Chinese app design: weird, but it works. Here's why

Summary

This video explores the cultural psychology behind Chinese app design, focusing on 'super apps' like WeChat that serve multiple functions in one platform. It delves into how China's collectivist culture and high-context communication influence app interfaces, which may appear cluttered to Western eyes but provide reassurance and convenience to Chinese users. The script also discusses the impact of physical space on digital design and the phenomenon of mobile leapfrogging, urging designers to consider cultural perspectives when creating universally appealing products.

Takeaways

• 🌏 Chinese app design is often cluttered but functional, reflecting cultural differences in software design.
• 💡 The concept of 'super apps' in China, like WeChat, is a result of the need to serve multiple functions within a single application.
• 🛍️ In China, the widespread adoption of mobile payment apps has led to a preference for digital payments over cash or credit cards.
• 🤝 Chinese culture's collectivist nature has facilitated the acceptance of these all-in-one apps for the benefit of the community.
• 🏙️ The physical environment in China, with its busy streets and information-rich spaces, may influence the design of digital interfaces.
• 📲 Mobile leapfrogging in China has led to a preference for mobile apps over desktop experiences due to cost and convenience.
• 🔍 Chinese users value comprehensive apps that provide a 'Happy Meal' experience, taking care of multiple needs in one place.
• 🌐 Cultural psychology impacts software and app design, with Chinese apps being tailored to a holistic and polychronic user experience.
• 🎨 High-context culture in China values implicit, layered, and nuanced communication, which is reflected in the detailed app designs.
• 🛠️ For designers and developers, understanding cultural differences is crucial for creating universally appealing products.
• 🌈 Avoiding immediate judgments and considering the cultural context of design can lead to more inclusive and impactful creations.

Q & A

Why do Chinese payment apps appear cluttered compared to their Western counterparts?

Chinese payment apps are designed to serve multiple functions within a single platform, which is a reflection of the 'super app' concept prevalent in China. This design is necessary due to the high user density and the need for seamless integration with various services in a collectivist culture.

What is a 'super app' and how does it relate to Chinese app design?

A 'super app' is an application that offers a multitude of services and functions within a single platform, such as messaging, payments, and browsing content. In China, apps like WeChat and Alipay have evolved into super apps, providing a wide range of services to cater to the diverse needs of users within a single interface.

How does the Chinese culture of collectivism influence the adoption of super apps?

Collectivist culture in China prioritizes group needs over individual preferences, which has facilitated the widespread adoption of super apps. Users are willing to adapt to initially inconvenient behaviors for the collective benefit, such as using a single app for various services.

Why do Chinese users prefer mobile apps over desktop applications?

The preference for mobile apps in China can be attributed to 'mobile leapfrogging,' where the country bypassed the widespread use of traditional PCs due to the affordability and convenience of smartphones, leading to a stronger preference for mobile experiences.

How does the physical environment in China relate to the design of its digital interfaces?

The busy and information-dense physical environment in China, characterized by lavish decorations and neon signs, mirrors the design of digital interfaces, which are also information-heavy and designed to cater to users accustomed to such environments.

What is the concept of 'high context culture' and how does it affect Chinese app design?

High context culture refers to a society where communication is implicit, layered, and nuanced. In China, this cultural aspect influences app design, leading to interfaces that are detailed and provide a wealth of information, which users find reassuring and comprehensive.

How does the concept of 'mobile leapfrogging' impact the design and use of apps in China?

Mobile leapfrogging in China has led to a rapid expansion of mobile app usage due to the lower cost and greater accessibility of smartphones compared to traditional PCs. This has resulted in apps being designed with mobile-first experiences in mind, catering to the on-the-go convenience preferred by Chinese users.

What can Western designers and developers learn from Chinese app design?

Western designers and developers can learn the importance of considering cultural context when creating apps. Understanding and incorporating cultural preferences can lead to better localized products that are more appealing and functional for users worldwide.

How does the script suggest changing one's perspective when encountering unfamiliar design?

The script encourages individuals to pause and avoid making immediate judgments about unfamiliar designs. It suggests understanding the cultural context and intended audience of the design to gain a deeper appreciation for its purpose and functionality.

