Download Cultural Factors affecting the Design of Agents Embedded in Small

Markus Geissler, PhD
Professor, Computer Information Science
Cosumnes River College
Sacramento, California, USA
Overview

Quick review
 Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions
 Hall’s high- vs. low-context cultures





Defining small screen devices
Cultural issues related to ICT convergence
Defining software agents
Agent-related considerations for small
screen devices
Examples
Cultural Factors Affecting the Design of Agents
Embedded in Small Screen Portable Devices
(SmartPhones, MP3 players, PDAs, etc.)
Quick Review:
Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions
Power Distance (PDI)
 Individualism/Collectivism (IDV)
 Masculinity/Femininity (MAS)
 Uncertainty Avoidance (UAI)
 Long-Term Orientation (LTO)

 Source: http://www.geert-hofstede.com

High- vs. low-context cultures (Hall,
1976)
Cultural Factors Affecting the Design of Agents
Embedded in Small Screen Portable Devices
(SmartPhones, MP3 players, PDAs, etc.)
Defining Small Screen Devices
Cultural Factors Affecting the Design of Agents
Embedded in Small Screen Portable Devices
(SmartPhones, MP3 players, PDAs, etc.)
Characteristics of Small Screen
Devices
Small screen continues to be a
requirement for portability
 User can see only one or two
applications at a time
 Keyboard issues

 Small
 Limited number of characters
 Fewer function keys

Power-related issues
Cultural Factors Affecting the Design of Agents
Embedded in Small Screen Portable Devices
(SmartPhones, MP3 players, PDAs, etc.)
ICT Convergence
Cultural Factors Affecting the Design of Agents
Embedded in Small Screen Portable Devices
(SmartPhones, MP3 players, PDAs, etc.)
ICT Convergence

Multiple separate
devices are being
combined into one

Objective: Make the
features of the
converged device as
usable as when they
required separate
devices.
Cultural Factors Affecting the Design of Agents
Embedded in Small Screen Portable Devices
(SmartPhones, MP3 players, PDAs, etc.)
Modern SmartPhone Features
Making a voice telephone call
Making a video telephone call
Receiving a voice telephone call
Receiving a video telephone call
Displaying a caller’s name
Displaying a caller’s phone number
Displaying a caller's image
Receiving a Call Waiting message
Receiving a Call Waiting message along with the
caller’s name
Receiving a Call Waiting message along with the
caller’s phone number
Receiving a Call Waiting message along with the
caller’s image
Forwarding a voice telephone call
Forwarding a voice telephone call based on certain
criteria
Retrieving data from a device-based address book
Storing data in a device-based address book
Retrieving data from a network (cloud)-based
address book
Storing data in a network (cloud)-based address
book
Sending an SMS message
Receiving an SMS message
Sending an MMS message
Receiving an MMS message
Sending an email message
Receiving an email message
Sending an email message with one or more
attachments
Receiving an email message with one or more
attachments
Connecting one or more wireless peripherals
(headsets, etc.)
Connecting one or more wired peripherals
(headsets, etc.)
Viewing high-quality photos (5 MP and above)
Taking high-quality photos (5 MP and above)
Viewing low-quality photos (less than 5 MP)
Taking low-quality photos (less than 5 MP)
Playing low-quality stored video
Playing high-quality stored video
Playing low-quality streaming video
Playing high-quality streaming video
Recording low-quality video
Recording high-quality video
Playing low-quality stored audio
Playing high-quality stored audio
Playing low-quality streaming audio
Playing high-quality streaming audio
Recording low-quality stored audio
Recording high-quality stored audio
Downloading content from the Internet at high
Downloading text content from one or more social
speeds (5 Mbps and above)
networking websites
Uploading content to the Internet at high speeds (5 Downloading multimedia content from one or more
Mbps and above)
social networking websites
Downloading from the Internet at lower speeds (less Uploading text content to one or more social
than 5 Mbps)
networking websites
Uploading to the Internet at lower speeds (less than
5 Mbps)
Uploading multimedia content to one or more social
networking websites
Translating text content from one language into
another
Translating multimedia content from one language
into another
Assisting users in dealing with their own disabilities
or those of others, including hearing, visual,
reading, learning and memory disabilities
Conducting secure point-of-sale/point-of-service
transactions through a telephone bill
Conducting secure point-of-sale/point-of-service
transactions through a telephone card
Conducting secure point-of-sale/point-of-service
transactions through a connected bank account
Determining user location using the Global
Positioning System services
Obtaining directions to other locations using Global
Positioning System services
Carrying secure personal information (identification,
medical and/or similar information)
Using biometric authentication to control device
usage
Conducting secure banking transactions
Conducting building-related tasks (unlocking doors,
switching lights, activating climate systems,
activating desired music, handling security
systems, activating garage door, remotely
controlling and monitoring electronic devices
and appliances, etc.)
Conducting vehicle-related tasks (remotely unlocking
doors, starting engine, etc.)
Cultural Factors Affecting the Design of Agents
Embedded in Small Screen Portable Devices
(SmartPhones, MP3 players, PDAs, etc.)
Modern SmartPhone Features

