4. 1) Research Questions
1. How might website design elements differ for a local versus a foreign designed website
within the same product concept (handmade products)?
2. How do differences in web design between a given German and Indian websites affect
the user‘s satisfaction and experience of the given e-commerce websites?
3. What are striking web design elements which affect the participating user’s perception?
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5. 2) Methodology
Hypotheses local website design preference over foreign website design
1) information design (general layout, the layout of information and and the layout of product
information)
2) visual design (colors, graphics and logos)
3) navigation design (ease of navigation)
Experimental Design of Research:
Website Information Design Visual Design Navigation Design
DaWanda.com ID 1 VD 1 ND 1
Craftsvilla.com ID 2 VD 2 ND 2
Positive Comments: ID 1 < ID 2 | VD 1 < VD 2 | ND 1 < ND 2
Negative Comments: ID 1 > ID 2 | VD 1 > VD 2 | ND 1 > ND 2
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6. Research Method
Phase 1: Introductory Questionnaire
Phase 2: User Testing of the Two Websites
Phase 3: Semi-Structured Interview
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7. 3) Results - Phase 1
Data Participant 1 Participant 2 Participant 3 Participant Participant
4 5
Age 29 30 21 31 15
Gender female female female female female
First Language English Hindi Bengali English Hindi
Educational Background Bachelor of Bachelor of Bachelor of MBA High School
Business Technology Business
Commerce Administration
Which state from India Maharashtra New Delhi Kolkata West Bengal New Delhi
Since Internet usage 8 years 10 years 13 years 15 years 4 years
When bought the first time? - 2006 2012 (10) 2007 2012 (09)
What bought last time? - bus ticket book shoes book
Would you buy again at the - no yes yes yes
website you purchased last?
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8. 3) Results - Phase 2 - Task 1
Figure 1: Left side menu bar to select categories at Figure 2: Left side menu bar to select categories at
DaWanda.com Craftsvilla.com
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9. 3) Results - Phase 2 - Task 2
Options to find a ring in the color red:
1a) use of category listing on the left menu with
the path: Jewellery - Ring
1b) after clicking on the Ring category, narrow search with the
color selection option on the left side menu (for both the
websites)
2) use of the search bar on the top center of the websites with the
search request “red ring”
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10. Time to search, select and chose a product for the two websites:
Time for Task 2
Participant Options used DaWanda.com Craftsvilla.com
1 1a + (1b) 4 min. 2 min.
2 2 1 min. 30 sec. 30 sec.
3 2 1 min. 45 sec.
4 1a + 1b 1 min. 15 sec. 1 min.
5 1a + 1b 1 min 15 sec.
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11. 3) Results - Phase 2 - Task 3
Figure 9: DaWanda.com Facebook icon on the bottom Figure 10: Crafsvilla.com Facebook icon on the
right side bottom left side
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15. 3) Results - Phase 3
Number of Positive and Negative Comments made during the Interview
Positive Comments Negative Comments
DaWanda.com
Craftsvilla.com
0 8 15 23 30
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16. 3) Results
Experimental Design of Research and Hypotheses:
Website Information Design Visual Design Navigation Design
DaWanda.com ID 1 VD 1 ND 1
Craftsvilla.com ID 2 VD 2 ND 2
Positive Comments: ID 1 < ID 2 | VD 1 < VD 2 | ND 1 < ND 2
Negative Comments: ID 1 > ID 2 | VD 1 > VD 2 | ND 1 > ND 2
Results:
Positive Comments: ID 1 > ID 2 | VD 1 > VD 2 | ND 1 > ND 2
Negative Comments: ID 1 < ID 2 | VD 1 < VD 2 | ND 1 < ND 2
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18. 3) Results: Recommendation concerning Website Design Elements
Informative Design: Language - applied vocabulary (example of “writing utensils”)
Navigation Design: Simplification and intuitive navigation (example of “color selection
option” and “Facebook icon”)
Visual Design: Use of colors for symbols (example of Facebook), right balance of
colors and font size, outstanding logo
➡ Localization in terms of the accommodation of objective cultural website elements
(language, currency format, date and time format, symbols)
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19. 4) Limitations
• no verification of the cultural influence on website design
➡ user testing as a qualitative method to detect usability problems
➡ preferences of selected participants rather than cultural influence
• qualitative method with quantitative data analysis
➡ better: specific website design elements under investigation (e.g. language, colors)
➡ make us of usability test in the area of buying behavior
• no evidence for the cultural differentiated profiles of the two e-commerce websites
➡ heuristic evaluation of the websites necessary
➡ poor example of selected Indian e-commerce website
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21. References Images:
page 3: [all accessed 12 February 2013]
‘Culture’ taken from http://keychangenow.com/2012/07/awareness-vs-implementation-new-
organizational-culture/
‘Websites’ taken from: http://www.wisegeek.org/how-do-i-create-my-own-website.htm
‘Europe’ image taken from: http://europatientrights.eu
‘Asia’ image taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Asia_(orthographic_projection).svg
Images related to DaWanda.com and Craftsvilla.com taken from either http://en.DaWanda.com
or http://Craftsvilla.com [accessed 5 February 2013]
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