Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Users’ participation in requirements gathering for smart phones applications in emerging markets

  • Long paper
  • Published:
Universal Access in the Information Society Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study presents insights from using requirements gathering techniques for country-specific customization of smart phones in two emerging markets, Iran and Turkey. In each country, a group of users participated in requirements gathering sessions that were aimed at developing design ideas for overcoming country-specific usability problems. Using qualitative content analysis, it was found that in each country some specific interaction activities were considered more when participants generated design ideas for country-specific usability problems. It was also found that even for similar usability problems, participants suggested country-specific solutions. Therefore, it is suggested that participation of local users in the design process should not be limited to identification of usability problems, but should also include the problem-solving phase that is usually a phase in design and development processes in which requirements gathering techniques are being used.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Aryana, B.: Exploring design for country-specific customization. PhD. Dissertation, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (2013)

  2. Aryana, B., Boks, C.: Country-specific customization of smart phones for emerging markets; insights from case studies in Iran and Turkey. Int. J. Logist. Econ. Glob. 4(3), 179–196 (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  3. Aryana, B., Boks, C., Navabi, A.: Possibilities for cultural customization of mobile communication devices: the case of Iranian mobile users. Hum. Cent. Des. 6776, 177–186 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Aryana, B., Clemmensen, T.: Mobile usability, experiences from Iran and Turkey. Int J Hum Comput Interact 29(4), 220–242 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Aryana, B., Øritsland, T.A.: Culture and mobile HCI: a review. In: Proceedings of Nord Design vol. 10, pp. 217–226 (2010)

  6. Atakan, S.: Human-computer interaction. Thomson, London (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  7. Ball, M.S., Smith, G.W.: Analyzing visual data. Sage Publications, Newbury Park (1992)

    Google Scholar 

  8. BMI: Iran telecommunications report Q3 2012. Business Monitor International, London (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  9. BMI: Turkey telecommunications report Q3 2012. Business Monitor International, London (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  10. Camara S., Abdelnour-Nocéra, J.A.: Socio-technical approach to making explicit interculturality in collaborative multi-disciplinary settings. In Proceedings ICIC10, pp 121–130 (2010)

  11. Cherry, C., Macredie, R.D.: The importance of context in information system design: an assessment of participatory design. Requirements Eng. 4(2), 103–114 (1999)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Clemmensen, T.: Usability problem identification in culturally diverse settings. Inf Syst J 22(2), 151–175 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Clemmensen, T.: Templates for cross-cultural and culturally specific usability testing: results from field studies and ethnographic interviewing in three countries. Int J Hum Comput Interact 27(7), 634–669 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Cyr, D.: Modeling web site design across cultures: relationships to trust, satisfaction, and e-loyalty. J Manag Info Syst 24(4), 47–72 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Hofstede, G.H., Hofstede, G.J., Minkov, M.: Cultures and organizations: software of the mind: intercultural cooperation and its importance for survival. McGraw-Hill, New York (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  16. Hsieh, H., Shannon, S.E.: Three approaches to qualitative content analysis. Qual. Health Res. 15(9), 1277–1288 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. International Organization for Standardization (1999). Human-centered design processes for interactive systems, ISO 13407.International Organization for Standardization, Genève

  18. Irani, L., Vertesi, J., Dourish, P., Philip, K., Grinter, R.E.: Postcolonial computing: a lens on design and development. In: Proceedings CHI 2010, pp 1311–1320 (2010)

  19. Jagne, J., Smith-Atakan, A.S.: Cross-cultural interface design strategy. Univ. Access Inf. Soc. 5(3), 299–305 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Johnson, K.T.: Process, preference and performance: considering ethnicity and socio-economic status in computer interface metaphor design. PhD Dissertation, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (2008)

  21. Kalba, K.: The adoption of mobile phones in emerging markets: global diffusion and the rural challenge. Int. J. Commun. 2, 631–661 (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  22. Kenny, C., Keremane, R.: Toward universal telephone access: market progress and progress beyond the market. Telecomm. Policy 31(3–4), 155–163 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Kulak, D., Guiney, E.: Use cases: requirements in context. Addison-Wesley, Boston (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  24. Kuniavsky, M.: Observing the user experience a practitioner’s guide to user research. Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, San Francisco (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  25. Lewis, S., Pea, R., Rosen, J.: Beyond participation to co-creation of meaning: mobile social media in generative learning communities. Soc. Sci. Inf. 49(3), 351–369 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Loch, C., Kavadias, S.: Handbook of new product development management. Elsevier, Burlington (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  27. Love, S.: Understanding mobile human-computer interaction. Elsevier Butterworth-Heinmann, Amsterdam (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  28. Marcus, A., Hamoodi, S.: The impact of culture on the design of Arabic websites. Lecture notes in computer science, internationalization, design and global development vol. 5623, pp. 386–394 (2009)

  29. Marrelli, A.F.: Collecting data through focus groups. Perform. Improv. 47(4), 39–45 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Miller, G.: The smartphone psychology Manifesto. Perspect. Psychol. Sci. 7(3), 221–237 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Moalosi, R., Popovic, V., Hickling-Hudson, A.: Culture-orientated product design. Int. J. Technol. Des. Educ. 20(2), 175–190 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Morrow, S.L.: Quality and trustworthiness in qualitative research in counseling psychology. J. Couns. Psychol. 52(2), 250–260 (2005)

