Culture Sensitive Design: A Guide to Culture in Practice

By Annemiek van Boeijen and Yvo Zijlstra Our globalizing world, with interconnected societies and worldwide cooperation, with migration and ever-increasing digitization brings together a complexity of cultural groups that need to live together. Consequently, designers are confronted with the challenge of gaining a clear understanding of this cultural diversity. Culture is a complex phenomenon defined by an ongoing process of shifts in human interactions and experiences. In addition to functional, technical and economic requirements, it is primarily culture that defines how any designed object and service will perform and prove itself: a process that largely takes place outside the domain and control of the designer. This book offers a detailed overview of both theory and practical methods to become culturally sensitive in the 21st century. Richly illustrated by anecdotes, examples and cases, this book motivates design students, practitioners and educators to reflect on their own cultural backgrounds, learn more about the context for different cultural values, customs, and symbols, and stimulate readers to put their insights into practice. Culture Sensitive Design is intended to help readers avoid mismatches between intended users and designed objects and interfaces, as well as avoid mistakes that make designs unacceptable for some groups of people. The intention is to open up designed space, creating a great source for new and better solutions. Published by BIS Publishers, 2020 Softcover, 160 pages, full color, 6.45 × 9.1 inches ISBN: 978-9-06-369561-3