Part 1: Understanding the cultural intelligence
When I landed in the USA back in 2002, I was shocked when I saw the word "Restroom" used for "Toilet." Guess what? I was culturally shocked, and I felt I was a kind of fool or something. I felt like I don' have a "cultural sense." Just like a user who is sometimes a bit perplexed with the interface of an app and starts blaming himself, I may be dumb enough who doesn't get the app at all.
Before I share a few more stories, let's unpack the word "Cultural Intelligence," what it is, and how it can help us while building digital products.
What is cultural intelligence?
Cultural intelligence, also known as Cultural Quotient (CQ), can understand different cultures and communicate appropriately with diverse backgrounds. It is often used as a broad term to effectively describe the skills someone needs to work with members of other cultures or ethnicities. Skills can include understanding formal and informal cultural rules, differences in communication styles, and navigating negotiation tactics. It is not a single set of skills but rather a set of competencies developed through training programs.
When I have to bring this aspect of understanding into UX, I will say about it. Cultural intelligence in UX can be defined as perceiving…
