Comprehension and trust in crises: investigating the impact of machine translation and post-editing

We conducted a survey to understand the impact of machine translation and postediting awareness on comprehension of and trust in messages disseminated to prepare the public for a weather-related crisis, i.e. flooding. The translation direction was English–Italian. Sixty-one participants—all native Italian speakers with different English proficiency levels— answered our survey. Each participant read and evaluated between three and six crisis messages using ratings and openended questions on comprehensibility and trust. The messages were in English and Italian. All the Italian messages had been machine translated and post-edited. Nevertheless, participants were told that only half had been post-edited, so that we could test the impact of post-editing awareness. We could not draw firm conclusions when comparing the scores for trust and comprehensibility assigned to the three types of messages—English, post-edits, and purported raw outputs. However, when scores were triangulated with open-ended answers, stronger patterns were observed, such as the impact of fluency of the translations on their comprehensibility and trustworthiness. We found correlations between comprehensibility and trustworthiness, and identified other factors influencing these aspects, such as the clarity and soundness of the messages. We conclude by outlining implications for crisis preparedness, limitations, and areas for future research

Translated English Online Patient Information on Finnish Public Hospital Websites : Usability and Equality in Focus

ABSTRACT Tutkielmassani arvioin englannin- ja suomenkielisten potilasohjeiden eroja ja englanninkielisten potilasohjeiden alueellisia käytettävyyseroja tasa-arvoisuuden ja käytettävyyden näkökulmista. Lisäksi vertasin operatiivisten ja informatiivisten tekstityyppien käytettävyyttä. Hypoteesina oli, että operatiivisissa tekstinäytteissä on informatiivisia tekstinäytteitä vähemmän käytettävyysongelmia niiden akuutimmasta sisällöstä johtuen. Käsitykseni englanninkielisten potilasohjeiden lukijoista perustin tilastoihin ja kirjallisuuteen. Tutustuin vähemmistökielten asemaan lainsäädännössä, ulkomaalaistaustaisen väestön määrään ja alueelliseen sijoittumiseen Suomessa sekä Suomessa käytettyjen kielten valikoimaan. Perehdyin myös instituutioissa tuotettujen sekä lääketieteen tekstien kääntämisen erityispiirteisiin. Tekstinäytteet keräsin sairaaloiden ja sairaanhoitopiirien internetsivustoilta. Analysoin aineiston laadullisesti. Analyysimenetelmiäni olivat vertaileva käännöstutkimus ja muokatut käytettävyysheuristiikat. Tutkimustuloksista kävi ilmi, että englanninkielisten potilasohjeiden käytettävyydessä on alueellisia eroja ja että käytettävyyden eri osa-alueet painottuvat eri tavoin eri alueilla. Vakavimmat käytettävyysongelmat liittyivät tekstilajikonventioihin. Ongelmia aiheuttivat virkakielisyys ja muut tekstilajille tyypilliset piirteet sekä lähtökielen tekstilajikonventioiden siirtyminen kohdekieleen. Tuloksista ilmeni myös suomen- ja englanninkielisten potilasohjeiden välisiä eroja. Tiedon saatavuus ja määrä oli kattavampi lähdekielellä. Kohteliaisuusstrategiat, rekisteri ja tyyli vaihtelivat englanninkielisissä teksteissä suomenkielisiä tekstejä enemmän siten että samassakin kohdetekstissä tyyli saattoi vaihdella muodollisen kohteliaasta puhekieliseen. Vaikka englanninkielisissä potilasohjeissa lääketieteen termejä ja fraaseja käytetiin pääosin yhdenmukaisesti, lähdekielen tekstilajikonventioiden siirtyminen kohdetekstiin aiheutti toisinaan sanan tai fraasin merkityksen laajenemista tai hämärtymistä. Kohdeteksteissä myös tekstilajille tyypilliset ei-toivotut piirteet usein vahvistuivat. Osa eroista johtunee alueiden erityispiirteistä, kuten siitä kuinka suuri osa väestöstä on muunkielisiä. Tulokset osoittivat hypoteesin oikeaksi eli operatiivisten potilasohjeiden käytettävyys oli parempi kuin informatiivisten potilasohjeiden

Eye Tracking Evaluation Of Chinese Web Sites For The Chinese Market

This paper assesses and analyzes ways Chinese and European people view web sites designed in English and Chinese languages.  The results suggest some similarities and differences based on different cultures.The Chinese market is gaining more and more importance in the international business arena. Due to the strong Chinese Internet growth rates increasingly more global enterprises use the Internet for e-Commerce, market penetration and expansion, and to communicate information in China.  But the success of online communication with customers in the Chinese market is in many cases not as effective as planned, because of cultural differences between Chinese and European people.  Specific reading behavior, different cultural color definitions, diverse meanings of symbols or pictures as well as differing Chinese attitudes and values have to be considered when designing web sites for China. To gain more knowledge about the needs, tastes and behavior styles from Chinese Internet users, an experiment was designed with the following hypothesis:  Chinese and Europeans differ concerning web site evaluation and recognition due to culture.  Web sites designed for Chinese (Mercedes, Sony Ericsson, and China Eastern) were tested using an Eye Tracking camera.Observation, using an Eye Tracking camera, combined with a survey, showed that Chinese users share only preferences like clarity and comprehensibility in web site quality with German users.  Significant differences can be named concerning amount of information, design/color design and terminology.  During the tests it also became clear that the order in which the Chinese users look at elements (navigation bar, text, pictures, etc.), and the tested recognition is not identical to European users.

