Journal of Technical Writing and Communication Apr 2021 OA PDF

Getting the Picture: A Cross-Cultural Comparison of Chinese and Western Users’ Preferences for Image Types in Manuals for Household Appliances

Qian Li University of Twente ; Menno D. T. de Jong ; Joyce Karreman University of Twente

Abstract

Research shows that Western and Chinese user instructions use visuals differently. Two basic tendencies may be discerned: Chinese manuals place more emphasis on visuals and their selection of visuals is less strictly confined to usability related functionality. This study investigates whether such cultural differences correspond to user preferences. Three hypotheses were tested: (a) Chinese users value pictures more than Western users; (b) Chinese users appreciate diverting, cartoon-like pictures more than Western users; and (c) Western users appreciate strictly instrumental pictures more than Chinese users. To test these hypotheses, a quasi-experiment ( N = 158) was conducted with cultural background as independent variable and appreciation for pictures as dependent variable. All participants rated 15 pictures, which were presented in the context of user instructions. All three hypotheses were confirmed. Cultural differences regarding the use of visuals should therefore be taken into account when localizing Western manuals for the Chinese market, or vice versa.

Journal
Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
Published
2021-04-01
DOI
10.1177/0047281619898140
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Topics
technical communication
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Citation Context

Cited by in this index (3)

  1. Hunter (2024)
    Toward TPC-UX: UX Topics in TPC Journals 2013–2022
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  2. Meng (2023)
    Using Eye Tracking to Study Information Selection and Use in Procedures
    IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
  3. Li et al. (2020)
    Inductively Versus Deductively Structured Product Descriptions: Effects on Chin…
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication

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