Designing for Cultural Sensitivity

🌎 Designing Cross-Cultural And Multi-Lingual UX. Guidelines on how to stress test our designs, how to define a localization strategy and how to deal with currencies, dates, word order, pluralization, colors and gender pronouns. ⦿ Translation: “We adapt our message to resonate in other markets”. ⦿ Localization: “We adapt user experience to local expectations”. ⦿ Internationalization: “We adapt our codebase to work in other markets”. ✅ English-language users make up about 26% of users. ✅ Top written languages: Chinese, Spanish, Arabic, Portuguese. ✅ Most users prefer content in their native language(s). ✅ French texts are on average 20% longer than English ones. ✅ Japanese texts are on average 30–60% shorter. 🚫 Flags aren’t languages: avoid them for language selection. 🚫 Language direction ≠ design direction (“F” vs. Zig-Zag pattern). 🚫 Not everybody has first/middle names: “Full name” is better. ✅ Always reserve at least 30% room for longer translations. ✅ Stress test your UI for translation with pseudolocalization. ✅ Plan for line wrap, truncation, very short and very long labels. ✅ Adjust numbers, dates, times, formats, units, addresses. ✅ Adjust currency, spelling, input masks, placeholders. ✅ Always conduct UX research with local users. When localizing an interface, we need to work beyond translation. We need to be respectful of cultural differences. E.g. in Arabic we would often need to increase the spacing between lines. For Chinese market, we need to increase the density of information. German sites require a vast amount of detail to communicate that a topic is well-thought-out. Stress test your design. Avoid assumptions. Work with local content designers. Spend time in the country to better understand the market. Have local help on the ground. And test repeatedly with local users as an ongoing part of the design process. You’ll be surprised by some findings, but you’ll also learn to adapt and scale to be effective — whatever market is going to come up next. Useful resources: UX Design Across Different Cultures, by Jenny Shen https://lnkd.in/eNiyVqiH UX Localization Handbook, by Phrase https://lnkd.in/eKN7usSA A Complete Guide To UX Localization, by Michal Kessel Shitrit 🎗️ https://lnkd.in/eaQJt-bU Designing Multi-Lingual UX, by yours truly https://lnkd.in/eR3GnwXQ Flags Are Not Languages, by James Offer https://lnkd.in/eaySNFGa IBM Globalization Checklists https://lnkd.in/ewNzysqv Books: ⦿ Cross-Cultural Design (https://lnkd.in/e8KswErf) by Senongo Akpem ⦿ The Culture Map (https://lnkd.in/edfyMqhN) by Erin Meyer ⦿ UX Writing & Microcopy (https://lnkd.in/e_ZFu374) by Kinneret Yifrah

Exploring the Complex Factors Surrounding Women's Career Choices: The decision for women and girls to leave their careers is a multifaceted issue that cannot be attributed to a single cause. Instead, it involves a complex interplay of personal, societal, and structural factors. In this post, we will delve into some of the reasons why it can be easier for women and girls to leave their careers. It's important to remember that these reasons are not universal and may vary greatly from person to person. 🎯Gender Roles and Expectations: Traditional gender roles have often placed the burden of childcare and household responsibilities primarily on women. These societal expectations can make it easier for women to leave their careers, especially if they face pressure to prioritize their family over their professional aspirations. 🎯Unequal Distribution of Household and Caregiving Responsibilities: Even in dual-income households, women often bear a disproportionate share of household and caregiving responsibilities. Balancing a career and these responsibilities can be overwhelming, leading some women to opt for leaving their careers temporarily or permanently. 🎯Career Barriers: Women may face numerous career barriers, such as discrimination, a lack of mentorship opportunities, and a glass ceiling that limits their advancement. These obstacles can discourage them from pursuing their careers or can lead to them leaving their careers prematurely. 🎯Personal Fulfillment: Some women choose to leave their careers because they find greater fulfillment in roles outside of the traditional workforce, such as entrepreneurship, volunteering, or pursuing creative passions. This decision may not be solely influenced by external pressures but by personal values and aspirations. 🎯Health and Well-being: The physical and emotional toll of balancing career and family can impact women's health and well-being. In some cases, leaving a career may be a necessary decision to prioritize mental and physical health. 🎯Lack of Access to Quality Childcare: The availability and affordability of quality childcare can be a significant factor. If women cannot secure reliable childcare, they may have no choice but to leave their careers temporarily or permanently. It's essential to recognize that women's decisions to leave their careers are shaped by a wide range of factors, both personal and systemic. Addressing these issues requires a holistic approach that includes changes in societal expectations, workplace policies, and support systems. Ultimately, empowering women to make choices that align with their goals and aspirations is crucial for achieving gender equality in the workforce.

