It's weirdly cluttered, but it works.

雖然雜亂無章，但很實用。

Here's why.

原因就在這裡。

These two are both payment apps.

這兩個都是支付應用程序。

One is from China, and one is from USA.

一個來自中國，一個來自美國。

They both serve the same purpose, which is to send and receive money.

它們的目的是一樣的，都是為了收發錢款。

Why do they look so different?

為什麼它們看起來如此不同？

Also, this doesn't just stop at software design.

此外，這不僅限於軟件設計。

Culture affects human behavior and perception.

文化影響人類的行為和認知。

But what is culture?

但什麼是文化？

Culture is our mental programming.

文化是我們的心理編程。

But I'm wondering, how does cultural psychology impact software and app design?

但我想知道，文化心理學對軟件和應用程序設計有何影響？

China has 1.4 billion people, more than a sixth of the world human population.

中國有 14 億人口，超過世界總人口的六分之一。

Which means in China, new internet products amass millions of users in months, maybe even weeks.

這意味著在中國，新的互聯網產品在幾個月甚至幾周內就能積累數百萬用戶。

The scale is unlike anything that the West has ever seen.

其規模是西方從未見過的。

So why does this rise at the top?

那麼，為什麼會出現這種情況呢？

After scouring through research papers, talks from scientists on culture, and software design articles,

在翻閱了研究論文、科學家關於文化的演講以及軟件設計文章之後，我發現了一個新的思路、

I answer these questions.

我回答這些問題。

Why does Chinese app design work?

中文應用程序設計為何有效？

How does physical space relate to this?

物理空間與此有何關係？

Why would Chinese users prefer mobile over desktop apps?

為什麼中國用戶更喜歡手機而不是桌面應用程序？

And finally, how might all of this affect us?

最後，這一切會對我們產生什麼影響？

This is not to generalize Chinese or Western culture.

這並不是要將中西方文化一概而論。

This is based on my own research and my experiences traveling to and living in China.

這是我根據自己的研究以及在中國旅行和生活的經驗得出的結論。

With that said, let's dive into the design psychology of Chinese apps.

說到這裡，讓我們深入瞭解一下中國應用程序的設計心理。

Why is this cluttered design actually necessary?

為什麼需要這種雜亂無章的設計？

We'll start with the concept of super apps.

我們先來看看超級應用程序的概念。

A few years ago, near the end of COVID, my dad was at a grocery store in China.

幾年前，COVID 即將結束時，我父親在中國的一家雜貨店裡。

He got his groceries, went up to the cashier, and took out his wallet to get some cash.

他買了菜，走到收銀臺前，拿出錢包準備取錢。

He put the cash on the table, and the cashier just looked at him.

他把現金放在桌子上，收銀員只是看著他。

This grocery store not only did not take cash, they refused credit cards.

這家雜貨店不僅不收現金，還拒絕信用卡。

And the only way to pay there was through WeChat Pay.

而那裡唯一的支付方式就是微信支付。

Turns out, it's not just this grocery store.

原來，不僅僅是這家雜貨店。

The vast majority of businesses and stores in China have adopted the use of WeChat as their main source of payment.

中國絕大多數企業和商店都已將微信作為主要支付方式。

WeChat, in this case, has become a super app.

在這種情況下，微信已成為一款超級應用程序。

An all-encompassing app.

包羅萬象的應用程序

Sure, WeChat started off as a messaging app just like iMessage, but it has quickly expanded and grown in features, where people can now send money to each other, browse short-form content like TikTok, and message each other, all on WeChat.

當然，微信一開始只是一款像 iMessage 一樣的消息應用，但它的功能迅速擴展和增長，現在人們可以在微信上互相匯款、瀏覽 TikTok 等短視頻內容，還可以互相發消息。

This is the same for 支付宝, which is another popular payment application.

另一個流行的支付應用程序支付寶也是如此。

Look how much there is.

看看有多少。

Each individual thing on here is a separate feature.

這裡的每件東西都是一個獨立的功能。

So in China, it's now actually hard to pay with any other method, like cash or credit card.

是以，在中國，現在實際上已經很難再用現金或信用卡等其他方式支付了。

In other words, if you don't use super apps like WeChat, you're weeded out.

換句話說，如果你不使用微信等超級應用程序，你就會被淘汰。

Wait, that makes no sense.

等等，這沒道理啊。

Won't shops just go out of business that way?

這樣商店不就倒閉了嗎？

Why would people prefer these singular apps?

為什麼人們偏愛這些單一的應用程序？

I'll explain starting from this clip.

我會從這個片段開始解釋。

On your way to the office, a message comes in from your boss.

在你去辦公室的路上，老闆發來了一條資訊。

Can you grab them a coffee?

能請他們喝杯咖啡嗎？

They pay you back in a different app.

他們會用不同的應用程序還你錢。

You go to another app to place an order for pickup.

您可以進入另一個應用程序下單取貨。

And your mobile wallet needs to be updated.

您的手機錢包也需要更新。

Okay, there.

好了

Now, coffee, which took four apps to accomplish.

現在是咖啡，用了四個應用程序才完成。

But in China, it takes just one.