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  33. Motamedi, S., Hasheminezhad, M., Choe, P.: Improving the user interface for reading news articles through smartphones in Persian language. Lect. Notes Comput. Sci. 8023, 440–449 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Ngimwa, P., Adams, A., Underwood, J.: Collaborative ownership in cross-cultural educational digital library design. Lecture notes in computer science, research and advanced technology for digital libraries vol. 5714, pp. 239–249 (2009)

  35. OCED: OECD economic surveys: Turkey 2012. OCED Publishing, Paris (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  36. Oh, J., Moon, N.: A cultural dimensions model based on smart phone applications. J. Inf. Process. Syst. 7(1), 209–220 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Paulus, P.B., Nijstad, B.A.: Group creativity: innovation through collaboration. Oxford University Press, New York (2003)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  38. Petrelli, D., Hansen, P., Beaulieu, M., Sanderson, M., Demetriou, G., Herring, P.: Designing clarity a case study on the user-centered design of a cross-language information retrieval system. J. Am. Soc. Inf. Sci. Technol. 55(10), 923–934 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. Rosson, M.B., Carroll, J.M.: Usability engineering: scenario-based development of human-computer interaction. Academic Press, San Francisco (2002)

    Google Scholar 

  40. Röse, K.: The development of culture-oriented human machine systems: specification, analysis and integration of relevant intercultural variables. In: Kaplan, M. (ed.) Cultural ergonomics, advances in human performance and cognitive engineering research, pp. 61–103. Elsevier JAI, Amsterdam (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  41. Salmi, A., Sharafutdinova, E.: Culture and design in emerging markets: the case of mobile phones in Russia. J. Bus. Ind. Mark. 23(6), 384–394 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  42. Salvendy, G.: Handbook of industrial engineering: technology and operations management. Wiley, New York (2001)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  43. Sharp, H., Rogers, Y., Preece, J.: Interaction design: beyond human-computer interaction, pp. 46–49. Wiley, Chichester (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  44. Shin, D.: Cross-analysis of usability and aesthetic in smart devices: what influences users’ preferences? Cross Cult. Manag. Int. J. 19(4), 563–587 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  45. Shin, D., Choo, H.: Exploring cross-cultural value structures with smart phones. Glob. Inf. Manag. 20(2), 67–93 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  46. Sun, H.: Cross-cultural technology design: creating culture-sensitive technology for local users. Oxford University Press, Oxford (2012)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  47. Tenhunen, S.: Mobile technology in the village: ICTs, culture, and social logistics in India. J. Roy. Anthropol. Inst. 14, 515–534 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  48. Ting, D.H., Lim, S.F., Patanmacia, T.S., Low, C.G., Ker, G.C.: Dependency on smart phone and the impact on purchase behavior. Young Consum. Insight Ideas Responsib. Mark. 12(3), 193–203 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  49. Viswanathan, M., Sridharan, S.: Product development for the BOP: insights on concept and prototype development from university-based student projects in India. J. Prod. Innov. Manage 29(1), 52–69 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  50. Walsh, T., Nurkka, P., Walsh, R.: Cultural differences in smartphone user experience evaluation. In: Proceedings MUM ‘10. http://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=1899499 (2010). Accessed 2 August 2013

  51. World Bank.: World databank. http://databank.worldbank.org/Data/Home (2013). Accessed 2 August 2013

  52. Wyche, S.P., Caine, K.E., Davison, B., Arteaga, M., Grinter, R.E.: Sun dial: exploring techno-spiritual design through a mobile Islamic call to prayer application. In: Proceedings CHI 08, pp. 3411–3416 (2008)

  53. Young, P.A.: Integrating culture in the design of ICTs. Br. J. Educ. Technol. 39(1), 6–17 (2008)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology when the first author was a PhD research fellow at the Department of Product Design, Norwegian University of Science and Technology. The authors would like to appreciate Fazin Shariati, Babak Amjadi and Jenia Baghdanian at the LG Electronics office in Tehran, Rami Kim at the LG Electronics office in Istanbul, Dr. Vahid Choopankareh, Dr. Alireza Ajdari and Jamshid Emami at the Department of Industrial Design, University of Tehran, and Professor Özlem Er at the Department of Industrial Product Design, Istanbul Technical University, because of their great help and support during the study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Product Design, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Kolbjørn Hejes vei 2B, 7491, Trondheim, Norway

    Bijan Aryana & Casper Boks

  2. Department of IT Management, Copenhagen Business School, Howitzvej 60, 2000, Frederiksberg C, Denmark

    Torkil Clemmensen

Authors
  1. Bijan Aryana
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Torkil Clemmensen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Casper Boks
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Bijan Aryana.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Aryana, B., Clemmensen, T. & Boks, C. Users’ participation in requirements gathering for smart phones applications in emerging markets. Univ Access Inf Soc 14, 265–280 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10209-013-0344-x

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10209-013-0344-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation