1.
The Influence of Cultural Relativism
Ramya Mahalingam
@rams_mahalingam on twitter
@openchair on instagram
UX Architect at Cardinal Solutions
Benevolent Dictator of Charlotte Storytellers

2.
https://chipotle.com

3.
http://www.shortlistdubai.com/sites/default/files/images/2016/02/18/La%20Tablita%20bar.jpg

4.
http://cdn.secretmenus.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/chipotle-employees.jpg

5.
Hallmates ≠ UX people

6.
Cultural relativism
Cultural relativism is the understanding that a person’s
behaviors and activities should be interpreted in the
context of their own culture.
Franz Uri Boas

7.
http://www.internationalbusinessguide.org/10-successful-american-businesses-that-have-failed-overseas/
https://www.uncommoncaribbean.com/2010/04/01/mcdonalds-failure-in-barbados-hides-in-plain-sight/
https://venturebeat.com/2014/04/02/happy-2014-chat-games-may-the-odds-be-ever-in-your-favor/

8.
Problems?
User Research!

9.
Ethnocentric

10.
What is Culture?

11.
What is Culture?
The acquired knowledge people use to interpret
experience and generate behavior.
James Spradley

12.
http://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/McKinsey/Business%20Functions/McKinsey%20Digital/Our%20Insights/Digital%20globalization%20The%20new%20era%20of%20global%20flows

13.
Illustration by Daniel Hertzberg

14.
Pretzel Salad

15.
https://images-gmi-pmc.edge-generalmills.com/8162d1d4-cf6e-4065-916a-519579f088cb.jpg

16.
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/4b/8e/0e/
4b8e0eca46b8c3be404d478228191912.jpg
https://addapinch.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/3/files/2012/04/
frozen-fruit-salad-67111.jpg
https://images-gmi-pmc.edge-generalmills.com/8162d1d4-
cf6e-4065-916a-519579f088cb.jpg

17.
Media Consumption in
the 2016 U.S. Election

18.
Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions theory
Power distance index (PDI)
Individualism vs. collectivism (IDV)
Uncertainty avoidance index (UAI)
Masculinity vs. femininity (MAS)
Long-term orientation vs. short-term orientation (LTO)
Indulgence vs. restraint (IND)

19.
Interaction
Association
Subsistence
Bisexuality
Territoriality
Hall’s Primary Message Systems
Temporality
Learning and Acquisition
Play
Defense
Exploitation

20.
https://2ecffd01e1ab3e9383f0-07db7b9624bbdf022e3b5395236d5cf8.ssl.cf4.rackcdn.com/Product-800x800/c5db27ba-ca35-490f-9d0b-4c1c66b4e280.jpg

21.
“We are constantly manifesting
thoughts into action
to create our reality”
— My yoga teacher, sometimes

22.
Thanks!
Ramya Mahalingam
@rams_mahalingam on twitter
@openchair on the gram
UX Architect at Cardinal Solutions
Benevolent Dictator of Charlotte Storytellers