Abstract
This paper aims at contributing towards an empowerment of underserved culture through computer applications. It is inspired by the conviction that successful strategies can lead to balanced chances for all cultures in the context of computer applications. It raises and investigates the problem of cultural divide observable in computer applications and pave the way to the preservation of underserved cultures with such tools. We find that reverse software localisation approach as defined by [1] can help under-resourced cultures not to be engulfed by the dominating Western way of building computer applications. An approach to integrate underserved cultural factors in computer applications is provided and consist of investigation of cultural markers, followed by translation or adaptation, implementation and evaluation by end-users. As a case study, we investigate the cultural localisation of editor for the Yemba culture in Cameroon. It gives access to the use of a text editor to users fluent in Yemba culture. The adaptation of most computer software to non-native environments does not always capture the features of the target culture. Despite some trade-offs, this work has a strong symbolic value in the empowerment and preservation of the Yemba culture, and for underserved cultures.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Schäler, R.: Reverse Localisation. Localis. Focus Int. J. Localis. 6(1), 39–48 (2007)
Kersten, G.E., Matwin, S., Noronha, S.J., Kersten, M.A.: The software for cultures and the cultures in software. In: Hansen, H.R., Bichler, M., Harald, H. (eds.) Proceedings of the 8th ECIS 2000, Vienna, Austria, vol. 1, pp. 509–514. (2000)
Wolff, F.: Effecting change through localization: localization guide for free and open source. IDRC, Canada (2011)
Tedre, M., Kähkönen, E., Kommers, P.: Is universal usability universal only to us? In: Proceedings of ACM Conference CUU 2003, Vancouver, Canada (2003)
Reinecke, K., Schenkel, S., Bernstein, A.: Modeling a users culture. In: Blanchard, E.G., Allard, D. (eds.) The Handbook of Research in Culturally-Aware Information Technology: Perspectives and Models. IGI Global, Hershey (2010)
Yacob, D.: Localize or be localized: an assessment of localisation frameworks. In: The International Symposium on ICT: Education and Application in Developing Countries. IEEE Press, Addis Abeba (2004)
Keller, B., Perez-Quinones, M., Vatrapu, R.: Cultural issues and opportunities in computing education. In: 9th International Conference on Engineering Education, pp. 14–18 (2006)
Reinecke, K., Reif, G., Bernstein, A.: Cultural user modeling with CUMO: an approach to overcome the personalization bootstrapping problem. In: Proceedings of the First International Workshop on Cultural Heritage on the Semantic Web at the 6th ISWC, pp. 83–90 (2007)
Hofstede, G.: Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind. McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., New York (1997)
Hestres, L.E.: The influence of American culture on software design: Microsoft Outlook as a case study. GNOVIS Georget. Univ. J. Commun. Cult. Technol. 3(1) (2003). 22 pages
Beelders, T., McDonald, T., Blignaut, P.: A proposed study to determine the effect of culture on the usability of word processors. In: Proceedings of CHI-SA 2005, pp. 29–33 (2005)
Tedre, M., Sutinen, E., Kahkonen, E.: Ethnocomputing: ICT in cultural and social context. Commun. ACM 49(1), 126–130 (2006)
Bartolotta, M., Di Naro, S., Brutto, M., Misuraca, P., Villa, B.: Information Systems for preservation of cultural heritage, In: International Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, XXXIII, Amsterdam, pp. 864–871 (2000)
Internet World Stats. http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats7.htm. Accessed 9 Mar 2017
Cultural Politics. http://culturalpolitics.net/digital-cultures/cultural-divide. Accessed 19 Mar 2017
Vilbrandt, C., Pasko, G., Pasko, A., Fayolle, P.A., Vilbrandt, T., Goodwin, J.R., Goodwin, J.M., Kunii, T.L.: Cultural heritage preservation using constructive shape modeling. Comput. Graph. Forum 23(1), 25–41 (2004)
Rauterberg, M.: From personal to cultural computing: how to assess a cultural experience. In: Kemper, G., von Hellberg, P. (eds.) uDayIVInformation nutzbar machen, pp. 13–21. Pabst Science Publ. (2006)
Michael, K., Dunn, L.: The use of information and communication technology for the preservation of Aboriginal culture: the Badimaya people of Western Australia. In: Dyson, L. (ed.) Information Technology and Indigenous People. Idea Group Publishing, Hershey (2006)
Anacleto, J., Lieberman, H., Tsutsumi, M., Neris, V., Carvalho, A., Espinosa, J., Godoi, M., Zem-Mascarenhas, S.: Can common sense uncover cultural differences in computer applications? In: Bramer, M. (ed.) IFIP AI 2006. IIFIP, vol. 217, pp. 1–10. Springer, Boston (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-34747-9_1
Smith, A., Reitsma, L., Van den Hoven, E., Kotzé, P., Coetzee, L.: Towards preserving indigenous oral stories using tangible objects, In: Proceedings of the 2nd ICCC, Amsterdam, pp. 86–91 (2011)
Jagne, J., Smith, S.G., Duncker, E., Curzon, P.: Cross-cultural interface design strategy. Technical report, Interaction design Centre, Middlesex University (2004)
Grigas, G., Jevsikova, T., Strelkauskyt, A., Cox, S.: Localisation issues of software shortcuts. Int. J. Localis. 11, 40–53 (2011)
Acknowledgments
We thank the Yemba language Study Committee, the anonymous reviewers for their careful reading of our manuscript, for their detailed and constructive comments and suggestions.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2018 ICST Institute for Computer Sciences, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering
About this paper
Cite this paper
Soh, M. (2018). Towards a Model of Integration of Underserved Cultural Factors in Software by Reverse Localisation: Case Study in Yemba Culture. In: M. F. Kebe, C., Gueye, A., Ndiaye, A. (eds) Innovation and Interdisciplinary Solutions for Underserved Areas. CNRIA InterSol 2017 2017. Lecture Notes of the Institute for Computer Sciences, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering, vol 204. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-72965-7_21
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-72965-7_21
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-72964-0
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-72965-7
eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)