Web page layouts in different cultures - question from DIWG

At a recent meeting of the Device Independence Working Group (W3C-DIWG) we discussed the issue of page layouts, and how to represent/process them when adapting content for different devices. Our perception of page layouts is based mostly on our Western experience of such pages, as such people are in the majority in our group. Typically: logo and ads on the top, navigation down the left, copyright at the bottom, scrolling the page is vertical etc...

However, we were concerned that such layouts may not be representative of the non-Western world. I am seeking references to information about this topic. If it turns out that the Western ideas of page layouts are broadly compatible with the ideas of page layout around the world, then there is no issue for us to worry about.

(For immediate response from DI to any relevant ideas on this issue, please email the www-di public mailing list.)

Thank you.

---Rotan Hanrahan (member DI, chair DD, ACRep MobileAware)

Received on Monday, 19 September 2005 10:47:04 UTC