When Packaging Protects More Than What's Inside. You can tell when design comes from lived culture, not a quick Google search. Real heritage shows. It carries rhythm, weight, and history. When that depth finds its way into packaging, it becomes more than decoration. Too often, brands chasing "cultural inspiration" only skim the surface. A borrowed pattern here, a palette from a travel blog there. It looks the part but never feels it. What starts as homage ends up as imitation. KA'A worked with Indigenous artist Jaguatirika to root its design in ancestry and place. Every colour comes from Brazil's biomes, each tied to the textures, scents, and healing power of the forest. In a category hooked on beige minimalism, KA'A brings life back to the shelf. Design with memory. Shapes and symbols passed through generations of craft, story, and survival. Colours drawn from the rainforest itself, not Pinterest. When design honours its source, it protects more than what's inside. Are you carrying the story forward or just borrowing the look? 📷Estúdio Ditongo

There's something almost nobody is talking about in AI - but it affects everything from asking ChatGPT for advice to companies deploying AI globally. A fascinating study tested major AI Models - the foundations powering tools millions use daily - against cultural values from 107 countries worldwide. The result? Each one reflected the same assumptions - those of English-speaking, Western European societies. None aligned with how people in Africa, Latin America, or the Middle East actually build trust, show respect, or resolve conflicts. Why does this matter? Imagine you're a global company rolling out AI customer service. Your system learns "best practice": when customers complain about late orders, "apologise briefly, offer a discount, and focus on quick resolution". In Germany, the direct, efficient approach works perfectly. Customer satisfied. But in Japan, that brief apology violates meiwaku - the cultural need to deeply acknowledge when you've caused someone inconvenience. Your "efficient" response feels dismissive and damages customer relationships. And in the UAE, the discount offer backfires completely. It feels like charity rather than respect. One AI system, similar contexts, completely different cultural outcomes. This isn't intentional though - it's inevitable. LLMs absorb embedded patterns about communication from their training data, and most of that data comes from billions of English web pages and content. The result? AI systems that, unless thoughtfully shaped, are blind to the diversity of human interaction. Klarna, the global payments company, made headlines in 2024 when they introduced an AI system that "did the work of 700 customer service reps", handled 2.5 million conversations in 35 languages, and cut response time by 82%. Technical triumph. 14 months later: "Klarna reverses AI strategy and is hiring humans again". Their CEO admitted it had led to "lower quality". Some reports said they'd seen a 20%+ decrease in customer satisfaction. What I think really happened: Klarna optimised for 35 languages while completely missing 35 different ways humans expect to be treated. The challenge? Most companies are focusing on technical integration and completely missing cultural intelligence. We measure response time and cost savings, but never ask, "which human complexities are we overlooking?" The goal isn't neutrality though - that's impossible and undesirable. It's conscious awareness. Understanding that the output from AI models is filtered through a specific cultural lens. For companies building AI strategies, key questions worth asking: * Which cultural assumptions are embedded in our AI systems? * How do we test cultural intelligence alongside technical performance? * Who provides this expertise in our AI teams? The individuals and organisations that develop this conscious awareness will make better decisions, while others unknowingly apply one-size-fits-all approaches to beautifully diverse human contexts.

Recommended reading! From London. While urban planners strive to create inclusive environments for all citizens, truly inclusive cities require acknowledging that our spaces do not serve everyone equally. Cities historically designed primarily by and for men need deliberate recalibration to address the needs of women and other overlooked groups. This requires policymakers and designers to specifically examine how urban environments function for diverse populations with different lived experiences. The 2024 Handbook: Gender-Informed Urban Design & Planning LLDC (London Legacy Development Corporation) and Arup have released a usefull handbook addressing a critical gap in urban planning: gender-informed design approaches. The publication features beautiful illustrations by Shanice Abbey. Key findings: • Urban environments, traditionally viewed as gender-neutral, often contain embedded biases that compound gender inequalities • Over half of UK girls aged 13-18 report unwanted sexual comments in public spaces • Women's movement patterns are significantly impacted by caregiving responsibilities • Research identified specific "hotspot" areas perceived as unsafe within the LLDC boundary Practical recommendations for implementation: • For local authorities: Establish gender-informed corporate strategies, implement gender budgeting, adopt targeted planning policies, and utilize planning obligations • For developers: Embed gender-informed principles throughout project lifecycle, conduct participatory engagement, and prepare Gender-Informed Design Statements • Deploy specific design interventions including strategic lighting, carefully placed public realm furniture, and thoughtful land use planning This handbook offers evidence-based insights and practical tools for integrating gender-informed principles into existing planning frameworks, emphasizing intersectionality and meaningful community involvement. The guidance extends beyond theoretical concepts, suggesting concrete design solutions such as layered lighting for human scale, social seating configurations, and interim uses for vacant sites. A valuable resource for all urban professionals committed to creating truly inclusive cities. #UrbanPlanning #GenderEquality #InclusiveDesign #PublicSpace #UrbanSafety #SpatialPlanning #DesignInnovation #CommunityEngagement