但在中國，只需要一個人。

WeChat, a super app.

微信，一個超級應用程序。

Some of the most used applications in China, such as WeChat, Meituan, and 支付宝, all started off as single-function apps.

中國最常用的一些應用程序，如微信、美團和支付寶，最初都是功能單一的應用程序。

But they've expanded to become this all-in-one tool.

不過，它們已經擴展成為這種一體化工具。

In what Americans might think as cluttered, weird design, here, they become a superpower.

在美國人看來可能是雜亂無章的怪異設計，而在這裡，它們卻成了超級大國。

To Chinese users, they are very reassuring and have a seamless user experience.

對於中國用戶來說，它們非常令人放心，而且具有無縫的用戶體驗。

Why? Well, they work everywhere.

為什麼？因為它們到處都能用。

Because you're only using one app, you don't have to worry about closing and opening a bunch of different apps, setting a bunch of different passwords.

因為你只使用一個應用程序，所以不用擔心關閉和打開一堆不同的應用程序，也不用設置一堆不同的密碼。

And remember that QR code scanning feature?

還記得二維碼掃描功能嗎？

All of these apps have a QR scanning feature.

所有這些應用程序都有 QR 掃描功能。

And so when businesses and people align to use the same products, everything works seamlessly.

是以，當企業和人們一致使用相同的產品時，一切都會無縫銜接。

China can do this because of its collectivist culture, which have communities that prioritize the needs of a group rather than any single individual.

中國之所以能做到這一點，是因為它的集體主義文化，即社區優先考慮群體的需求，而不是任何單個個體的需求。

Collectivism in China allowed for a wide adoption of several products.

中國的集體主義使多種產品得以廣泛採用。

People are willing to learn a behavior that's inconvenient at first on an individual level, but extremely useful for the collective whole.

人們願意學習一種行為，這種行為起初在個人層面是不方便的，但對整個集體卻極為有用。

In this case, the adoption of WeChat Pay everywhere.

在這種情況下，微信支付的採用無處不在。

Hello, Jack of all trades, master of none.

你好，萬事通，無師自通。

Doesn't trying to be good at everything makes it so that nothing is good?

什麼都想做好，不就什麼都做不好了嗎？

Well, not if you consider the taocan experience.

如果考慮到 taocan 的經歷，那就不一樣了。

Taocan means combo.

Taocan 意思是組合。

We see this when we're ordering food from a fast food restaurant.

我們在快餐店點餐時就能看到這種情況。

Chinese people want their user experience to be like a McDonald's Happy Meal.

中國人希望他們的用戶體驗就像麥當勞的開心樂園餐。

Let me explain.

讓我來解釋一下。

For example, this.

例如這個。

This is the Chinese version of Google Maps, but it's not just a map.

這是中文版的谷歌地圖，但它不僅僅是一張地圖。

It's also Uber.

也是 Uber。

You can book rides through this as well.

您也可以通過它預訂乘車服務。

Not only that, you can compare the prices across 10 different apps, all on this one map application.

不僅如此，您還可以在這款地圖應用程序上比較 10 個不同應用程序的價格。

Isn't that bonkers?

這不是瘋了嗎？

It feels like your life is just taken care of with this one app, which is exactly what this design goes for.

通過這一個應用程序，你會感覺自己的生活被照顧得無微不至，這正是這款設計所追求的目標。

This gives people a ton of reassurance.

這給人們吃了一顆定心丸。

So that makes sense.

這樣就說得通了。

Cluttered design means more information means more reassurance.

雜亂的設計意味著更多的資訊，意味著更多的保證。

In my video on Japanese web design,

在我關於日本網頁設計的視頻中

I talked about high-context culture.

我談到了高語境文化。

Turns out it's the same here.

原來這裡也一樣。

A research paper that compared

一份研究論文比較了

Chinese and Western user interfaces found that both the design and user experience of WeChat may be specifically tailored for a target user group whose thinking and behavioral patterns are holistic, polychronic, meaning multitasking, and high-context.

中西方用戶界面發現，微信的設計和用戶體驗可能是專門為目標用戶群量身定製的，他們的思維和行為模式具有整體性、多時性、多任務性和高語境性。

In a high-context society, we believe good, effective communication is a communication that's more implicit or layered or nuanced.

在一個高語境的社會里，我們認為良好、有效的溝通是一種更含蓄、更有層次、更細緻入微的溝通。

So with this indirect, more nuanced way of communicating, that makes sense why there's so much detail on all of these designs.

是以，有了這種間接的、更細緻入微的交流方式，就可以理解為什麼這些設計上有這麼多細節了。

So how does physical space impact this cluttered design?

那麼，物理空間如何影響這種雜亂無章的設計呢？

Show me what your home looks like, and I can tell you what kind of person you are.

讓我看看你的家是什麼樣的，我就能知道你是什麼樣的人。

Turns out there's a big correlation between what China looks like physically versus what goes on their digital interfaces.

事實證明，中國的實體外觀與數字界面之間存在著很大的關聯。

People are used to the space that they live in, so they're accustomed to the experiences that they're familiar with.

