A presentation for my Human-Computer Interaction class of Fall 2010

1. Yahoo (US vs. China)
Beibei Yang
Nov. 15, 2010
UMass Lowell
91.527 Human-Computer Interaction, Fall 2010
This presentation is available at: http://goo.gl/Bsoww

2. Yahoo (US):
http://www.yahoo.com

3. Yahoo (China):
http://www.yahoo.com.cn
or
http://cn.yahoo.com

4. Yahoo (China)
Language: simplified Chinese
Character set: GB2312
Reading direction: L2R

5. Search Assistant
Good: Feature appropriateness and taste/values
Good: Visual communication

6. Left Column: Navigation Bar
• Yahoo (US) allows navigation
bar customization
• Yahoo (China) doesn’t allow
customization
– Contradicts the Configurability
and Control in HCI principles
• Both good practice of Visual
communication (icons)

7. Left Column: Navigation Bar Customization

8. Left Column: Navigation Bar Customization

9. Mid-column: Content •Date (including time zone)
•Weights and measures
Both representation and
content are localized
Violates the predictability principle Follows the predictability principle

10. Mid-column: Content
• The content of Yahoo (China) has a much
longer length than Yahoo (US)
– Matches the feature appropriateness and
taste/values principle
– However, one can argue that Yahoo China violates
the simplicity and efficiency principles, and Fitt’s
Law
• The content of Yahoo (US) violates the Clarity,
Predictability, Consistency, and Efficiency in
principles

11. Right Column
Good: Directness, and Efficiency

12. Foot
Good: Feature appropriateness and taste/values

13. Aesthetically Speaking …
• Yahoo (US)
– Violates the Aesthetically
pleasing principle
• Yahoo (China)
– Follows the Aesthetically
pleasing principle

14. Error 404
• Yahoo (US) displays search
results
• Yahoo (China) shows the
above 404 message before
redirecting to the homepage
Both follow the Forgiveness principle

15. The “Contact Us” Page
• Street address
• Postal Code
• Phone Number

16. Others
• Yahoo (US)
– links open in same window
• Yahoo (China)
– links open in a new window
Good: Feature appropriateness and taste/values

17. Summary
• HCI Principles and Heuristics
– Yahoo (US)
• Violates: Aesthetically pleasing, Clarity, Consistency, Predictability,
Directness, and Efficiency
• Follows: Compatibility, Comprehensibility, Configurability, Control,
Flexibility, Forgiveness, Simplicity, and Responsiveness
– Yahoo (China)
• Violates: Configurability, Flexibility, Control, Simplicity, and Efficiency
• Violates: Recognize rather than recall (Heuristics)
• Follows: Aesthetically pleasing, Compatibility, Comprehensibility,
Clarity, Predictability, Directness, Efficiency, Forgiveness, and
Responsiveness
• Yahoo (China) Good Practice of Localization
– Language, Character set, Reading direction
– Year, Month, Date, Measures
– Visual communication
– Feature appropriateness and taste/values
Conclusion:
Overall, Yahoo (China) did a good job on localization

18. Thank You!