Icon-Based International User Interface Design

by
Hope Kawabata


I. Introduction

Since most computer programs for cartographic application are text-based and made in the United States, English has been a common language in these programs. In current situation, it is impossible for cartographers who do not know English to make maps with the computer (Peterson, 1992). Although, there are translation versions of these programs, there has been introduced graphical user interfaces to symbolize text-based commands to have better communitcation for people all over the world.

There are some difficulties in this transiton. That is because some graphical symbols are not always meaningful to people from different culture (Peterson, 1992). However, when taking a look at human texts' origin, "[t]he earliest writings systems were essentially pictographic in nature, developing into system such as ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, ..[t]he use of logorams, in which an icon is the actual representation of the object in describes, is fundamental to languages such as chinese" (Gittins, 1986). In these two cases, communication was occured by graphic-originated texts.

Therefore, in today's cartographic computer application world, there are possibilities for cartographers to symblize actual objects into icons because it is the way originally human being communicated each other. Due to create graphic interfaces, there is a need to understand the cultural differences of perception in cartographic computer field.



II. Statement of Geographic Problem

There are potential qsuestions to be addressed in this reserach.

(1) Do people prefer graphics or texts?
(2) How much are there misconceptions with existed graphic interface in the United States?
(3) How do grapical attributes of icons such as style and color vary among cultures?
(4) How is the question two (2) different from people in the United States?


III. Methodology

Methodoloty to be used in this study are as follows:

(1) I will contact English as a Second Language (ESL) office in University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO), University of Lincoln (UNL), and Creigton University to get the numbers of international students and their nationalities.
(2) I will ask ESL office permission to conduct a survey.
(3) I will have two control groups of American students; first group is not familier wtih the computer and the other group knows computer well.
(4) I will have them answer a same survey questions (please see IV).
(5) I will sort the data, compare the differences and similarities, and interpret the meaning of icons to people from differnt culture.


IV. Potential Survey Questions

Here are survey question ideas.

(1) Which way do you prefer to use? (sample of these graphics)
a. by icon
b. by name

(2) Please answer the following questions.
1. What does this mean to you?

"T"

a. tephone
b. text
c. no idea
d. other (please describe)

(3) Please descrbie this color. (sample of a color)
a. green
b. light green
c. yellow
d. other (please describe)


(4) What does this shape remind you? (a shape of church) a. a building b. a church c. no idea d. other (please describe)

(5) What does this color symbolize in your culture? (ig. puple) a. high status b. showy c. smart d. other

References

Peterson, Michael P. "International User Interace Design in Computer-Assisted Cartography." Technical Papers of the American Congress on Surveyings and Mapping. 1992: 197-206.

Gittens, D. Icon-Based Human-Computer Interaction. International Journal of Man-Machine Studies. 24 (1986): 519-543.


Go back to Dr. Peterson's Home Page