App design for the world: considering languages, scripts and digital literacy
The majority of the world’s internet users are mobile-based. Creating apps and mobile sites that cater to various cultures, languages, levels of digital literacy and writing systems is key. As a UI/UX designer and language learner, I’m particularly interested in this intersection of languages and design. The focus of this talk is how through language and visuals, designers and developers can create apps to better support and empower a global, multilingual audience.
First, I’ll take a look at how different countries approach app design, exploring the super-app in Asia to crowded interfaces in Japanese and less-information dense apps in other markets. I’ll provide examples of see how apps cater to different writing directions and spacing. How also can designers use accessibility to cater for the use of screen-readers?
Then, I elaborate on how localising an app for different countries is more than just using Google Translate on the screens. How can we convey cultural nuances through language usage? Language needs to be linguistically and culturally accurate to create simple experiences where users feel heard, understood, and engaged.
I’ll also show examples of how changing words affects the way users interact with apps, like changing complex language or adding words to buttons. Explore with me how language in app design plays an important role in catering to people with varying degrees of digital and linguistic literacy.