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This project aims to develop standards and guidelines for user-oriented handling of multicultural issues in multimedia communications. It focuses on removing or reducing cultural and language barriers to ensure everyone has the opportunity to participate in the global information society. The project addresses various scenarios, including communication between people from different countries, accessing services in other languages, and handling cultural preferences. The goal is to provide guidance on assessing language skills, storing information about cultural preferences, and delivering appropriate versions of services to users. The project will consult with stakeholders and identify existing standards and guidelines to develop comprehensive recommendations.
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Matching language andcultural requirementsSpecialist Task Force STF 287“User-oriented handling of multicultural issues in multimedia communications”Funded by the EC/EFTA Mike Pluke, STF leader Francoise Petersen Derek Pollard Bianca Szalai STF 287Multicultural Communication
ETSI • Develops: • Wide range of standards • Other technical documentation • Contributes to world-wide standards in: • Telecommunications • Broadcasting • Information Technology • Independent but works in close co-operation with: • EU • ITU • CEN/CENELEC • Other world-wide bodies STF 287Multicultural Communication
eInclusion • A key eEurope 2005 objective: • “to give everyone the opportunity to participate in the global information society” • Our work: • Seeks to remove or reduce cultural/language barriers • Is therefore fully in support of this objective STF 287Multicultural Communication
Issues • Information and communication services should support cultural and language preferences of a) someone: • communicating with other people or accessing services in other countries; • visiting or residing in a country where the language is not their native language; • who only speaks a minority language of a country; • who only has a limited vocabulary in their own language; • who lip-reads, uses sign language, or the Bliss symbols system. b) public and private sector organisations dealing with customers or organisations in other countries. STF 287Multicultural Communication
The one simple requirement • In all of these different scenarios, the requirement is simple: • Everyone wants to be able to communicate or access information in ways that are compatible with their language and cultural preferences. STF 287Multicultural Communication
Counterproductive cultural adaptation • Organisations often think that they have solved the language and cultural issues with simple techniques • These may work for a majority of users • But for a significant minority they may cause big problems for the user e.g. • Guessing language from an IP address • Basing text prediction dictionaries on the user interface language chosen by the mobile phone user STF 287Multicultural Communication
Critical situations • Some situations where language and cultural factors are not addressed may have fatal consequences • e. g Calling emergency services … STF 287Multicultural Communication
Emergency situation STF 287Multicultural Communication
Emergency situation STF 287Multicultural Communication
Other scenarios • Visiting a tourist attraction • Network announcements • Communication between a deaf sign language user and a call centre • Text messaging from a mobile telephone • Technical business communication • ….. STF 287Multicultural Communication
We propose to give guidance on • Defining levels of language skill and how people might assess their own capabilities • Storing information about cultural preferences and language skills • How a service provider can access this information to deliver an appropriate version of a service to a user • and … STF 287Multicultural Communication
and guidance on • Delivery of content and the handling of user input taking account of a range of cultures and languages • Optimising the match of service options to user preferences • The use of existing standards and guidelines - identifying where new ones need to be developed • The incorporation of country-specific legal requirements into business ICT provision STF 287Multicultural Communication
How we are going to do it • Identifying existing standards and guidelines:including ETSI work on User Profile Management and a Universal Communications Identifier (UCI) • Extensive consultation with a wide range of stakeholders, e.g. • Globalisation, internationalisation, localisation and translation companies • Information service providers • Other standards bodies e.g. CEN and ISO • Research projects • etc. • Write guidelines • Identify further work that needs to be done STF 287Multicultural Communication
Project Overview • Work commenced: April 2005 • Table of contents and scope: June 2005 • Main consultations: June – December 2005 • Draft for approval by ETSI HF: May 2006 • Document publication: September 2006 • Final reporting and closure: December 2006 STF 287Multicultural Communication
Summary • The ultimate aim is …. • Removing or reducing cultural/language barriers to give everyone the opportunity to participate in the global information society • Follow the story at:http://portal.etsi.org/STFs/HF/STF287.asp STF 287Multicultural Communication