Culture in the design of mHealth UI: An effort to increase acceptance among culturally specific groups

Ahmed Housni Alsswey; Hosam Al-Samarraie; Fuad Ali El-Qirem; Ahmed Ibrahim Alzahrani; Osama Alfarraj

doi:10.1108/EL-04-2019-0097

Culture in the design of mHealth UI: An effort to increase acceptance among culturally specific groups

Ahmed Housni Alsswey, Hosam Al-Samarraie, Fuad Ali El-Qirem, Ahmed Ibrahim Alzahrani, Osama Alfarraj

School of Media and Performing Arts

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

31 Citations (Scopus)

539 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Purpose: Designers of mobile applications have long understood the importance of users’ preferences in making the user experience easier, convenient and therefore valuable. The cultural aspects of groups of users are among the key features of users’ design preferences, because each group’s preferences depend on various features that are culturally compatible. The process of integrating culture into the design of a system has always been an important ingredient for effective and interactive human computer interface. This study aims to investigate the design of a mobile health (mHealth) application user interface (UI) based on Arabic culture. It was argued that integrating certain cultural values of specific groups of users into the design of UI would increase their acceptance of the technology. Design/methodology/approach: A total of 135 users responded to an online survey about their acceptance of a culturally designed mHealth. Findings: The findings showed that culturally based language, colours, layout and images had a significant relationship with users’ behavioural intention to use the culturally based mHealth UI. Research limitations/implications: First, the sample and the data collected of this study were restricted to Arab users and Arab culture; therefore, the results cannot be generalized to other cultures and users. Second, the adapted unified theory of acceptance and use of technology model was used in this study instead of the new version, which may expose new perceptions. Third, the cultural aspects of UI design in this study were limited to the images, colours, language and layout. Practical implications: It encourages UI designers to implement the relevant cultural aspects while developing mobile applications. Originality/value: Embedding Arab cultural aspects in designing UI for mobile applications to satisfy Arab users and enhance their acceptance toward using mobile applications, which will reflect positively on their lives.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	257-272
Number of pages	16
Journal	Electronic Library
Volume	38
Issue number	2
Early online date	27 Mar 2020
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1108/EL-04-2019-0097
Publication status	Published - 13 May 2020

Bibliographical note

Copyright © and Moral Rights are retained by the author(s) and/ or other copyright owners. A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge. This item cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the copyright holder(s). The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyrightholders.

Funder

Research Group no. RG-1438-062

Keywords

Culture
Mobile health applications
Technology acceptance
UI/UX
User interfaces

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Computer Science Applications
Library and Information Sciences

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1108/EL-04-2019-0097

Post-PrintAccepted author manuscript, 329 KBLicence: Unspecified

Cite this

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title = "Culture in the design of mHealth UI: An effort to increase acceptance among culturally specific groups",

abstract = "Purpose: Designers of mobile applications have long understood the importance of users{\textquoteright} preferences in making the user experience easier, convenient and therefore valuable. The cultural aspects of groups of users are among the key features of users{\textquoteright} design preferences, because each group{\textquoteright}s preferences depend on various features that are culturally compatible. The process of integrating culture into the design of a system has always been an important ingredient for effective and interactive human computer interface. This study aims to investigate the design of a mobile health (mHealth) application user interface (UI) based on Arabic culture. It was argued that integrating certain cultural values of specific groups of users into the design of UI would increase their acceptance of the technology. Design/methodology/approach: A total of 135 users responded to an online survey about their acceptance of a culturally designed mHealth. Findings: The findings showed that culturally based language, colours, layout and images had a significant relationship with users{\textquoteright} behavioural intention to use the culturally based mHealth UI. Research limitations/implications: First, the sample and the data collected of this study were restricted to Arab users and Arab culture; therefore, the results cannot be generalized to other cultures and users. Second, the adapted unified theory of acceptance and use of technology model was used in this study instead of the new version, which may expose new perceptions. Third, the cultural aspects of UI design in this study were limited to the images, colours, language and layout. Practical implications: It encourages UI designers to implement the relevant cultural aspects while developing mobile applications. Originality/value: Embedding Arab cultural aspects in designing UI for mobile applications to satisfy Arab users and enhance their acceptance toward using mobile applications, which will reflect positively on their lives.",

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AU - Alzahrani, Ahmed Ibrahim

AU - Alfarraj, Osama

N1 - Copyright © and Moral Rights are retained by the author(s) and/ or other copyright owners. A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge. This item cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the copyright holder(s). The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyrightholders.

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Culture in the design of mHealth UI: An effort to increase acceptance among culturally specific groups

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funder

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

Access to Document

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