Building a Culturally-Competent Web Site

2015 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tingru Cui ◽  
Xinwei Wang ◽  
Hock-Hai Teo
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Style ◽  
Web Sites ◽  
Web Site ◽  
The United States ◽  
Cultural Dimension ◽  
User Perception ◽  
Site Structure ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Navigation Experience ◽  
The Web

The internationalization of Web sites requires Web designers to provide effective navigation experience for users from diverse cultural backgrounds. This research investigates the effect of cultural cognitive style on user perception of Web site structure characteristics and performance on the Web site, and the subsequent user satisfaction towards the Web site. More specifically, the authors focus on the breadth versus depth of a Web site's structure. A laboratory experiment involving participants from China and the United States was conducted to test the hypotheses. The results showed that cultural cognitive style and Web site structure indeed interact to affect user perception and performance. People with holistic and analytic cultural cognitive styles displayed different perceived navigability and user performance on “broad” and “deep” Web sites. This study adds a cultural dimension to our knowledge on how Web site structure can affect users' experience. It also suggests pragmatic strategies for Web site design practitioners to improve website design in order to produce compelling navigation experience for users from diverse cultures.

Is the Web Site Well Structured?

2017 ◽  
pp. 178-204
Author(s):  
Tingru Cui ◽  
Xinwei Wang ◽  
Hock-Hai Teo
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Style ◽  
Web Sites ◽  
User Satisfaction ◽  
Web Site ◽  
Cultural Context ◽  
Website Design ◽  
User Perception ◽  
Site Structure ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Web

Globalization has driven many organizations to develop an international presence on the web. Building a culturally-competent Web site is of paramount importance. This research investigates the effect of cultural cognitive style on user perception of Web site structure characteristics and performance on the Web site, and the subsequent user satisfaction towards the Web site. More specifically, we focus on the breadth versus depth of a Web site's structure. A laboratory experiment involving 125 participants from China and the United States was conducted to test the hypotheses. The results showed that cultural cognitive style and Web site structure indeed interact to affect user perception and performance. People with holistic and analytic cultural cognitive styles displayed different perceived navigability and user performance on “broad” and “deep” Web sites. This study extends Web site structure literature to the cross-cultural context. It also suggests pragmatic strategies for Web site design practitioners to improve website design in order to attract international audience.

Web Site Performance Analysis Success Assessment of Information Driven Web Site on User Traces

2011 ◽  
pp. 282-296
Author(s):  
Carsten Stolz ◽  
Michael Barth
Keyword(s):  
Web Sites ◽  
Web Site ◽  
User Intention ◽  
Site Structure ◽  
Transaction Analysis ◽  
Available Information ◽  
Direct Feedback ◽  
Source Of Information ◽  
The Web

With growing importance of the internet, Web sites have to be continuously improved. Web metrics help to identify improvement potentials. Particularly success metrics for e-commerce sites based on transaction analysis are commonly available and well understood. In contrast to transaction based sites, the success of Web sites geared toward information delivery is harder to quantify since there is no direct feedback of the user. We propose a generic success measure for information driven Web sites. The idea of the measure is based on the observation of user behaviour in context of the Web site semantics. In particular we observe users on their way through the Web site and assign positive and negative scores to their actions. The value of the score depends on the transitions between page types and their contribution to the Web site’s objectives. To derive a generic view on the metric construction, we introduce a formal meta environment deriving success measures upon the relations and dependencies of usage, content and structure of a Web site. In a case study we got aware that in single cases unsatisfied users had been evaluated positively. This divergence could be explained by not having considered the user’s intentions. We propose in this approach to integrate search queries carried within referrer information as freely available information about the user’s intentions. We integrate this new source of information into our meta model of Web site structure, content and author intention. Hence we apply well understood techniques such as PLSA. Based on the latent semantic we construct a new indicator evaluating the Web site with respect to the user intention. In a case study we can show that this indicator evaluates the quality and usability of a Web site more accurately by taking the user’s goals under consideration. We can also show, that the initially mentioned diverging user sessions, can now be assessed according to the user’s perception.