What is the significance of the 'Happy Meal' analogy used in the script to describe Chinese app design?

The 'Happy Meal' analogy highlights the desire for a comprehensive and convenient user experience in Chinese app design. It suggests that Chinese users appreciate apps that offer a wide range of features and services, providing a one-stop solution to various needs.

How does the script relate the design of Chinese apps to the physical and cultural environment of China?

The script draws parallels between the busy and information-rich physical environment of China and the design of its digital interfaces. It suggests that the cultural preference for collectivism, high context communication, and the mobile leapfrogging phenomenon have collectively shaped the design of Chinese apps to be comprehensive and mobile-centric.

Outlines

00:00

🌏 Cultural Impact on App Design

This paragraph explores the cultural nuances that shape app design in China, particularly focusing on the concept of 'super apps' like WeChat, which serve multiple functions beyond just messaging. It discusses how the collectivist culture in China has led to the widespread adoption of these all-encompassing apps, which are seen as efficient and reassuring despite their cluttered appearance to Western eyes. The speaker also touches on the rapid growth of internet products in China due to its large population and how this has influenced the design of apps to be more comprehensive and user-friendly within the context of Chinese culture.

05:00

📲 The Rise of Super Apps and Mobile Leapfrogging

The second paragraph delves into the practicality and cultural significance of super apps in China, using the example of WeChat to illustrate how a single app can cater to a multitude of needs, from payments to content browsing. It contrasts the Chinese preference for mobile apps with the Western approach to app design, highlighting the concept of 'mobile leapfrogging,' where China bypassed traditional PCs in favor of mobile devices due to their affordability and convenience. The paragraph also examines how the physical environment in China, with its busy and information-rich spaces, mirrors the dense and detailed design of Chinese digital interfaces.

10:00

🛠️ Designing with Cultural Awareness

The final paragraph emphasizes the importance of cultural awareness in design, urging designers and developers to consider the cultural context when creating apps and software. It suggests that understanding the cultural background of users can lead to more effective and inclusive designs that resonate with diverse audiences. The speaker encourages an open-minded approach to design, avoiding immediate judgments about what may seem cluttered or busy, and instead seeking to understand the intent and audience behind different design choices.

Keywords

💡App Design

App design refers to the process of creating the layout, structure, and visual elements of a software application. In the video, it is discussed in the context of cultural differences between Chinese and Western app design, with Chinese apps often being described as 'cluttered' but highly functional, reflecting a preference for comprehensive, all-in-one solutions.

💡Cultural Psychology

Cultural psychology is the study of how culture influences human behavior and perception. The video explores how cultural psychology impacts software and app design, particularly in China, where a collectivist culture leads to the adoption of 'super apps' that serve multiple functions and are considered reassuring and efficient by Chinese users.

💡Super Apps

Super apps are applications that offer a wide range of services beyond their primary function, often integrating features such as messaging, payment, and various other services into one platform. The video uses WeChat as an example of a super app in China, illustrating how it has expanded from a messaging app to include payment and other functionalities, becoming an essential tool for daily life.

💡Collectivist Culture

Collectivist culture emphasizes the needs of the group over the individual. The video explains that China's collectivist culture has facilitated the widespread adoption of super apps, as people are willing to learn new behaviors that may be initially inconvenient but ultimately beneficial for the collective.

💡Mobile Leapfrogging

Mobile leapfrogging is a phenomenon where a region skips the adoption of an earlier technology and moves directly to a newer one. In China, this concept is used to explain the preference for mobile apps over desktop applications, as mobile devices are more accessible and affordable, leading to a rapid expansion of mobile-centric services.

💡High Context Culture

High context culture values implicit, layered, and nuanced communication. The video suggests that Chinese app design may cater to a high context user group, which prefers detailed and comprehensive interfaces that provide reassurance through the abundance of information.

💡User Experience (UX)

User experience (UX) is the overall experience a user has while interacting with a system, including their perceptions, attitudes, and emotions. The video discusses how Chinese super apps provide a seamless and reassuring UX by integrating multiple services into one platform, making daily tasks more convenient.

💡QR Code Scanning

QR code scanning is a feature that allows users to scan QR codes using their smartphones to access information or perform actions. The video mentions that most Chinese apps, including super apps, have a QR scanning feature, which is a common method of interaction in China and contributes to the seamless experience of using these apps.

