Global Issues

Global Audience Needs

Did you know that the scroll bar on a website written in Hebrew needs to appear on the left side of the screen - not the right? Did you know that websites authored in some Asian countries are not often set on a pure white background, because it is the colour of mourning in those cultures?

These are just two of many issues to be taken into consideration when working in a worldwide medium. (Actually, it's interplanetary at this stage - we have seen live feeds from the moon...and then there's the Hubble telescope. But let's not get carried away.)

Although we're not yet equipped to help you deal with lunar websites, we do have a great deal of experience helping companies broaden their global perspective. We can help you create a web presence that is appropriate and compelling for people from all walks of life. We have access to a panel of usability testers from all over Earth, who can audit your site for content that may not be regionally appropriate for your customers.

Data Repatriation

Many companies are concerned with recent legislative changes in the United States. If any part of your company's data is contained within databases, servers, files or hard copy records that are on US soil, those data are subject to the Patriot Act. If this is a concern for your organization, let us help you examine your eBusiness infrastructure to ensure that your data - or your customers' data - is not at risk from overzealous application of the rights conferred to US agencies by this law.

A light-hearted definition of globalization:

Perhaps you are viewing this website on a computer that uses parts manufactured in the Philippines, and which is connected to a Korean-made monitor which was assembled by workers from Bangladesh in a Singapore plant!