Eliminating Invisible Barriers: Health Web Site Accessibility

2003 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 70-86
Author(s):  
Christine Rzepka
Keyword(s):  
Health Information ◽  
Web Sites ◽  
Web Site ◽  
People With Disabilities ◽  
High Tech ◽  
Accessibility Issues ◽  
Accessibility Guidelines ◽  
Use Of The Internet ◽  
Simple Evaluation ◽  
The Web

One of the top reasons given for use of the internet is the ability to search for health information. However, much of the planning for web-based health information often fails to consider accessibility issues. If health care organizations and community agencies’ web sites have the latest, most wellresearched information on the health topics of the day, it is useless to those who cannot access it because of invisible technological barriers. Many flashy, high-tech sites were designed only to appeal to the needs of the mainstream population, with no consideration given to how people with disabilities must adapt their use of the web in order to access information. This article addresses issues of access specific to web site development, and will explore barriers to accessibility frequently experienced by web users with disabilities, requirements for ADA compliance, and how people with disabilities use the web. Web site accessibility guidelines, as well as simple evaluation tools, will be discussed. A thorough review of the article will enable even the least tech-savvy of health educators to enhance their skills in planning and evaluating web sites to promote access for people with disabilities.

scholarly journals Principles and software realization of a multimedia course on theoretical electrical engineering based on enterprise technology

2003 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 81-87
Author(s):  
Krasimir Penev ◽  
Kostadin Brandisky
Keyword(s):  
Web Site ◽  
Electrical Engineering ◽  
Circuit Theory ◽  
Site Structure ◽  
The Core ◽  
Multimedia Teaching ◽  
Enterprise Technology ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Teaching Modules ◽  
The Web

The Department of Theoretical Electrical Engineering (TEE) of Technical University of Sofia has been developing interactive enterprise-technologies based course on Theoretical Electrical Engineering. One side of the project is the development of multimedia teaching modules for the core undergraduate electrical engineering courses (Circuit Theory and Electromagnetic Fields) and the other side is the development of Software Architecture of the web site on which modules are deployed. Initial efforts have been directed at the development of multimedia modules for the subject Electrical Circuits and on developing the web site structure. The objective is to develop teaching materials that will enhance lectures and laboratory exercises and will allow computerized examinations on the subject. This article outlines the framework used to develop the web site structure, the Circuit Theory teaching modules, and the strategy of their use as teaching tool.

Personalization Systems and Their Deployment as Web Site Interface Design

2011 ◽  
pp. 147-155
Author(s):  
Nanda Kumar
Keyword(s):  
Human Computer Interaction ◽  
Web Sites ◽  
Interface Design ◽  
Web Site ◽  
Practical Relevance ◽  
Direct Impact ◽  
Design Decisions ◽  
Communication Capability ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Web

This chapter reviews the different types of personalization systems commonly employed by Web sites and argues that their deployment as Web site interface design decisions may have as big an impact as the personalization systems themselves. To accomplish this, this chapter makes a case for treating Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) issues seriously. It also argues that Web site interface design decisions made by organizations, such as the type and level of personalization employed by a Web site, have a direct impact on the communication capability of that Web site. This chapter also explores the impact of the deployment of personalization systems on users’ loyalty towards the Web site, thus underscoring the practical relevance of these design decisions.

Understanding Brand Web Site Positioning in the New EU Member States

2011 ◽  
pp. 99-117
Author(s):  
Shintaro Okazaki ◽  
Radoslav Škapa
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
Multinational Corporations ◽  
Web Sites ◽  
Web Site ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
Analysis Technique ◽  
Similarity Ratings ◽  
New Eu Member States ◽  
The Web

This chapter examines Web sites created by American Multinational Corporations (MNCs) in the Czech Republic. Utilizing a content analysis technique, we scrutinized (1) the type of brand Web site functions, and (2) the similarity ratings between the home (U.S.) sites and Czech sites. Implications are discussed from the Web site standardization versus localization perspective.

Personalization Systems and Their Deployment as Web Site Interface Design Decisions

2009 ◽  
pp. 212-219
Author(s):  
Nanda Kumar
Keyword(s):  
Human Computer Interaction ◽  
Web Sites ◽  
Interface Design ◽  
Web Site ◽  
Practical Relevance ◽  
Direct Impact ◽  
Design Decisions ◽  
Communication Capability ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Web

This chapter reviews the different types of personalization systems commonly employed by Web sites and argues that their deployment as Web site interface design decisions may have as big an impact as the personalization systems themselves. To accomplish this, this chapter makes a case for treating Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) issues seriously. It also argues that Web site interface design decisions made by organizations, such as the type and level of personalization employed by a Web site, have a direct impact on the communication capability of that Web site. This chapter also explores the impact of the deployment of personalization systems on users’ loyalty towards the Web site, thus underscoring the practical relevance of these design decisions.