Now seriously… 
SmartPhones can perform many
different tasks.
 Good SmartPhones can download and
run many different applications.
 Very good SmartPhones can perform
more than one task at a time.
 … if the users want that capability!

Cultural Factors Affecting the Design of Agents
Embedded in Small Screen Portable Devices
(SmartPhones, MP3 players, PDAs, etc.)
Cultural Issues
Related to ICT Convergence

Some cultures handle convergence
better than others
 Cultural dimensions
 Other factors
○ Age
○ Gender
○ Level of education
○ Level of IT skill and experience

Some let agents handle convergence!
Cultural Factors Affecting the Design of Agents
Embedded in Small Screen Portable Devices
(SmartPhones, MP3 players, PDAs, etc.)
Definitions of Agent

Common usage
 An agent is a “person who acts on behalf of
another, for example, managing business,
financial or contractual matters, or provides
a service.”

Computer science-related
 An agent is “an entity that performs a
specific activity in an environment of which it
is aware and that can respond to changes.”
○ (Sterling & Taveter, 2009)
Cultural Factors Affecting the Design of Agents
Embedded in Small Screen Portable Devices
(SmartPhones, MP3 players, PDAs, etc.)
Agent Design Considerations
for Small Screen Devices - 1a

Problem: Small screen size
 Agents need to fit as much information onto
the screen as practical.

Potential benefit to users
 “By stripping down the Web site interface to
the most basic functions, site designers can
focus the user’s attention and offer relevant
information without distractions.”
○ (Markoff, 2008)
Cultural Factors Affecting the Design of Agents
Embedded in Small Screen Portable Devices
(SmartPhones, MP3 players, PDAs, etc.)
Agent Design Considerations
for Small Screen Devices - 1b

Solutions
 Prevent less important content from being
displayed.
 Include user interface components for easy
navigation.
 Use style sheets to customize content
display.
○ (Jones & Marsden, 1997)
 Include a “zooming facility to enlarge display
beyond the physical limits of the screen”
○ (Churchill & Hedberg, 2008)
Cultural Factors Affecting the Design of Agents
Embedded in Small Screen Portable Devices
(SmartPhones, MP3 players, PDAs, etc.)
Agent Design Considerations
for Small Screen Devices - 1c
Members of high-UAI cultures may not
be satisfied with seeing only part of the
content.
 Members of low-context cultures may
desire to see more information than is
possible to present.
 Members of high-context cultures may
not be easily able to figure out functions
with which they are not familiar.

Cultural Factors Affecting the Design of Agents
Embedded in Small Screen Portable Devices
(SmartPhones, MP3 players, PDAs, etc.)
Agent Design Considerations
for Small Screen Devices - 2a
Problem: Ability to only display one or
two applications at a time
 Solution: Allow applications to run in the
background and inform users of desired
events.

Cultural Factors Affecting the Design of Agents
Embedded in Small Screen Portable Devices
(SmartPhones, MP3 players, PDAs, etc.)
Agent Design Considerations
for Small Screen Devices - 2b

“Design for short contacts and task
centeredness”
 (Churchill & Hedberg, 2008)
Use the designated information area.
 Use available light and sound functions.
 Make notifications configurable

 Members of high-LTO, high-UAI or low-MAS
cultures will likely want more frequent
notification.
Cultural Factors Affecting the Design of Agents
Embedded in Small Screen Portable Devices
(SmartPhones, MP3 players, PDAs, etc.)
Agent Design Considerations
for Small Screen Devices - 3
Problem: Limited input capabilities
 Solution: Design agents that work well
with the device capabilities.