人們習慣了自己生活的空間，所以他們習慣了自己熟悉的體驗。

And in this case, it's a busy environment.

在這種情況下，這是一個繁忙的環境。

This clip is from a city walk in Chengdu, China.

這個片段來自中國成都的一次城市漫步。

We see big, lavish decorations in its architecture and big neon signs wherever there is people.

在這裡，我們看到的是奢華的大型建築裝飾，以及有人的地方就有的大型霓虹燈。

I mean, look at these food stands.

我是說，看看這些小吃攤。

This is the norm.

這是常態。

Lots and lots of information all around you.

你周圍有很多很多的資訊。

Let's compare this to America's busiest city,

讓我們將其與美國最繁忙的城市進行比較、

Manhattan, New York.

紐約曼哈頓

Yes, there are still lots of lights, lots of people everywhere, but we don't see that same amount of information

是的，仍然有很多燈光，到處都有很多人，但我們看到的信息量卻不一樣了

Things don't seem to be as flashy or cluttered.

一切似乎都不那麼華而不實，也不那麼雜亂無章。

We see this also in decorations during Chinese New Year, where everything is just red and flashy.

我們在春節期間的裝飾中也能看到這一點，一切都紅紅火火。

So it makes sense that interfaces are also info-heavy.

是以，界面信息量大也是有道理的。

Just take a look at this.

看看這個

Gotta love this dude. We love Xiao Ma.

一定要喜歡這哥們兒。我們愛小馬。

In China, where there's space, there's information.

在中國，哪裡有空間，哪裡就有資訊。

Wait, I don't get it.

等等，我不明白。

If Chinese users prefer dense information, why are all these apps mobile?

如果中國用戶更喜歡密集的資訊，為什麼這些應用程序都是移動的？

Isn't that like the smallest screen size you can use?

這不是你能使用的最小螢幕尺寸嗎？

Well, my dear, this can be explained by mobile leapfrogging.

親愛的，這可以用 "移動躍遷 "來解釋。

Leapfrogging, it's just as it sounds.

躍遷，就像它的名字一樣。

You leap over something.

你跳過什麼東西。

In this case, China bypassed the use of traditional personal computers and preferred to use phones because they're cheaper.

在這種情況下，中國放棄了使用傳統的個人電腦，轉而使用手機，因為手機更便宜。

They're cheaper to produce, to manufacture, and therefore cheaper to buy.

它們的生產和製造成本更低，是以購買成本也更低。

So the supply-demand environment was conducive to rapid mobile expansion.

是以，供需環境有利於移動業務的快速擴張。

Chinese users adopted a stronger preference for mobile experiences, preferring this in-the-pocket, on-the-go convenience.

中國用戶更偏愛移動體驗，更喜歡這種隨身攜帶、隨時隨地的便利。

But what is culture?

但什麼是文化？

Culture is our mental programming.

文化是我們的心理編程。

Indeed, and in this case, culture programmed Chinese users to enjoy apps that have thousands of features so that they take care of you in just an overall comprehensive, happy meal experience.

的確如此，在這種情況下，文化編程讓中國用戶享受到了擁有成千上萬種功能的應用程序，這樣它們就能在整體上照顧到你，讓你享受到全面、快樂的用餐體驗。

So how does this impact us?

這對我們有什麼影響？

What can we learn about Chinese app design?

我們能從中國的應用程序設計中學到什麼？

This is for the fellow designers, software developers, engineers.

這是為設計師、軟件開發人員和工程師們準備的。

When you're creating something, create with culture in mind.

在創作時，要以文化為中心。

Sometimes less is not more.

有時，少並不代表多。

How can we better localize products so that everyone in the world can use them?

如何更好地實現產品本地化，讓世界上的每個人都能使用它們？

The lens through which your brain sees the world shapes your reality.

大腦觀察世界的視角塑造了你的現實。

If you can change the lens, not only can you change the way you perceive other people's behaviors, but you can allow yourself to see the world in someone else's perspective.

如果你能改變鏡頭，不僅能改變你看待他人行為的方式，還能讓自己站在別人的角度看世界。

When you see something like this, try to stop yourself from making immediate judgments like, this is so messy, so cluttered, so busy.

當你看到這樣的東西時，試著阻止自己立即做出判斷，比如：這太亂了、太雜了、太忙了。

But understand, where is it coming from?

但要明白，它從何而來？

Who is it designed for?

為誰設計？

What do you think about this design?

你覺得這個設計怎麼樣？

Would you find it cluttered?

你會覺得雜亂無章嗎？

Do you hate it?

你討厭它嗎？

Or do you love it?

還是你喜歡它？

As Bruce Lee said, if we cling to any artistic technique, it can limit our artistic expression.

正如李小龍所說，如果我們執著於任何藝術技巧，就會限制我們的藝術表達。

By changing your lens when you're designing for different audiences, you can create things that impact people everywhere.

在為不同閱聽人進行設計時，改變你的視角，你就能創造出影響世界各地人們的作品。

www.microsoft.com www.microsoft.com

www.microsoft.com www.microsoft.com