Comparison of cultural preferences and cultural practices in website design in Pakistan

Abstract Purpose Websites are typically influenced by the cultural context in which they are created and used. A website that is designed and used based on the preferences of its users and their culture is considered usable. Individuals’ cultural preferences refer to their level of cultural comfort, whereas cultural practices are shared perceptions of how people behave in a culture regularly as a whole. This article discusses the comparison of the web design preferences of users with the actual working practices of three categories of websites in Pakistan. Methods The disparity between preferences and practices is examined utilizing Hofstede’s six cultural dimensions. Website design practices are collected through content analysis thematic coding is used to systematically categorize and analyze the data. Results The results reflect that web design practices in Pakistan correspond to preferences in information density, information presentation, navigation, data restriction, error messages, content terminology, and gender roles. Mixed practices are observed in search results, cultural signs, colours, the purpose of images, menu choices, people’s images, user paths, the frequency of important links, input and feedback options and content density.