A Framework for Cross-cultural Product Design

Abstract

In the modern globalized marketplace, industrial designers and consumer product companies are being challenged with cross-cultural design situations. While designers have the tools and instinct to produce culturally relevant designs, budgets and schedules inhibit the cultural immersion required to fully understand a foreign culture. This project investigates design as a cultural phenomenon and outlines a new framework that defines “culture,” in terms of industrial design. It aggregates research results from case studies and professional insight to provide Cultural Design methods that allow designers to efficiently extract valuable cultural elements. This framework informs the design process with cultural insights and helps develop products rich in cultural values that address local needs.