Global accessibility designing for internationalisation

Over the past three years at UCAS, my role has revolved around the strategic internationalisation of both mobile and web products.

This has involved continuous improvement to deliver a seamless user experience across diverse cultures and regions. But crafting internationally viable products is more than just providing language selectors and currency customisations – it involves inclusive, thoughtful and purposeful consideration of regional nuances and cultural adaptability.

Here are some factors I considered to enhance the global usability of our international products;

1. Culturally Appropriate Content

Creating a globally resonant user experience starts with culturally aware content. This should be considerate of different tone-of-voice conventions, local standards, customs and traditions. 3 easy rules for better global content are;

  • Avoid metaphors or specific cultural references that may be misunderstood or offensive. 

  • Be aware of varied cultural connotations related to imagery and colour choices. For example, while red may symbolize anger in Western and Japanese cultures, it holds different associations in Hindu culture.

  • Check Imagery, icons, and symbols align with unique cultural, religious, or geographic preferences.


2. Internationally friendly forms

Forms must also be inclusive of different cultural preferences to avoid confusion and facilitate accurate data capture. The following guidance summarises my advice for commonly problematic or overlooked fields;

  • Naming conventions – In some cultures, it’s normal to present family names before given names, think about the structure of your name fields and don’t limit the number of characters, or make fields too short. 

  • Dates – For date pickers use formats that are familiar and relevant to the user’s region. Communicate the format being used to avoid confusion, and/or spell out the Month name, as it is more understandable across countries and only requires minimally more characters.

  • Numbers and measurements – Consider and accommodate different numeric formats, such as varying decimal separators and thousand separators. Always specify the units of measurement being used (e.g., metric vs. imperial).

  • Addresses – Fields should account for regional complexities like states, provinces, and varying postal code formats.
     

  • Phone numbers –  Allow for international numbers containing a varying number of digits and a country code.

3. Leave enough space for translationsSupporting translations into multiple languages is a great start, but consider how these options are presented.Avoid using flags alone to display choices as many languages are used in multiple countries, often with varying dialects.
Consider how translated content will display, especially in content-heavy sections, and anticipate variations in text length due to translation. Nielsen Norman Group suggest leaving room for text to grow by at least 50% in dialogue boxes and field labels.
Always make sure translations are checked by a human so inconsistencies or awkward phrasing are caught early.


4. Think about Performance and Connectivity

When designing for international use you should also be mindful of the common platforms and devices in a given region, and diversity in network conditions and data costs. Ask your team;

  • Can the product perform when there are poor network connections?

  • How can we minimise unnecessary data transfers?

  • Could we serve a stripped-down or offline functionality to remain accessible in more remote regions?

These considerations have the added advantage of often reducing the environmental footprint of a product or service. For example, by designing with required bandwidth usage, loading times, and data consumption in mind, your resulting experience will likely use fewer resources and energy.


5. Remember feedback mechanisms

Feedback mechanisms are often overlooked but are crucial for supporting users in diverse markets. To ensure your feedback opportunities are internationally accessible;

  • Ensure support is available in multiple languages

  • Be aware that there may be some cultural variations in how users interpret and provide ratings, so tailor feedback mechanisms to respect cultural nuances. For example, while a “thumbs-up” is positive in many Western cultures, it can be seen as offensive in some Middle Eastern and Asian cultures.


While this list provides a starting point, you will get the most value from robust and inclusive user testing, that incorporates representatives from diverse cultural backgrounds.

Although internationalisation may initially appear daunting, by prioritizing a proactive and sustainable approach, you can avoid the headaches of trying to retrofit adjustments later, avoiding the need for frequent overhauls or redevelopment efforts.

Jo Laycy 2024 ©