Usability challenges in designing foreign language keypads for handheld devices

Authors:
Parul Nanda;Kem-Laurin Kramer
Affiliations:
Research In Motion Ltd., Waterloo, Ontario;Research In Motion Ltd., Waterloo, Ontario
Venue:
UI-HCII'07 Proceedings of the 2nd international conference on Usability and internationalization
Year:
2007

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Abstract

This paper discusses the importance of language and culture in the effective design and widespread acceptance of handheld devices in foreign markets. To this end, key challenges that usability experts and interaction designers face while designing foreign language keypads for handheld devices are discussed and analyzed. The discussion presupposes English as the point of reference for design decisions but focuses on the challenges faced when considering foreign language devices. For the context of this paper, Arabic is cited as the 'foreign' language in the design of BlackBerry devices.