3. How to integrate cultural factors

Area of relevance

Cultural factors can influence the form and function of devices and their interfaces. A device may be rejected or ignored because both its function and its very structure do not correspond to a culture's way of thinking. On the other hand, a device that corresponds to needs may be rejected simply because the form in which its function is expressed is not culturally appropriate, whereas the function itself is fully justified.

The notion of pleasure, present in ergonomics, allows us to both relativize and deepen the weight and importance of cultural factors. Failure to respect cultural factors can be the main cause of misunderstanding or misuse of products, but not always. In fact, the product may still be well used, but in a restrictive way and therefore with less pleasure. This can lead to an explicit...