A study of search user interface design based on Hofstede’s six cultural dimensions

Abstract

An information seeker’s cultural background could influence their preference for search user interface (UI) design. To study cultural influences Geert Hofstede’s cultural dimensions have been applied to website design for a number of years. In this paper, we examine if Hofstede’s six cultural dimension can be applied to inform the design of search engine user interfaces. The culturally designed search user interfaces have been evaluated in a study with 148 participants of different cultural backgrounds. The results have been analysed to determine if Hofstede’s cultural dimensions are appropriate for understanding users’ preferences on search user interface design. Whilst the key findings from the study suggest Hofstede cross-cultural dimensions can be used to model users’ preferences on search interface design, further work is still needed for particular cultural dimensions to reinforce the conclusions.