💡Cultural Localization

Cultural localization is the process of adapting products or services to suit the cultural preferences and norms of a specific region. The video encourages designers and developers to consider cultural factors when creating apps, suggesting that understanding and incorporating local preferences can lead to more successful and user-friendly designs.

💡Perception and Reality

Perception and reality are concepts that relate to how individuals interpret and understand the world around them. The video concludes by emphasizing the importance of changing one's perspective when evaluating designs from different cultures, suggesting that understanding the cultural context can lead to a deeper appreciation of seemingly 'cluttered' or 'busy' interfaces.

Highlights

Chinese app design is cluttered but functional, differing from Western designs.

Cultural psychology impacts software and app design, especially in China with its large population.

Super apps in China, like WeChat, serve multiple functions, unlike single-purpose apps in the West.

The prevalence of WeChat as a primary payment method in China reflects a cultural shift away from cash and credit cards.

Chinese users prefer super apps for their convenience and seamless integration of services.

Collectivist culture in China has facilitated the widespread adoption of super apps.

High-context culture in China values implicit and nuanced communication, reflected in app design.

Chinese app interfaces are information-heavy, mirroring the busy and flashy physical environment.

Mobile leapfrogging in China has led to a preference for mobile apps over desktop applications.

Cultural programming influences user preferences for app features and design.

Designers and developers should consider cultural differences when creating software for global audiences.

Understanding cultural perspectives can prevent immediate negative judgments on app design.

Adapting to cultural contexts can enhance the user experience and acceptance of software products.

The design of Chinese apps aims to provide a comprehensive 'Happy Meal' experience for users.

Cultural impact on app design is a call for designers to think beyond their own cultural biases.

The video encourages embracing diverse cultural design elements to create universally impactful products.

