UX design is about solving problems, but not all problems are the same everywhere. People behave differently across cultures, and what works well in one country might feel strange in another. That is why cultural analysis is essential in UX Design.

When we ignore cultural context, we risk creating solutions that users cannot trust, understand, or relate to. But when we study how people live, think, and interact within their culture, we create products that feel natural to them. To explain this further, let’s dive into our work with BleepMed, a mobile app for booking doctors in the UAE. Here are a few cultural nuances that may be worth paying attention to when designing digital products across cultural borders:

People value time in different ways

Some cultures are more relaxed about time, while others value punctuality highly. In the UAE, cultural analysis revealed that users found waiting for doctors frustrating and unprofessional. They wanted clear schedules and updates in real-time.

To meet this expectation, BleepMed included features that let patients book exact appointment slots. We also added real-time location tracking for doctors. These small touches matched local expectations and helped users feel more in control.

Social structures influence product features

Culture influences how families work together. In some places, people usually handle medical appointments on their own. In others, care decisions are shared between family members and relatives. In the UAE, we learned that many users book appointments on behalf of other family members, such as children or elderly parents. To support this cultural setup, we designed features in BleepMed that allowed one person to book for another.

Safety and trust depend on local values

How people think about privacy, safety, and trust can vary across regions. In the UAE, users expected high safety standards when it came to healthcare services at home. So, we designed the app with clarity and transparency, with doctor profiles containing detailed information, including qualifications and reviews. The app also used colours that felt calm and trustworthy.

Language affects visual hierarchy

Text alignment, font selection, and reading flow all change depending on the language. In bilingual contexts like the UAE, where both Arabic and English are used, interface design must respect both reading directions.

Therefore, in the BleepMed project, we paid special attention to typography and screen flow. We chose the Tajawal font, which works well in both languages and mirrored layouts to fit right-to-left reading patterns while keeping the design clean and intuitive. This helped the app feel native in both English and Arabic, making it easier for users to engage with the interface.

These cultural insights guided our design decisions and helped us build a product that not only functioned well but also felt familiar and trustworthy. Without understanding the cultural landscape, these details might have been overlooked.

Cultural analysis is not just an extra step in UX design. It is a core part of designing with empathy. When we take the time to understand how people think, communicate, and live within their cultural context, we create experiences that resonate with them. If you wish to collaborate with us on building digital experiences that truly resonate with your users, get in touch with us at hello@rootcode.studio.