🇨🇳 Chinese UX | UI in 5 principles 🤩 Here, 方便是王 Convenience is king, even when it seems “overdone” to Western sensibilities. 👇 Check out the carousel, some choices are really hard to convey by words alone 👇 Here are 5️⃣ (non-exhaustive) rules of thumb: 1) Mobile first first first! Right now, it feels like every major commercial B2C actor wants to create the next super-app. If it’s not powerful enough, it’s not worth users’ time. Each super-app accumulates a bunch of mini-programs. Since cross-navigation is super relevant, the flow from app to app, from app to mini-program and within the mini-program has to be smooth, without “dead ends”.  Strong cross-navigation also limits app fragmentation. 2) Information hyperdensity Design best practices remain applicable, but their application differs widely from the West’s.  Chinese uses a character script, which is a lot denser. To the point that we frequently have vertical nav bars on the left of the screen. You should use more of that vertical space even if you are on mobile and aim for less scrolling. With Chinese, you can afford to do that. Offer more content on the first screen, even if you may be tempted to not overwhelm users. But keep the font size readable: 12pt at least. This hyperdensity doesn’t bother users.  A highly contextual #culture seems to go hand in hand with a (literally) more holistic vision. Westerners go straight to the subject, the Chinese absorb more of the peripheries. Same observation in Japan and South Korea. 3) Extra dose of ads and gamification On Chinese apps, gamified elements that encourage purchase are much more present, and CTAs are intertwined with the content. This different threshold of tolerance is put to good use by marketing here. Admittedly, some gamified elements can even be quite creative! But I still don't know if it's appreciated by users or just tolerated. A good UX research topic. 4) Facilitate networking and group building Reputation is all the more important in a country like China where the group's opinion matters a lot. Highlight features that lets users easily share content to individual users and to user groups. And let users share content to other apps, again, joining the need for seamless cross-navigation. 5) Inform and interact On Chinese apps, the machine initiates more interactions if it supports users.  Compared to its Google Map counterpart, the Baidu Map GPS app NEVER shuts up 😵💫 I reacted badly to the incessant talking at first. In hindsight, it’s understandable. The app wasn't made for people like me. But doesn’t it diminish the feeling of control? Well, no. When the interface informs the user, it’s transparent, welcome and not intrusive. 🌈 I haven't discussed the choice of colors on these apps, which seem to be overall… brighter? Don’t worry, we’ll get to that next week 😉 #UXResearch #UXDesign #CrossCultural #UI #China

The failure of Five Guys in Germany is more than just a story about overpriced burgers — it’s a masterclass in cultural misalignment. When American brands expand into Europe, I always say: market entry is the ultimate pressure test for your marketing playbook. If you haven’t defined your value proposition sharply enough, you can’t adapt it to local culture and friction is guaranteed. Five Guys entered Germany with a US-centric model: premium fast food, higher prices, low marketing, and the belief that quality would speak for itself. But in Germany, it didn’t. A good example is their German Instagram channel. One of their posts promotes Milkshake Mix-in flavors of “Reese’s ” or “Cinnamon Bun”. In the US, these are nostalgic, beloved, high-recognition brands. In Germany? Reese’s has niche awareness, Cinnamon Bun is not a cultural staple, and neither triggers emotional resonance. To be successful in Germany you need to understand the Germans: 1. Price sensitivity & uncertainty avoidance – Germans value structure, reliability, and rational decision-making. Paying twice as much for a burger with no clear differentiation simply didn’t add up - and the macroeconomic environment didn't help. 2. Individualism vs. collectivism – American brands often sell an emotional “have it your way” narrative. In Germany, shared experiences and consistency matters. 3. Long-term orientation – German consumers reward brands that invest locally, adapt to culture, and show commitment — not those that copy-paste global playbooks. Localization isn’t about translation. It’s about resonance. It’s understanding what people value, what they expect from brands, and what will actually make them care. In my work with US companies expanding into Europe, I’ve seen it repeatedly: those who adapt thrive. Those who don’t become case studies. #Localization #GlobalMarketing #BrandStrategy #CulturalIntelligence #Hofstede #MarketEntry #FiveGuys #MarketingLeadership

