TALKING BUSINESS
what the design should convey. It is also
extremely important to take different
demographics into consideration,
localising the experience and tailoring
the content to specific audiences is the
key to success.
Language has always been the
backbone of every culture and so it is
the lifeline for communication on any
interface. Difficulty in understanding
the content affects the usability of the
interface. Arabic is the pre-dominant
language spoken. Below are the
important aspects to be considered
while designing the user experience for
the Middle Eastern customer:
Translation can affect usability.
Languages spoken in the Middle East
tend to be wordier than the English
language. A direct translation would
affect the usability. Words used should
not only be precise but also free from
any linguistic disparity. multilingual functionality plays a major
role in the usability of a website or
application. It not only reflects a sense
of out-reach to the customer but also
increases the size of the target market. market’s characteristics. For a global
brand, this aspect shows awareness and
sensitivity to the target market.
Cultural values Visual design No business can afford to ignore the
traditional and cultural values of the
customer and region. To deliver a great
user experience, the local culture needs
to be understood first. For example, the
Arab culture is traditionally conservative.
A direct translation of common words
or phrases from English is not a good
option as they might be considered
offensive. The design should be sensitive
to the behaviour of target users, and
behaviour of the general population
should not be the only driver behind
user research. The visual design for Arabic interfaces is
challenging due to the right-to-Left layout. It plays a significant role in the usability
of any interface. For example, Arab
characters are wider and shorter than
Latin characters, which means they
require more space when written. As a
standard practice, Arabic fonts are four
points larger than English fonts.
Formal or local
There is no single Middle Eastern culture.
Different regions have different customs
and unique habits. What works for one,
doesn’t work for another. The easiest
solution is to use the standard language
taught in that region. For example,
Saudi Arabia teaches Modern Standard
Arabic (MSA) in most schools.
Multilingual features
Based on the needs and objectives
of businesses and users, providing
30
INTELLIGENTCIO
Correct images
Using appropriate images for
the website or application that
represents the targeted user, increases
usability and user experience. It
reflects the service/goods provider’s
acknowledgement of the target
“Emotional
aspects are
becoming more
important than
traditional
aspects
such as mere
usability and
functionality.”
Typography
As the benefits of user experience are
becoming more clear and evident,
the way businesses cater to their
customers’ needs are changing.
Organisations with highly effective
user experience have witnessed a 37%
increase in their revenue. We have seen
examples of users who have stopped
using an application because of its
poor performance and problems in its
functionality or design.
Meanwhile, market studies have shown
that users will always pay extra for
a better customer experience. You
can now easily manage your user
experience applications using elastic,
secure, and reliable databases hosted
on cloud that can be easily deployed
and integrated with your applications.
This will increase efficiency, support
rapidly evolving business strategies,
and enhance products and channels to
better serve customers. n
www.intelligentcio.com