A culturicon design model for communication across culture

Emoticons are important in Computer-Mediated Communication due to its capability to express emotions/actions without face-to-face meeting. However, existing emoticons are still incompatible and lack some human expressions that limit user’s selection, particularly in terms of culture. Based on the comprehensive literature review conducted, the study regarding emoticons in cultural perspective is limited and there are demand for more cultural-based emoticons to be developed. To solve the issue, this study developed a model named Culturicon Design Model (CDM) by incorporating appropriate cultural dimensions and icon design principles, where Culturicon is the combination of ‘culture’ and ‘icon’. The components of CDM were determined based on previous study’s findings. CDM was then verified through expert review by applying a convergent parallel mixed method that measured the model’s components, flow, and readability, involving 11 experts. Then, CDM was validated by applying an explanatory sequential mixed method involving two phases – validation by designers and validation by end users. Validation by designers measured the components of the model in terms of gain satisfaction, interface satisfaction, task support satisfaction, and emoticon samples’ development, involving five designers. The validation by the end user was performed through focus group discussions, involving eight participants. Thematic analysis was used to analyse focus group’s results. The final version of CDM comprises five cultural dimensions (high power distance, high collectivism, low uncertainty avoidance, moderate masculinity/femininity, and long-term relationships), and eight Human Computer Interaction (HCI) icon design principles (familiar, understandable, attractive, coherent, informative, distinct, memorable, and legible). Focus group’s result showed that the emoticon’s samples represent the cultural elements, fulfilled the HCI icon design principles, and useful in their communication across culture. CDM contributed to the body of knowledge in HCI. It can be a guideline for designers to develop Culturicon in the future, hence providing more emoticon selections from local culture to satisfy end user’s needs.