Developing a Cultural Model to Support Web Site Localization: A Case Study of Uzbek School Web Sites

摘要

This paper presents the results of a research study in which we developed a cultural model and applied it to a content/feature analysis of Uzbek secondary school Web sites. Our assumption was that Web sites designed by local producers for local users would exhibit identifiable cultural dimensions. We found that the analyzed sites followed a general design template and exhibited many identifiable cultural markers: e.g., a focus on institutions, images of authority, a lot of blue coloring. This study can serve as a methodological guide for technical communicators interested in localizing Web sites or in developing appropriate cultural models in untested domains and countries. We identify some key challenges in using such methods in unfamiliar, cross-national, and cross-cultural settings.