An Empirical Investigation of the Practices and Challenges Specific to International User Studies

In today’s globalized world, it is increasingly important for companies to gain knowledge about international markets and to understand the differences and similarities between international users. As a result, international user studies have become more common. However, they still pose a challenge for most companies. In this paper, we present the results of an empirical investigation of how companies conduct international user studies. We describe the empirical findings in detail, with an emphasis on the practices and challenges that are specific to the process of doing international user studies. Key findings concern where, geographically, companies choose to collect data; the scope and scale of the studies; as well as the preferred data collection methods and employed control mechanisms. Our research shows that strategic/pragmatic considerations, perceived differences in national culture, and concerns about data quality shape and delimit the approach that companies take to international user studies.