 Make button functions context-sensitive.
 Indicate to members of high-UAI cultures
what the current button function is.
 Include the capability to handle voice
commands.
○ Interface with voice command or touch screen
agents
Cultural Factors Affecting the Design of Agents
Embedded in Small Screen Portable Devices
(SmartPhones, MP3 players, PDAs, etc.)
Agent Design Considerations
for Small Screen Devices - 4
Problem: Limited battery power
 Solution: Design agents that minimize
power usage.

 And further reduce it when the battery is low.
 Poll batch and network functions as infrequently
as practical.
 Design and empower intermediary agents to
handle multiple polling functions.
 Designers from low-PDI cultures may find it
more difficult to create agent hierarchies.

Or just include a larger battery… 
Cultural Factors Affecting the Design of Agents
Embedded in Small Screen Portable Devices
(SmartPhones, MP3 players, PDAs, etc.)
Intermediary Agents
Timekeeper
Agent
Calendar
Alarm
Clock
Cultural Factors Affecting the Design of Agents
Embedded in Small Screen Portable Devices
(SmartPhones, MP3 players, PDAs, etc.)
Screen
Saver
Agent Design Considerations
for Small Screen Devices - 5

Problem: Some elements are probably
too complex for most people, no matter
what their culture.
 “Movable, collapsible, overlapping,
semitransparent interactive panels”
○ (Churchill & Hedberg, 2008)

Solution: Keep it simple!
 Divide a complex application into multiple
smaller and simpler applets, if possible.
Cultural Factors Affecting the Design of Agents
Embedded in Small Screen Portable Devices
(SmartPhones, MP3 players, PDAs, etc.)
A Possible Overarching Approach

Allow users to set their own preferences
so that all enabled agents can
customize the user experience and
thereby provide a consistent interface
for the user.
 Embedded agents may be able to assist
users in creating those preferences.
Cultural Factors Affecting the Design of Agents
Embedded in Small Screen Portable Devices
(SmartPhones, MP3 players, PDAs, etc.)
Example
Cultural Factors Affecting the Design of Agents
Embedded in Small Screen Portable Devices
(SmartPhones, MP3 players, PDAs, etc.)
Summary
Cultures approach various ICTs
differently
 Design agents to allow users from
multiple cultures
 Approach the design of agents for small
screen devices from the perspective of
the user

Cultural Factors Affecting the Design of Agents
Embedded in Small Screen Portable Devices
(SmartPhones, MP3 players, PDAs, etc.)
Bibliography
Choi, B., Lee, I., Kim, J., & Jeon, Y.
(2005). Proceedings from CHI 2005: A
Qualitative Cross-National Study of
Cultural Influences on Mobile Data
Service Design. Portland, OR: ACM.
 Churchill, D. & Hedberg, J. (2008).
Learning object design considerations
for small-screen handheld devices.
Computers & Education 50 (3), pp. 881893.

Cultural Factors Affecting the Design of Agents
Embedded in Small Screen Portable Devices
(SmartPhones, MP3 players, PDAs, etc.)
Bibliography (continued)
Hall, E.T. (1976). Beyond Culture, New
York: Doubleday.
 Hofstede, G. (2009). Geert Hofstede™
Cultural Dimensions. Retrieved February
22, 2010 from http://www.geerthofstede.com/ .
 Hofstede, G. (2001). Culture’s
consequences: comparing values,
behaviors, institutions, and organizations
across nations. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Cultural Factors Affecting the Design of Agents
Embedded in Small Screen Portable Devices
(SmartPhones, MP3 players, PDAs, etc.)
Bibliography (continued)
Hofstede, G. (1997). Cultures and
Organizations: Software of the mind.
New York: McGraw Hill.
 Jones, M. & Marsden, G. (1997). From
the large screen to the small screen retaining the designer‘s design for
effective user interaction. The Institution
of Electrical Engineers. Retrieved from
http://ieeexplore.ieee.org

Cultural Factors Affecting the Design of Agents
Embedded in Small Screen Portable Devices
(SmartPhones, MP3 players, PDAs, etc.)
Bibliography (continued)
Markoff, J. (July 13, 2008). On a Small
Screen, Just the Salient Stuff. The New
York Times. Retrieved from
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/13/tech
nology/13stream.html
 Sterling, L. & Taveter, K. (2009). The Art
of Agent-Oriented Modeling. Cambridge,
MA: The MIT Press.

Cultural Factors Affecting the Design of Agents
Embedded in Small Screen Portable Devices
(SmartPhones, MP3 players, PDAs, etc.)