. As you review this video, consider the implication these concepts on culture have for how individuals from different cultures interact with technologies -- and with each other through technologies -- and what such concepts mean for what constitutes a usable design in different cultures.
Video 3: How Language Shapes the Way We Think (Run time =14 min, 12 sec)
In this video, cognitive scientist Lera Boroditsky the speaker notes how the language we speak reflects differences in how humans perceive the world around them and discuss ideas with each other. In so doing, the speaker provides a different perspective on how culture affects the ways in which humans use items in their world and thus perceive usability. As you review this entry, consider how it connects to ideas of culture, design, and use associated with concepts noted in the prior videos here.
Video 4: Could Your Language Affect Your Ability to Save Money? (Run time = 12 min, 13 sec)
In intercultural communication, the role language plays in behavior -- and what such factors mean for usability and design -- is a matter of debate. What is clear is that language affects how we think and this factor affects how we perceive and react to things in our world. In this video, economist Keith Chen provides a perspective on how greatly language might affect perceptions and behaviors. In so doing, he provides a particular approach on how language and culture might affect expectations of design and usability. As you listen to this entry, consider how it compares to Lera Boroditsky's talk (Video 3 of this Module) on language, culture, and perceptions and what implications these ideas could have for assessing usability in international contexts.
Video 5: Perspectives on Culture (Run time = 13 min, 50 sec)
In this entry, Gert Jan Hofstede -- the son of Geert Hofstede whose ideas we examined in the first video here -- presents an update on his father's work on culture and behavior. In so doing, he notes how the evolution of technology has affected and been affected by cultural factors and provides insights on how cultural factors might affect expectations of design and usability. As you view this video, consider how the ideas presented here compare to and differ from those noted in the first video in this section and the implications these ideas could have for usability and design.
As you review these video entries, consider
- How cultural factors affect human behavior and expectations of how humans should behave in different situations
- How cultural factors reflect different types of scripts humans might have for different settings and prototypes they might have for different designs
- How cultural factors can affect expectations of how items should be designed and used and what those aspects mean for what constitutes usable designs in different cultures
Other Module 8/Week 8 Materials
To access other materials for Module 8/Week 8, click on the related link below