Rethinking Mobility: Why Gender-Inclusive Planning Matters. How often do we stop to consider whether our cities are designed for everyone? A recent toolkit on Gender-Inclusive Mobility Planning highlights a critical gap in urban design: most transportation systems are still unconsciously built for a “default male user” someone commuting during peak hours, without stops or detours. But women and gender minorities make up more than 50% of the population, and their travel patterns are often more complex, more frequent, and more dependent on off-peak and multi-modal trips. Key insights from the report: 🔹 Women use public transit more, yet feel less safe especially at night. 🔹 Trip-chaining is common balancing work, caregiving, and household errands in one journey. 🔹 Safety and accessibility are top concerns, influencing route choices and travel times. Cities like Vienna, Austria are leading the way with intentional gender mainstreaming widening sidewalks, improving lighting, adding seating, and prioritizing pedestrian safety. Their approach shows that when we design with people, not just for them, we create cities that are more equitable, safe, and livable for everyone. #GenderInclusiveDesign #UrbanPlanning #Mobility #TransportationEquity #InclusiveCities #PublicTransit #UrbanDesign #LinkedInLearning

When we say “apply a gender lens to everything,” this is exactly what we mean. For over a century, many everyday inventions were designed by men, for men, and women simply adapted, often at a cost to their comfort, safety, and health. The redesigned speculum is a perfect example. After more than 150 years, women engineers finally asked a simple but radical question: What if women’s bodies and experiences actually mattered in medical design? And the speculum is not alone. Inventions originally not designed with women in mind: • Car seat belts – modeled on the “average male body,” increasing injury risk for women and pregnant people • Car crash test dummies – long based almost entirely on male bodies • Smartphones – larger sizes that strain smaller hands • Voice recognition systems – struggle more with women’s voices • Office temperatures – calibrated to male metabolic rates • Personal protective equipment (PPE) – often ill-fitting for women • Medications & drug dosages – tested primarily on men • Tools and machinery – designed for male grip strength and height And here is a critical fact many people still don’t know: 👉 Women were largely excluded from clinical research until 1993. Yet women metabolize drugs differently, experience different side effects, and respond differently to treatments. Still, medicine was labeled “neutral.” It wasn’t. And yes, this goes beyond medicine. Even road and transport design carries gender bias. Without applying a gender lens: • Roads prioritize private cars over public transport • Routes ignore caregiving travel patterns (school, market, home, hospital) • Pedestrian safety, lighting, and crossings, used more by women are undervalued In Ghana, this means some road designs systematically disadvantage women, especially those who walk, carry loads, use public transport, or move with children. I’ll write more about this when I get the time, but this is the heart of the matter: Design is never neutral. Policy is never neutral. Research is never neutral. If gender is ignored, inequality is designed in. #academia #phdjourney #genderlens #womeninacademia #scicom

𝘈𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘯-𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥? Yes. Without thinking twice, yes! The world was not designed for women. Not in the cars we drive. Not in the phones we hold. Not even in the way we plan cities. For decades, the gold-standard crash-test dummy was modelled on a 5′9″, 171-lb male body. The global average woman, at about 5′3″ and 137 lb, is far smaller - yet safety tests still rely on male defaults, putting women at greater risk in real-world crashes. This means that:  1. Women are 17% more likely to die and  2. 47% more likely to be seriously injured in a crash     All because the ergonomics weren’t designed with them in mind. Also, as per the WEF report, it’s shocking but only 5% of R&D funding in the healthcare sector is spent on women’s health needs globally, despite women making up 50% of the population. From medicines to AI, a lot of products and services were tested and trained on males.  It’s a pattern in how the world is built. Male is the default. Products, systems, and policies that are less safe, less effective, and less accessible for women. In India, women didn’t have equal property rights until the Hindu Succession Act of 1956, and it was only in 2005 that daughters were given equal inheritance rights as sons.   Globally, women are expected to control $5 trillion in assets in the near future. For the first time in history, women are becoming primary decision-makers for major financial choices. And yet, most products and services still treat women as an afterthought. Women influence over 80% of global consumer spending, yet while they’ve been relentlessly marketed to, they’ve rarely been truly designed for. Femtech is often misunderstood as “women-only” products. But in reality, it’s about intentional design for women’s needs, whether that’s a wealth management app tailored for first-time female investors, healthcare platforms reimagining maternal care, or everyday products built for different body types and lifestyles. This harsh reality points to a larger opportunity: • Move beyond token pink packaging and actually solve for women’s lived realities. • Build personalised, curated experiences that reflect women’s independence and decision-making power. • Rethink how we design, from finance to transport to healthcare.    As Caroline Criado Perez wrote in the book Invisible Women: “When we exclude half of humanity from the design process, we also lose half of the potential solutions.” The question lingers: Will the next decade of innovation still make women adapt to the world, or will we finally design a world that adapts to women? Video Source: World Economic Forum #Innovation #Startup #Women