With the release of my new book coming soon (preorders are open, go pick up a copy!), I wanted to offer a few quick thoughts on who this book is for, and why I wrote it for them.

First off, though, a quick description of what Cross-Cultural Design is all about. The modern web is inherently global—and if we want to design successfully for it, we must be ready to meet the needs, perspectives, and expectations of multifaceted, multicultural audiences.

My book offers a clear and accessible methodology for designing across cultures: from performing socially conscious research, to building culturally responsive experiences, to developing meaningful internationalization and localization approaches. It’s written for people who want to expand their craft, and their mindset—and who want to start creating a richer experience for everyone on the web, regardless of location, language, or identity.

As I was writing, I tried to focus on three different types of people who need that information. 

Designers

Sooner or later, every designer encounters a challenge that’s just a bit beyond their experience level. The first group of readers I considered for this book are creative practitioners who are starting a project or job that requires cultural sensitivity. They’ve just had the inevitable “Oh, no…” moment, where they realize the task asks for more cultural sensitivity and thinking than they may be used to. These designers see how cross-cultural design is important, but may still be early in their career and consequently feel out of their depth.

They want something authoritative, yet easy to put into use immediately, because they still have to juggle the demands of their projects and work. I imagine them getting up to speed by doing web searches for “cross-cultural design”, which brings up a variety sites, as well as links to my book.

Strategists and Researchers

The second group I have in mind is strategists and researchers who need to better understand their existing global audiences. During pitches, reviews, and meetings, they want to offer clear recommendations to their clients and teams on how best to address content and UX research for a cross-cultural audience. From experience on other client work, they are more familiar with how culture affects design and interactive experiences.

This target reader has experienced doing UX research already, and is interested in getting better at handling complex, global work. My hope is that they will see themselves reflected in the anecdotes and stories I tell, and be able to quickly use the research strategies and framework that I lay out. 

Team Leads and Managers

The last group I wrote for is experienced team leaders, managers who want to deepen their team’s skill-sets. They already have extensive experience managing teams and projects, and need additional information to use in their existing workflows.

Past experience on digital projects with a multicultural client base has given them a need for action-oriented ideas to introduce to their direct reports and company executives. Their leadership roles mean they are focused on improving the skills of their studio or office in a cohesive and structured way. 

So which one are you? First and foremost, this is a book for design professionals, but those aren’t the only types of people I want to read Cross-Cultural Design. For anyone who loves stories, and the web, this is for you too! It’s been a real joy, and a journey, writing this, and the more people who read it, the better. 

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out! For now, preorder a copy and keep an eye on my social feeds for more info! Cross-Cultural Design officially drops on Feb. 25!