Introduction to Counseling Psychology and to the Current Volume

2012 ◽  
pp. 1-24
Author(s):  
Jairo N. Fuertes ◽  
Arnold R. Spokane ◽  
Elizabeth Holloway
Keyword(s):  
Web Sites ◽  
Counseling Psychology ◽  
American Psychological Association ◽  
The United States ◽  
Professional Organizations ◽  
History Of ◽  
Complementary Nature ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
The Web

Chapter 1 provides a formal definition of counseling psychology, citing various though similar definitions that are found on the Web sites of professional organizations, including the Society of Counseling Psychology (Division 17 of the American Psychological Association) and the American Board of Counseling Psychology (the certifying board for counseling psychologists in the United States and Canada). It also offers five unifying themes whose interplay and complementary nature distinguish counseling psychology from other psychological specialties, the uniqueness of counseling psychology, a brief history of the specialty, the culture of competence, and the founding of the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP).

Multilingual Web Sites in Global Electronic Commerce

2011 ◽  
pp. 823-828
Author(s):  
Shaoyi He
Keyword(s):  
Electronic Commerce ◽  
Web Sites ◽  
Web Site ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Web Content ◽  
Fortune 500 Companies ◽  
National Boundaries ◽  
The Many ◽  
Content Design ◽  
The Web

The World Wide Web (the Web), a distributed hypermedia information system that provides global access to the Internet, has been most widely used for exchanging information, providing services, and doing business across national boundaries. It is difficult to find out exactly when the first multilingual Web site was up and running on the Internet, but as early as January 1, 1993, EuroNews, the first multilingual Web site in Europe, was launched to simultaneously cover world news from a European perspective in seven languages: English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish. (EuroNews, 2005). In North America, Web site multilinguality has become an important aspect of electronic commerce (e-commerce) as more and more Fortune 500 companies rely on the Internet and the Web to reach out to millions of customers and clients. Having a successful multilingual Web site goes beyond just translating the original Web content into different languages for different locales. Besides the language issue, there are other important issues involved in Web site multilinguality: culture, technology, content, design, accessibility, usability, and management (Bingi, Mir, & Khamalah, 2000; Dempsey, 1999; Hillier, 2003; Lindenberg, 2003; MacLeod, 2000). This article will briefly address the issues related to: (1) language that is one of the many elements conforming culture, (2) culture that greatly affects the functionality and communication of multilingual Web sites, and (3) technology that enables the multilingual support of e-commerce Web sites, focusing on the challenges and strategies of Web site multilinguality in global e-commerce.

Customer Goals Online

2011 ◽  
pp. 163-167
Author(s):  
Thomas W. Porter
Keyword(s):  
Customer Service ◽  
Web Sites ◽  
Web Site ◽  
Traditional Approach ◽  
Product Line ◽  
Specific Product ◽  
Large Product ◽  
Apparent Reason ◽  
Goal Directed Behavior ◽  
The Web

Marketing managers charged with developing effective e-marketing strategies need to understand the implications of goal-directed behavior online. Traditionally, the marketer’s job has involved capturing the customer’s attention and communicating a message about products or services. The customer is essentially a passive receiver of the marketer’s message with little control over the marketing messages they are exposed to. Contrast the traditional approach to marketing with a Web site. Online the customer arrives at the marketer’s Web site with a goal. The customer has something that he or she wants to accomplish, whether it be to acquire information about a product, to make a purchase, or to just be entertained. By understanding the customer’s purpose for a Web site visit, the Web marketer is in a position to develop a Web site that provides significant value. Furthermore, a failure to deliver a Web site that enables customers to accomplish their goals is likely to result in dissatisfaction and defection to other more useful Web sites. Understanding customer online goals is critical because it gets at the heart of what the Web site should or could “do.” The challenge for e-marketers is that for most businesses, there are likely to be multiple goals that represent the “reason why” customers could come to the Web site. For example, an e-tailing site might be very effective for customers who already know the specific product they want to purchase. However, there are likely to be many other goals that could lead people to visit the site, such as selecting the appropriate product form a large product line, selecting an appropriate gift, or perhaps receiving customer service. If important customer goals are not supported by the Web site, the firm is at risk of losing a significant amount of business. Other times businesses compete in markets where there may be little apparent reason for a consumer to visit a Web site. As a result, and because firms feel they should have an online presence, many e-marketing sites are created that offer little more than online reproductions of the marketer’s off-line advertising. The purpose of this article is to help e-marketers better understand the nature of customer goals online so that they may be prepared to create the types of Web site experiences that provide value to their customers.

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