Tutorial 2 - Localisation versus Globalisation; Making the trade-off

Instructors

Leslie Fountain, Ansgar Kupper and Ben Luff
System Concepts Ltd
2 Savoy Court, Strand
London WC2R 0EZ
(T) +44 (0)207 240 3388
(F) +44 (0)207 240 5212
leslie@system-concepts.com

 Photos

Leslie Fountain

Ansgar Kupper

Ben Luff

 Duration

Half Day Tutorial

 Learning objectives

• To gain a better understanding of the differences between localisation and globalisation.
• To appreciate the usability issues associated with both approaches.
• To learn the business benefits of each and how to evaluate from a customer's perspective.
• To gain an understanding of the typical risks associated with doing neither.
• To learn practical tips on when and how to conduct international usability testing.

Abstract

The International Standard ISO 9241-11 defines usability as the ‘extent to which a system can be used by specified users to achieve specified goals with effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction in a specified context of use'. In the case of globalisation, the ‘specified users' become a very large group in terms of the language and cultural requirements of people in all countries worldwide. In the case of localisation, the ‘specified users' become a more clearly defined group based on language and cultural needs. But successful international products require both globalisation and localisation if they are to work for users worldwide and among different cultures. The problem for the designer is how to combine global, general solutions and unique, local solutions for the design of user interfaces.

This half day, interactive tutorial will provide you with the tools and techniques to assist clients' decisions in this area. You will gain an understanding of the business benefits of localising and globalising a product or system. You will gain a better understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of localising and/or globalising from a customer experience perspective as well as the risks of doing neither. You will walk away with practical tips on how to conduct international usability testing. We will provide usability case studies from industry, which we will work through as a group, and include examples from systems and products. We will look at the differences between localisation and globalisation and what this means to usability practitioners, designers, developers and business.

Speaker Bio

Leslie Fountain is a senior consultant with System Concepts Limited. She holds an MSc and BSc Honours in Ergonomics from Dalhousie University , Canada . Leslie sits on the Usability Professionals' Association (UPA) UK Chapter's committee and is a member of the W3C working group on internationalisation.

For the past 9 years Leslie has worked as a usability and human factors consultant in military, industrial and office environments across Europe , North America and the Caribbean . Her key skills include user centred design of systems and products, usability and accessibility testing, expert reviews, design evaluation and identification of feasible solutions, training and project management and planning. Leslie has carried out usability testing and training in both French and English.

Ansgar Kupper is a senior consultant with System Concepts. He holds an MSc in Ergonomics from University College London and previously qualified in Physiotherapy from HIVEK, Brussels , Belgium . He is a Registered member of the Ergonomics Society, and the Usability Professionals' Association.

Ansgar's key skills include ergonomics, usability evaluations of systems and products, survey and questionnaire design, focus groups and expert reviews of web sites. Ansgar has carried out usability testing in English, French, German and Dutch.

Ben Luff is a senior consultant with System Concepts, specializing in user interface design. He holds a BA (Hons) in Psychology with a European Study, and an MSc in Occupational Health Psychology. He is a member of the Usability Professional's Association (UPA) and a graduate member of the Ergonomics Society.

e is currently the chief usability expert in the development of the high-profile UK government transport website, Transport Direct. His key skills include representing the needs and abilities of target users during research and development (R&D), functional specification, user interface design and evaluation, prototyping and writing user interface guidelines. Ben has carried out usability testing and focus groups in Spanish and English.

Intended Audience

This course is designed for anyone who is involved in specifying how a system or product will look and function. This could include managers, engineers, designers, developers and analysts from IT, commercial or marketing functions.

Teaching methods

We will use our own experiences to provide real examples in this interactive workshop. There will be a combination of individual and group activities to practice the theory and tools taught.

Schedule

• Overview of tutorial
• Introduction to internationalisation, globalisation and localisation
• Activity: from a customer's perspective
• Stakeholders and their perspectives
• Business benefits and risks
• Activity: evaluating the business benefits
• How to decide
• Case Study 1: non-textual instructions for a printer
• Case Study 2: an international shipping website
• When to include users
• Tips on usability testing abroad