N. Aykin (Ed.): Usability and Internationalization, Part I, HCII 2007, LNCS 4559, pp. 89–98, 2007. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2007 A Tool for Cross-Cultural Human Computer Interaction Analysis Rüdiger Heimgärtner Siemens AG, Im Gewerbepark C25, 93055 Regensburg, Germany Ruediger.Heimgaertner@siemens.com Abstract. This paper describes a tool for analyzing cross-cultural human computer interaction (HCI). From literature and reasoning possible cultural HCI indicators have been identified and measured with this tool to compare them in respect to the different culture of the users. Concept, implementation, usage, benefit and implications of this tool will be presented. Two online studies using this tool concerning cultural adaptability exemplified by use cases of navigation systems revealed differences in interaction behavior that depend on the cultural background of the users (e.g. attitude, preference, skill etc.) and proved that the tool is working properly. Keywords: cultural adaptability, cultural user interface design, adaptive HCI (Human Computer Interaction/Interface), HMI (Human Machine Interaction/ Interface), cross-cultural HCI analysis, driver navigation systems, tool. 1 Introduction The "Intercultural Interaction Analysis" tool (IIA tool) was developed to obtain data regarding cultural differences in HCI simulating use cases – in this case, navigation systems [6]. The main objective of the IIA tool is to observe and analyze the interaction behavior of users from different cultures with a computer system to determine different interaction patterns according to the cultural background of the users. Culture influences the interaction of the user with the computer because of the movement of the user in a cultural surrounding [13]. To locate and find out the kind of different interaction behavior of the users from different cultural groups (at national level (country) first because of the high cultural distance) the interaction behavior of the users with the computer will be observed and detected. The objective is to be able to draw inferences regarding differences of the cultural imprint of users by analyzing the interaction behavior of those users with a computer system to get knowledge that is relevant for intercultural user interface design and a necessary precondition for cultural adaptive systems [7]. E.g. the right number and arrangement of information units is very important for an application whose display is very small and at the same time the mental workload of the user has to be as low as possible (e.g. driver navigation systems).