Most of the world is accustomed to the Western Tech ecosystem such as Google, Facebook, Amazon. However, are you aware that there exists a completely separate Tech ecosystem in China that is probably unknown to the rest of the world with China Tech Giants such as: Baidu, Alibaba, Tencent, Xiaomi etc.? In the 1980's China's economy was only 1/20th of the U.S., today it is over half the size of the U.S. economy and growing. If the way we have been designing has been based on the Western Tech ecosystem, how are things different when we have to design for users stem from a very different culture and background? Especially when Chinese consumers are travelling globally and are the leading consumers, how will that affect the way we research and design?

1. Kaizor Innovation
Elaine Ann
Designing for China vs West Tech
and what you can learn from it?

2. source: http://brilliantmaps.com/population-circle/
Hong
Kong
Floripa

3. source: http://agroinfo.com/en/news/brics-countries-will-help-to-overcome-hunger-and-poverty-in-the-world/

4. source: http://oniixmobile.com/tag/chinese-market/

5. Why China?

6. source: http://brilliantmaps.com/population-circle/
7 Billion Worldwide
3.7B

7. source: http://brilliantmaps.com/population-circle/

9. source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_population

11. Brazil’s Top Trading Partners
source: https://atlas.media.mit.edu/en/profile/country/bra/
The top export destinations of Brazil are China ($35.1B), the United States($23.3B),
Argentina ($13.4B), the Netherlands ($10.3B) and Germany($4.86B).

14. source: http://brilliantmaps.com/population-circle/
HK

16. Elaine’s Background

17. © Copyright 2002-2012 Kaizor Innovation Limited.

19. BACKGROUND
We conduct
ethnographic/user
research/user testing
in China for product
and services innovation
for the past 15 years in
1st, 2nd and 3rd Tier
cities in China.
Users ranging from:
•Self-employed
•Business owners
•Technology managers
•Sales managers
•Marketing managers
•Executive secretaries
•Government officials
•Stay-at-home moms
•College students
•Hospital staff
etc.
We’ve conducted
research in homes,
offices, retail and
captured videos and
insights evidence for
our client’s product
teams.
BEIJING
Kaizor Innovation is a strategic innovation consultancy
with over 15 years of experience helping MNCs and
Western innovation consultancies strategise their
products for the China market including:
• medical
• healthcare
• consumer electronics
• mobile payment
• internet businesses
• retail security
• luxury brand
• etc.
15years
500china homes
3000hours of videos
SHANGHAI
HONG KONG

20. OUR CLIENTS - GLOBAL

21. © Copyright 2002-2005 Kaizor Innovation Limited.
Shenzhen
华东
华北
华南
大西北
华中
We’ve conducted User Research in many 1st / 2nd / 3rd Tier cities in China:
• Shanghai
• Beijing
• Hong Kong
• Shenzhen
• Guangzhou
• Dalian
• Shenyang
• Wuhan
• Tianjin
• Tangshan
• Shijiazhuang
• Nanjing
• Ningbo
• Jinghua
• Xiangshan etc. © Copyright 2002-2010 Kaizor Innovation Limited.

25. 美国硅⾕谷优步演讲：
中国交互設計和設計调研概况

26. BAT

27. B A Taidu libaba encent

29. Did you know?

34. Did you know?

35. © Copyright 2002-2015 Kaizor Innovation Limited.

37. Alibaba Group © Copyright 2002-2015 Kaizor Innovation Limited.

42. Did you know?

45. source: http://www.thephonetalks.com/xiaomi-becomes-worlds-fastest-growing-smartphone-brand-2017/

47. © Copyright 2002-2004 Kaizor Innovation Limited
ChinaU.S.
320m 1.3b:

48. © Copyright 2002-2004 Kaizor Innovation Limited
1 4.34:
ChinaU.S.

50. Source: Richard Nisbett Culture and Cognition - Geography of Thought: How Asians and Westerners Think Differently

54. Top 10 Differences

55. 1

56. Pricing

57. AirbnbMotel 268
China U.S.

60. AirbnbMotel 268$40 / $200
China U.S.

61. 2

62. Speed

63. China U.S.
Product
Development
4-6 weeks
User
Research
4-6 weeks4-6 x

64. Xiaomi started only in 2010, already US$20 billion company © Copyright 2002-2017 Kaizor Innovation Limited.

65. 3

66. Culture

67. IndividualistsCollectivists
China U.S.

70. China U.S.

71. “Think
Different”
Harmonious
but different
“和⽽而不同“
China U.S.

72. © Copyright 2002-2005 Kaizor Innovation Limited.
© Copyright 2002-2005 Kaizor Innovation Limited.© Copyright 2002-2011 Kaizor Innovation Limited.

75. WhatsApp
mostly 1:1
WeChat
500/group500 / 1:1
China U.S.

76. WeChat WhatsApp

77. 4

78. Hierarchy
of Needs

79. Maslow Hierarchy of Needs

80. Maslow Hierarchy of Needs
American Individualists
MIT Nevis Hierarchy of Needs
Chinese Collectivists

81. WeRun

82. 5

83. Trust

84. Trust
based on
Law
Trust
based on
Relationships
Relationship v.s. Law
China U.S.

85. 1 Liner NDA 5 Pages NDA
1 Line NDA in China after User Research © Copyright 2002-2017 Kaizor Innovation Limited.

86. 6

87. Relationships

88. Community
Ingroup
v.s.
Outgroup
Us / We
China U.S.

90. Recruit Users via WeChat / Official Account

91. Pay Users via WeChat Red Packets

92. 7

93. Social
Hierarchy

94. EgalitarianHierarchical
China U.S.

95. 五伦：君⾂臣弟⼦子
君⾂臣、⽗父⼦子、兄弟、夫妇、朋友
Confucius 5 Cardinal Relationships

96. 级别集体 vs 平等个⼈人
Hierarchy / Collectivism Equality / Individualism

98. SERVICE DESIGN
Hong Kong Post Office

99. 8

100. Language

101. Phonetic
Language
Visual
Language
China U.S.

103. 男
China U.S.
Man

104. China U.S.
Man

105. 女
China U.S.
Woman

106. Woman
China U.S.

108. 嬲
jealousy

110. QQ Browser Google Play Store

111. 9

112. Aesthetics

113. Black
Blue
Grey
Gold
Rose
Natural
China U.S.

114. Practical
Down to Earth
No Frills
Luxury
Cute
Nature
China U.S.

121. 10

122. Face

133. Be Water My Friend
－ Laozhi

134. 上善若⽔
－ 老⼦

135. Brazilian American Chinese

136. Jiu Jitsu Boxing Jeet Kune Do

138. Martial Arts

139. 止戈Stop Weapon

140. How does your culture affect
how you research & design?

141. thank you.

142. www.kaizor.com
elaine.ann@kaizor.com