Examining Validity Claims for Internet Filtering in Islamic Middle Eastern Countries: A Critical Discourse Analysis

ICTs represent a source for emancipation among the citizens of repressive regimes as evidenced by the growth of websites, blogging, social networking and text messaging in countries such as Iran and Saudi Arabia. However, these ICTs are heavily filtered in both countries. We examine the justifications offered by authorities for this censorship. Using Critical Discourse Analysis, we demonstrate that the claims fail Habermas’s four part validity test and are better understood as ideology. We argue that ICT filtering is implemented to serve the political agendas of small but powerful Islamic elites in order to undermine citizens’ capacities to pursue their democratic goals

Web 3.0: Are We Building a True Consensual Internet or Yet Another Strategic Platform?

This study employs Habermas’ theory of communicative action to scrutinize the behavior of web service providers (WSPs) in both Web 2.0 and Web 3.0. In the first phase, we uncover the strategic nature of Web 2.0 WSPs. In the context of Web 3.0, we discern a shift towards a consensual, decentralized paradigm, with Web 3.0 WSPs predominantly facilitating participation and consensus-building. Acknowledging that Web 3.0 is in its infancy with a smaller user base compared to Web 2.0, we have applied Web 3.0 principles to derive our insights, offering an initial exploration into the intentions of Web 3.0 WSPs. While recognizing the study’s limitations, including the nascent stage of Web 3.0, this research lays the groundwork for understanding the evolving landscape of Web 3.0. This pioneering investigation, guided by Habermas’ communicative action theory, is poised to be a valuable resource for comprehending the dynamic terrain of Web 3.0

Diversity statements for leveraging organizational legitimacy

European companies are increasingly putting “diversity statements” on corporate websites. Websites are important because they are used by members of the public, especially the younger generation, to seek information about companies. Legitimacy theory is often cited as one explanation for having good diversity policies, but we found no research in the diversity, HRM or social accounting literature with empirical evidence of different types of legitimacy associated with diversity. We examined on-line diversity statements from 174 top European companies for evidence of legitimacy-enhancing messages, and coded them by type of legitimacy. We show that diversity statements are presented in ways associated with two different types of legitimacy (pragmatic exchange and moral). International differences are also highlighted. These findings will help practitioners to design diversity statements based on a better understanding that legitimacy is a multi-faceted construct, and help them avoid the dangers of empty discourse, i.e. inconsistency between words and reality.À travers leurs sites Internet, les grands groupes tendent à multiplier les discours sur la diversité. Les sites Internet sont devenus des outils de communication importants tant ils sont utilisés par le grand public, ou appréciés par la jeune génération pour la recherche d’informations. La théorie de la légitimité est souvent citée pour expliquer le fait d’avoir une bonne politique en matière de diversité. Cependant, aucune recherche ne stipule de quels types de légitimité il s’agit. Notre analyse de 174 sites Internet des grands groupes à travers l’Europe souligne deux types de légitimités (pragmatique et morale) fréquemment associées à ces messages sur la diversité. Des différences entre pays sont mises en exergue. Des préconisations sont également formulées pour mieux appréhender la légitimité comme une notion multi-faces et éviter de construire des messages vides de sens, inconsistants vis-à-vis de la réalité.A través de los sitios de Internet, las empresas europeas tienden a multiplicar los discursos sobre la diversidad. Los sitios de Internet se han convertido en importantes herramientas de comunicación tanto para el público en general como para las nuevas generaciones que realizan sus búsquedas de información en estos. La teoría de la legitimidad es citada frecuentemente para explicar la existencia de políticas en materia de diversidad. Sin embargo, ninguna investigación estipula de qué tipos de legitimidad se trata. Nuestro análisis de 174 páginas Web de grandes empresas europeas subraya dos tipos de legitimidad (pragmática y moral) frecuentemente asociada a estos mensajes sobre la diversidad. Se enfatizan las diferencias entre países. Estos descubrimientos ayudarán a los profesionales a diseñar fórmulas para comprender mejor la legitimidad como noción multifacética y evitar la construcción de mensajes carecientes de sentido y la inconsistencia entre las palabras y la realidad

A website supporting sensitive religious and cultural advance care planning (ACPTalk): Formative and summative evaluation

