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Establishing Cross-cultural Collaboration in the Field of User Centered Design (ERGOSIGN)
This document discusses establishing cross-cultural collaboration between ERGOSIGN, a German user experience design firm, and Peepal Design, an Indian design firm. It outlines how the companies initially contacted each other, then worked to establish a shared understanding of their collaboration model and operational processes through frequent video calls. This included discussing potential business models, design philosophies, terminology differences, and each company's core competencies. The goal was to set up an effective partnership that leverages the strengths of both organizations while maintaining individual flexibility and independence.
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Establishing Cross-cultural Collaboration in the Field of User Centered Design (ERGOSIGN)
- 1. Establishing Cross-cultural Collaboration in the Field of UCD Marcus Plach, Sebastian C. Scholz, Aurobinda Pradhan, Jayaram Srinivasan UPA Conference 2010, Munich User Interface Design Icon Design Style Guide Usability Tests Custom Look & Feels © 2010 by ERGOSIGN
- 2. About this talk UPA Conference 2010 Establishing Cross-cultural Collaboration in the Field of UCD 2
- 3. How to bridgethe gap UPA Conference 2010 Establishing Cross-cultural Collaboration in the Field of UCD 3
- 4. Collaborators UPA Conference 2010 EstablishingCross-cultural Collaboration in the Field of UCD 4
- 5. ERGOSIGN – Germany Saarbrücken UCD pioneer in Germany (est. 2000) Enterprise, Industry, Medical and Munich Consumer Focus: End-to-end UCD services and strategic UX consulting Hamburg UPA Conference 2010 Establishing Cross-cultural Collaboration in the Field of UCD 5
- 6. Peepal Design India • Founded last year • With more than 10 years of experience in SAP in India and several years of Industry experience • Experience in developing large scale enterprise application • Excellent academic and research background UPA Conference 2010 Establishing Cross-cultural Collaboration in the Field of UCD 6
- 7. Point of Departure UPAConference 2010 Establishing Cross-cultural Collaboration in the Field of UCD 7
- 8. The Indian Market India is an inherently high-volume economy Over the next two decades, the country’s middle class will grow from about 5 percent of the population to more than 40 percent and create the world’s fifth- largest consumer market (McKinsey Global Insitute, 2007) Every hour as many as 10.000 mobile phones are sold in India (The Economic Times, 2008) India is a growing design-driven economy India Design Association lists six universities which offer interaction design and about 20 Interaction/UX Design Firms (2010) UPA Conference 2010 Establishing Cross-cultural Collaboration in the Field of UCD 8
- 9. Process UPA Conference 2010 EstablishingCross-cultural Collaboration in the Field of UCD 9
- 10. Traditional model The Understand-What-I-Mean model just doesn’t work. Sender Message Receiver UPA Conference 2010 Establishing Cross-cultural Collaboration in the Field of UCD 10
- 11. Grounding Mutally shared knowledge, beliefs, assumptions It is not just there, unless you have actively generated it by a succession of shared experiences Both parties have a responsibility for building up a common ground Contributions to the common ground have to be coordinated Providing explicit evidence for mutual understanding is crucial UPA Conference 2010 Clark, Herbert H.; Brennan, Susan E. (1991), "Grounding in communication", in Resnick, Establishing Cross-cultural Collaboration in the Field of UCD L. B.; Levine, J. M.; Teasley, J. S. D., Perspectives on socially shared cognition 11
- 12. Our approach Initial Contact of Partners Grounding of Collaboration Model Grounding of Operational Model Realization of a Reference Project Setup of Production UPA Conference 2010 Establishing Cross-cultural Collaboration in the Field of UCD 12
- 13. Grounding > CollaborationModel - The Setup project & goal oriented Virtual interaction while physically distant Team individual & collective learning processes facilitate multicultural synergy effects UPA Conference 2010 Establishing Cross-cultural Collaboration in the Field of UCD 13
- 14. Grounding > CollaborationModel - The Setup Focus on Core Competencies Trust as Virtual Soft psychological Team Integration contract Multimedia UPA Conference 2010 Scholz, Christian (2001), “Virtuelle Teams mit darwiportunistischer Tendenz: Establishing Cross-cultural Collaboration in the Field of UCD Der Dorothy-Effekt”, in OrganisationsEntwicklung 20 (4/2001), 20-29. 14
- 15. Grounding > CollaborationModel - The Motivation high Collective Darwiportunism Darwinism low low high Individual Opportunism UPA Conference 2010 Scholz, Christian (2001), “Virtuelle Teams mit darwiportunistischer Tendenz: Establishing Cross-cultural Collaboration in the Field of UCD Der Dorothy-Effekt”, in OrganisationsEntwicklung 20 (4/2001), 20-29. 15
- 16. Grounding > CollaborationModel - The Motivation Elaboration of all possible business collaboration models via Skype Both partners want to High Darwinism keep their economic independance generate revenue through the collaboration Maintain flexibility (in the longterm) Low Opportunism Yet ERGOSIGN was offered to lead in the beginning UPA Conference 2010 Establishing Cross-cultural Collaboration in the Field of UCD 16
- 17. Grounding > CollaborationModel - The Mindset Sharing of all processes, theories and experiences in bi-monthly Skypes. We share the same pragmatic philosophy: UX design is a very agile and creative process with a strong focus on quality. There are a lot “False Friends” in the terminology of user interface design although it is a highly specialized domain. UPA Conference 2010 Establishing Cross-cultural Collaboration in the Field of UCD 17
- 18. Grounding > OperationalModel - The Services Service Potential User Research Very High User Testing Very High Low, since interaction with client, but maybe Conceptual Design very helpful as part of Analysis Visual Design Maybe, depends on project, presumably icons Prototyping Maybe, depends on project. Look & Feel Development Maybe, depends on project. Low, since high overlap with conceptual Documentation design Low, since required business knowledge is Specification usually transported locally UPA Conference 2010 Establishing Cross-cultural Collaboration in the Field of UCD 18
- 19. 6 Months Initial Grounding of Grounding of Realization of Contact Collaboration Model Operational Model Reference Project Face 2 Face 2 Skype Skype Skype Skype Skype Skype Skype Skype Skype Skype Face Face Common Ground UPA Conference 2010 Establishing Cross-cultural Collaboration in the Field of UCD 19
- 20. Wrap-Up Process: Common ground has to be built actively regarding collaborational and operational model. Setup: “Virtual Team” work well, if trust as main driver for psychological contract is established. Motivation: Darwiportunism crystalizes the objectives of both parties and the rules to be set. Mindset: It is crucial to check each others’ philosophy on user interface design. Services: The assessment of sharable/offerable services has to be conducted on both sides. UPA Conference 2010 Establishing Cross-cultural Collaboration in the Field of UCD 20
- 21. Many Thanks Saarbrücken Hamburg München Europa-Allee 12 Rothenbaumchausee 31 Augustenstraße 73 66113 Saarbrücken 20148 Hamburg 80333 München www.ergosign.de