…if you happen to live in China, that is.
According to a recent article from Fast Company,
In China, QR codes are everywhere, and most apps have their own QR code readers built-in.
What seems like a pointless piece of technology in the U.S., can be central to an entire infrastructure in another country.
Here’s another example: voicemail.
I’m one of those people who would like to change my voicemail message to say: “Thank you for calling. If you want to reach me, please send a text.” I find the entire process of calling my voicemail and listening to a lengthy message to be a time-waster. I’ll take 10 texts over one voicemail any day. But in China, it’s reversed. Writing and reading Chinese is very laborious. It’s even harder when there are multiple dialects. The solution?
Voicemail.
When creating a technology or determining its usefulness, it’s vital to understand the culture of the people who will be using it. This is true whether you are creating an app for a specific country, a specific demographic or a specific industry.
Great UI design is only great if the end user says that it is, regardless if they say it via text or on voicemail.
