sovid – CriticalInterface

"An interface is designed within a cultural context and in turn designs cultural contexts."

Some assignments for this tenet:

  1. Visit 4Chan and make a friend
  2. Think about yourself as being from a different culture and check if the interface works equal to you.
  3. Visit websites from other cultures (Where are you from? ...) and check if the interface works equal to you.

The idea of struggling with a foreign interface (aside from the obvious barrier of language) is interesting to me because the context in which an interface was made matters. For better or for worse, certain interfaces are built with a specific demographic in mind. This is the case in many AAA video games. With content being created for the common straight, white male, video game interfaces reflect ideas that would appeal to that audience, and in turn enforces a certain type of culture in video games.