Transcripts

Chinese app design it's weirdly

cluttered but it works here's why these

two are both payment apps one is from

China and one is from USA they both

serve the same purpose which is to send

and receive money why do they look so

different also this doesn't just stop at

software

design culture affects human behavior

and perception but what is

culture culture is our mental

programming but I'm wondering how does

cultural psychology impact software and

app design China has 1.4 billion people

more than a sixth of the world human

population which means in China new

internet products amass millions of

users in months maybe even weeks the

skill is unlike anything that the West

has ever seen so why does this rise at

the top after scouring through research

papers talks from scientists on culture

and software design articles I answer

these questions why does Chinese app

design work how does physical space

relate to this why would Chinese users

prefer mobile over desktop apps and

finally how might all of this affect us

this is not to generalize Chinese or

Western culture this is based on my own

research and my experiences traveling to

and living in China which with that said

let's dive into the design psychology of

Chinese apps why is this cluttered

design actually necessary we'll start

with the concept of super apps a few

years ago near the end of Co my dad was

at a grocery store in China he got his

groceries went up to the cashier and

took out his wallet to get some cash he

put the cash on the table and the

cashier just looked at him

okay this grocery store not only did not

take cash they refused credit cards and

the only way to pay there was through

reat pay turns out it's not just this

grocery store the vast majority of

businesses and stores in China have

adopted the use of WeChat as their main

source of

payment so how often do you actually use

cash

uh WeChat in this case has become a

super app an all-encompassing app sure

WeChat started off as a messaging app

just like IM message but it has quickly

expanded and grown in features where

people can now send money to each other

browse short form content like Tik Tok

and message each other all on WeChat

this is the same for dle B which is

another popular payment application look

how much there is each individual thing

on here is a separate feature so in

China it's now actually hard to pay with

any other method like cash or credit

card in other words if you don't use

super apps like WeChat you're weeded out

wait that makes no sense won't shops

just go out of business that way why

would people prefer these singular apps

I'll explain starting from this clip on

your way to the office a message comes

in from your boss can you grab them A

coffee they pay you back in a different

app you go to another app to place an

order for pickup and your mobile wallet

needs to be

updated okay there now coffee which took

four apps to accomplish but in China it

takes just one WeChat a super app some

of the most used applications in China

such as WeChat M and J I'll started off

as single function apps but they've

expanded to become this allinone tool

and what Americans might think as

cluttered weird design here they become

a superpower to Chinese users they are

very reassuring and have a seamless user

experience why well they work everywhere

because you're only using one app you

don't have to worry about closing and

opening a bunch of different apps

setting a bunch of different passwords

and remember that QR code scanner

scanning feature all of these apps have

a QR scanning feature and so when

businesses and people align to use the

same products everything works

seamlessly China can do this because of

its collectivist culture which have

communities that prioritize the needs of

a group rather than any single

individual collectivism in China allowed

for a wide adoption of several products

people are willing to learn a behavior

that's inconvenient at first on an

individual level but extremely useful

for the collective whole in this case

the adoption of weat pay everywhere

hello jack of all trades master of none

doesn't trying to be good at everything

makes it so that nothing is good well

not if you consider the tan experience

tan means combo we see this when we're

ordering food from a fast food

restaurant Chinese people want their

user EXP experience to be like a

McDonald's Happy Meal let me explain for

example this this is the Chinese version

of Google Maps but it's not just a map

it's also Uber you can book rides

through this as well not only that you

can compare the prices across 10

different apps all on this one map

application isn't that Bonkers it feels

like your life is just taken care of

with this one app which is exactly what

this design goes for this gives people a

ton of reassurance so that makes sense

clutter design means more information

means more reassurance in my video on

Japanese web design I talked about high

Contex culture turns out it's the same

here a research paper that compared

Chinese and Western user interfaces

found that both the design and user

experience of WeChat may be specifically

tailored for a Target User Group whose

thinking and behavioral patterns are

holistic polychronic meaning

multitasking and high context in a high

Contex Society We Believe good effective

communication is a communication that's

more implicit or layered or nuanced so

with this indirect more nuanced way of

communicating that makes sense why

there's so much detail on all of these

designs so how does physical space

impact this cluttered design show me

what your home looks like and I can tell

you what kind of person you are turns

out there's a big correlation between

what China looks like physically versus

what goes on their digital interfaces

people are used to the space that they

live in so they're accustomed to the

experiences that they're familiar with

and in this case it's a busy environment

this clip is from a City Walk in changu

China we see big lavish decorations in

its architecture and big neon signs

wherever there is people I mean look at

these food stands this is the norm lots

and lots of information all around you

let's compare this to America's busiest

city Manhattan New

York yes there are still lots of Lights

lots of people everywhere but we don't

see that same amount of information

things don't seem to be as flashy or

cluttered we see this also in decor

ations during Chinese New Year where

everything is just red and flashy so it

makes sense that interfaces are also

info heavy just take a look at

[Music]

this gotta love this dude we love shma

in China where there's space there's

information wait I don't get it if

Chinese users prefer dense information

why are all these apps Mobile isn't that

like the smallest screen size you can

use well my dear this can be explained

by mobile leap frogging leap frogging

it's just as it sounds you leap over

something in this case China bypassed

the use of traditional personal

computers and prefer to use phones

because they're cheaper they're cheaper

to produce to manufacture and therefore

cheaper to buy so so the supply demand

environment was conducive to Rapid

mobile expansion Chinese users adopted a

stronger preference for mobile

experiences preferring this in the

pocket on the-go convenience but what is

culture culture is our mental

programming indeed and in this case

culture program Chinese users to enjoy

apps that have thousands of features so

that they take care of you and just an

overall comprehensive Happ Happy Meal

experience so how does this impact us

what can we learn about Chinese app

design this is for the fellow designers

software developers Engineers when

you're creating something create with

culture in mind sometimes less is not

more how can we better localize products

so that everyone in the world can use

them the lens through which your brain

sees the world shapes your reality if

you can change the not only can you

change the way you perceive other

people's behaviors but you can allow

yourself to see the world in someone

else's perspective when you see

something like this try to stop yourself

from making immediate judgments like

this is so messy so cluttered so busy

but understand where is it coming from

who is it designed for what do you think

about this design would you find it

cluttered do you hate it or do you love

it as Bruce Lee said if we cling to any

artistic technique it can limit our

artistic expression by changing your

lens when you're designing for different

audiences you can create things that

impact people everywhere

[Music]