Cultural Attributes Methodology

For my Master's thesis, I worked on addressing the issue of inclusivity through culture. Through research, I learned that the products that surround us are a reflection of our culture, its values, and meaning. I identify and curated a list of critical cultural attributes that can affect the view of a product based on its characteristics. By doing so, we learn about abstract cultural values and beliefs that allow us to design products to be meaningful and reflect the user’s needs. 

I recently spoke to a Mexican client who years ago tried to sell their goods—purses, shoes, luggage—in Chile. They thought the Chileans were very similar to Mexicans, because they speak Spanish and live in Latin America. They did not research and found out that they were wrong. When it comes to trends and dress, Chileans are very conservative. They do not follow Western fashion like Mexicans and Americans do. The Chileans could not relate to the company’s advertisements, colors, and trends. The company flopped in Chile. This happens everywhere, and it can even happen within one’s own country.

Excerpt from UC interview 

Find Full Thesis HERE.