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Digital Design for a Global Audience
Communicating the right message
Taghavi-Burris 2009
Digital Design
 Digital Design refers to the art of selecting and arranging
digital elements (data) , such as text , graphics,
animation, and video, to convey a message to an
audience.
 This message can be :
 Entertaining
 informative
Taghavi-Burris 2009
Accessibility
 The vary nature of digital design makes it extremely
accessible.
 The more accessible something is the larger the viewing
audience will be.
 When designing a digital design, whether it is intended
for a global audience or not, the accessibility of the
design, can allow it to reach a global audience.
Taghavi-Burris 2009
Challenges
 The greatest challenge that digital designers are faced
with is ensuring that their design communicates the
intended message.
 A designer must be concerned with the individual who
will be viewing or interacting with their design, to attain
the message.
 What is meaningful and natural for one group may be
ambiguous, unintelligible, or arbitrary for another.
Taghavi-Burris 2009
Considerations
 When preparing a global design, designers should
consider cultural issues, including:
 Language
 Symbols and Icons
 Color
 Stereotypes
 Religion
Taghavi-Burris 2009
Language
 Not everyone speaks English.
 Use short sentences, with 20 words or less.
 Shorter sentences are less intimidating to international
readers.
 Avoid idioms, abbreviations and slang
 Avoid ambiguous words
 Words that have different meanings or mean something
different in another language
Taghavi-Burris 2009
No - Go
The Chevy Nova translates to Chevy “No Go” in Spanish.
Taghavi-Burris 2009
Symbols and Icons
 Symbols and icons can be interpreted subjectively.
 Some cultures use more symbols in communication than
others, which is related to cultural deviation in writing and
language.
 For example, Japanese and other Asian languages using the
kanji script have a stronger ability to perceive and use visual
symbols.
Symbol and Icon Usage
 Symbols allows for a message to be communicated
quickly
 However, if the viewer is not familiar with the symbol
beforehand, interpreting its meaning is difficult.
 Icons and symbols are used heavily in digital design:
 Web Design
 Video Game Design
Considerations
 Symbols and Icons should be simple
 Symbols used in our daily lives may not have the same
meaning else where
 Use symbols and icons that have universal meaning
Taghavi-Burris 2009
Differences in Icons
Most US e-commerce sites will use a shopping cart icon to represent
purchases. However, European e-commerce sites, use a shopping bag or
basket icon.
Taghavi-Burris 2009
ISO Public Information Symbols
Taghavi-Burris 2009
ISO Public Information Symbols
Taghavi-Burris 2009
Color
 Color is the most significant element of design.
 Colors are an element of design that people react to on
a instinctive level. Often, they don't realize they are
reacting to it.
 For example, in the U.S. many hospitals dress their nurses
in light blues and pale pinks. This is because these are
calming, soothing colors, and upset patients relax a little
in their presence.
Taghavi-Burris 2009
Color Associations
 Color conveys meanings in two primary ways:
 natural associations
 psychological symbolism
 People are comfortable when colors remind them of
similar things.
 For example, a soft shade of blue triggers natural
associations with the sky and a psychological sense of calm.
Taghavi-Burris 2009
Contradictory Meaning
 Contradictory psychological/cultural meanings of colors
may arise from any of the following:
 Cultural associations
 Political and historical associations
 Religious and mythical associations
 Linguistic associations
 Contemporary usage and fads
Taghavi-Burris 2009
Color Considerations
 Familiarize yourself with different meanings of color
 Make considerations for the Color Blind
 7% of the men in the US are color blind
 Simplify Color Schemes
Taghavi-Burris 2009
How color blind see popular sites
Taghavi-Burris 2009
Video Game Industry
 The video game industry is the fastest growing in the
digital design field.
 Videogame Industry is worth over $100 Billion Worldwide
 Video Games are accessible through
 International Sales
 Streaming downloads
 Online gaming
Taghavi-Burris 2009
Game Systems
 Games systems are about :
 Interactions
 Strategies
 Culture and countries interact and develop strategies
differently
Taghavi-Burris 2009
Game Design Considerations
 Stereotypes
 Japanese developers created Shadow of Rome in 2005
flopped, because of western stereotypes
 Cultural differences
 Japanese enjoy more structured and objective games,
 US gamers want immersive exploration and control
 Differences in laws
Taghavi-Burris 2009
Resources

Western Symbols Dictionary – http://www.symbols.com

International Organization of Standards - http://www.iso.org

Branding Color - http://bit.ly/9BaQ28

Color By State: http://bit.ly/bYDQkW

Colors Matter: http://www.colormatters.com

Smashing Magazine Global Web Design : http://bit.ly/aTspZi

Japanese Video Game Catch up : http://nyti.ms/cNjsKQ
Taghavi-Burris 2009
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