Cultural Issues On Website Design

An Indian Perspective On E-Commerce

by

KATLEEN SCHNEIDER

Oral Exam

14-February 2013

Outline

1) Research Questions

2) Methodology

3) Results

4) Limitations

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1) Research Questions

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1) Research Questions

1. How might website design elements differ for a local versus a foreign designed website

within the same product concept (handmade products)?

2. How do differences in web design between a given German and Indian websites affect

the user‘s satisfaction and experience of the given e-commerce websites?

3. What are striking web design elements which affect the participating user’s perception?

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2) Methodology

Hypotheses local website design preference over foreign website design

1) information design (general layout, the layout of information and and the layout of product

information)

2) visual design (colors, graphics and logos)

3) navigation design (ease of navigation)

Experimental Design of Research:

Website Information Design Visual Design Navigation Design

DaWanda.com ID 1 VD 1 ND 1

Craftsvilla.com ID 2 VD 2 ND 2

Positive Comments: ID 1 < ID 2 | VD 1 < VD 2 | ND 1 < ND 2

Negative Comments: ID 1 > ID 2 | VD 1 > VD 2 | ND 1 > ND 25

Research Method

Phase 1: Introductory Questionnaire

Phase 2: User Testing of the Two Websites

Phase 3: Semi-Structured Interview

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3) Results - Phase 1

Data Participant 1 Participant 2 Participant 3 Participant 4

Participant 5

Age 29 30 21 31 15

Gender female female female female female

First Language English Hindi Bengali English Hindi

Educational Background Bachelor of Business Commerce

Bachelor of Technology

Bachelor of Business Administration

MBA High School

Which state from India Maharashtra New Delhi Kolkata West Bengal New Delhi

Since Internet usage 8 years 10 years 13 years 15 years 4 years

When bought the first time? - 2006 2012 (10) 2007 2012 (09)

What bought last time? - bus ticket book shoes book

Would you buy again at the website you purchased last?

- no yes yes yes

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3) Results - Phase 2 - Task 1

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Figure 1: Left side menu bar to select categories at DaWanda.com

Figure 2: Left side menu bar to select categories at Craftsvilla.com

3) Results - Phase 2 - Task 2

Options to find a ring in the color red:

1a) use of category listing on the left menu with

the path: Jewellery - Ring

1b) after clicking on the Ring category, narrow search with the

color selection option on the left side menu (for both the

websites)

2) use of the search bar on the top center of the websites with the

search request “red ring”

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Time to search, select and chose a product for the two websites:Time for Task 2Time for Task 2

Participant Options used DaWanda.com Craftsvilla.com

1 1a + (1b) 4 min. 2 min.

2 2 1 min. 30 sec. 30 sec.

3 2 1 min. 45 sec.

4 1a + 1b 1 min. 15 sec. 1 min.

5 1a + 1b 1 min 15 sec.

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3) Results - Phase 2 - Task 3

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Figure 9: DaWanda.com Facebook icon on the bottom right side

Figure 10: Crafsvilla.com Facebook icon on the bottom left side

3) Results - Phase 3 - Information Design

Question DaWanda.comDaWanda.com Craftsvilla.comCraftsvilla.com

Comments + - + -

3 4 1 3 2

4 4 1 3 2

7 5 2 5 3

Overall result 99 44

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3) Results - Phase 3 - Visual Design

Question DaWanda.comDaWanda.com Craftsvilla.comCraftsvilla.com

Comments + - + -

1 - - - 1

5 4 1 3 3

6 2 - - 1

Overall result 55 -2-2

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3) Results - Phase 3 - Navigation Design

Question DaWanda.comDaWanda.com Craftsvilla.comCraftsvilla.com

Comments + - + -

4 4 1 3 2

Overall result 33 11

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3) Results - Phase 3

Number of Positive and Negative Comments made during the Interview

Positive Comments Negative Comments

DaWanda.com

Craftsvilla.com

0 8 15 23 30

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3) Results

Experimental Design of Research and Hypotheses:

Website Information Design Visual Design Navigation Design

DaWanda.com ID 1 VD 1 ND 1

Craftsvilla.com ID 2 VD 2 ND 2

Positive Comments: ID 1 < ID 2 | VD 1 < VD 2 | ND 1 < ND 2

Negative Comments: ID 1 > ID 2 | VD 1 > VD 2 | ND 1 > ND 2

Results:

Positive Comments: ID 1 > ID 2 | VD 1 > VD 2 | ND 1 > ND 2

Negative Comments: ID 1 < ID 2 | VD 1 < VD 2 | ND 1 < ND 2

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3)Results - Website elements underlined by participants for

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3) Results: Recommendation concerning Website Design Elements

Informative Design: Language - applied vocabulary (example of “writing utensils”)

Navigation Design: Simplification and intuitive navigation (example of “color selection

option” and “Facebook icon”)

Visual Design: Use of colors for symbols (example of Facebook), right balance of

colors and font size, outstanding logo

➡ Localization in terms of the accommodation of objective cultural website elements

(language, currency format, date and time format, symbols)

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4) Limitations

• no verification of the cultural influence on website design

➡ user testing as a qualitative method to detect usability problems

➡ preferences of selected participants rather than cultural influence

• qualitative method with quantitative data analysis

➡ better: specific website design elements under investigation (e.g. language, colors)

➡ make us of usability test in the area of buying behavior

• no evidence for the cultural differentiated profiles of the two e-commerce websites

➡ heuristic evaluation of the websites necessary

➡ poor example of selected Indian e-commerce website

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References Images:

page 3: [all accessed 12 February 2013]

‘Culture’ taken from http://keychangenow.com/2012/07/awareness-vs-implementation-new-organizational-culture/

‘Websites’ taken from: http://www.wisegeek.org/how-do-i-create-my-own-website.htm

‘Europe’ image taken from: http://europatientrights.eu

‘Asia’ image taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Asia_(orthographic_projection).svg

Images related to DaWanda.com and Craftsvilla.com taken from either http://en.DaWanda.com

or http://Craftsvilla.com [accessed 5 February 2013]

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