Background: Advance care planning (ACP) promotes conversations about future health care needs, enacted if a person is incapable of making decisions at end-of-life that may be communicated through written documentation such as advance care directives. To meet the needs of multicultural and multifaith populations in Australia, an advance care planning website, ACPTalk, was funded to support health professionals in conducting conversations within diverse religious and cultural populations. ACPTalk aimed to provide religion-specific advance care planning content and complement existing resources. Objective: The purpose of this paper was to utilize the context, input, process, and product (CIPP) framework to conduct a formative and summative evaluation of ACPTalk. Methods: The CIPP framework was used, which revolves around 4 aspects of evaluation: context, input, process, and product. Context: health professionals’ solutions for the website were determined through thematic analysis of exploratory key stakeholder interviews. Included religions were determined through an environmental scan, Australian population statistics, and documentary analysis of project steering committee meeting minutes. Input: Project implementation and challenges were examined through documentary analysis of project protocols and meeting minutes. Process: To ensure religion-specific content was accurate and appropriate, a website prototype was built with content review and functionality testing by representatives from religious and cultural organizations and other interested health care organizations who completed a Web-based survey. Product: Website analytics were used to report utilization, and stakeholder perceptions were captured through interviews and a website survey. Results: Context: A total of 16 key stakeholder health professional (7 general practitioners, 2 primary health nurses, and 7 palliative care nurses) interviews were analyzed. Website solutions included religious and cultural information, communication ideas, legal information, downloadable content, and Web-based accessibility. Christian and non-Christian faiths were to be included in the religion-specific content. Input: Difficulties gaining consensus on religion-specific content were overcome by further state and national religious organizations providing feedback. Process: A total of 37 content reviewers included representatives of religious and cultural organizations (n=29), health care (n=5), and community organizations (n=3). The majority strongly agree or agree that the content used appropriate language and tone (92%, 34/37), would support health professionals (89%, 33/37), and was accurate (83%, 24/29). Product: Resource usage within the first 9 months was 12,957 page views in 4260 sessions; majority were (83.45%, 3555/4260) from Australia. A total of 107 Australian-based users completed the website survey; most felt information was accurate (77.6%, 83/107), easy to understand (82.2%, 88/107), useful (86.0%, 92/107), and appropriate (86.0%, 92/107). A total of 20 nurses (general practice n=10, palliative care n=8, and both disciplines n=2) participated in stakeholder interviews. Qualitative findings indicated overall positivity in relation to accessibility, functionality, usefulness, design, and increased knowledge of advance care planning. Recommended improvements included shortened content, a comparable website for patients and families, and multilingual translations. Conclusions: The CIPP framework was effectively applied to evaluate the development and end product of an advance care planning website. Although overall findings were positive, further advance care planning website development should consider the recommendations derived from this study

Current Trends in Cultural Customization and the Ecommerce Experience

The Internet is continually evolving and new access mediums have expanded its reach, connecting people all over the world. This has allowed businesses unparalleled access to consumers, propelling ecommerce to becoming a greater source of revenue for businesses of all sizes. Previous web design standards endorsed localization as a key requirement for a company's Internet success. However, with the rise of a new Internet culture, localization does not appear to be prevalent nor does it seem to be a requirement for success. This thesis explores concept of user experience as it relates cultural customization, current trends in localization, and more current principles to be considered with localization

Dual voices, hybrid identities: the recontextualization of research in digital dissemination scientific discourse

The current demands placed on scientists to increase public awareness of their findings involves recontextualizing highly technical research to be understood by diversified audiences. In the present study, a corpus of 20 online digests drawn from the British Psychological Society website, which are condensed versions of recently published research articles, is quantitatively and qualitatively explored in terms of the (meta)discoursal features that the scriptwriter uses to foster comprehensibility, project a credible and authoritative voice and enhance engagement with their audience, as a way to bridge the existent knowledge asymmetries. The analysis revealed the existence of discoursal and pragmatic, as well as some multimodal, resources (i.e. code glosses, hyperlinking, evidentials, engagements markers) used by the scriptwriters to project a dual voice which aligns both with the expert and with the diversified audience, thus projecting a hybrid authorial identity

Bridging diversity: a deliberative approach to organizing and application of usability guidelines

Designing interaction for the global society entails addressing multiple issues and challenges, ranging from the technical and economic to the legal and ethical. Usability guidelines recommend or prescribe courses of action and thus play a significant role in designing universally usable systems. Approaches to organizing and applying usability guidelines need to support processes of deliberation and tradeoff, especially when designing for bridging diversity in shared interaction contexts. This paper describes a deliberative approach to addressing some of these design challenges in a rational way. It argues for organizing guidelines by using concepts from Habermas’s discourse theory and Toulmin’s model of argumentation. Application of the approach is illustrated through a set of research-based Web design and usability guidelines. This paper contributes to the HCI literature by providing a theory-based approach to managing and deliberating on many usability guidelines and related usability issues