China: Creators and Consumers of the Future – SxSW 2012
William
In Accessibility, Interaction Design, Mobile, Money, SxSW, User Experience Posted March 20, 2012
Games are deeply embedded into Chinese culture, so playful interaction is needed to entice more users. How do you tap into a culture of competition.
Scale is Huge – How do you rethink your UI/UX to account for actions in the hundreds of thousands?
Safety is of huge concern in China. Seatbelts, however, are rarely worn. Most young people buy their first automobile at age 20. To that end, there are many social networks and conversations around cars and maintenance.
UX might still be cluttered but mobile is key. The government doesn’t sanction these mobile apps, so by their very nature they’re disruptive. Healthcare is one area where mobile can really help. SMS apps used to do social good for growing elderly population helps fill in gaps where doctors have less and less time to see the huge amount of patients.
Velo – A subway card kiosk which doubles as a merchant platform for groceries. By the time you’re back home, so are your groceries and purchased goods.
Taobao – App which allows you to haggle with employees to get a good deal before coming to the store. In advertising, the listed price is always the starting price for negotiations. By getting this out of the way at the beginning, the shopping experience is enhanced.
Ikea – The retail giant has changed it’s model to act as a source of inspiration and encourages clientele to sit and be very comfortable. The food court is a site onto itself with Senior Dating groups and special family meals being had. Parents will dress their children up and use the store for family portraits, Ikea encourages this use of their products to make special life memories for shoppers.
Weixin – stomped Twitter in China. Massive messaging and social network. Includes fun, game-like elements like “shake-to-find” and “Message in a bottle”.
Big brands have yet to play in these spaces in China, perhaps as their virtual connection is more casual and lifestyle based (pictures of food) versus a platform to express points of view.
Android is key – the Chinese market has always been centered around bootstrapping for quick hardware – open source OS has been a great tool to manage new platforms.
See Also
Shanghaiist
Tech Rice
