Usability Challenges to Arabic Mobile Phones Interface in Bilingual Environment

Mobile data services and communication exchange is becoming more popular in developing countries due to the rapid advancements in mobile phone services and reduced cost. Cultural differences in user requirements and usability needs are vital issues in the design of an effective user interface to maximize acceptability and to achieve higher user acceptability. However, the effect of cultural differences on localized mobile interface has not received much attention. This paper identifies a set of challenging design attributes for Arabic mobile user interface and data services and proposes a number of design heuristics for bilingual (Arabic and English) user interface to increases acceptability and consequently usability. Our aim from this research is to develop a set of guiding principles to assist in the design of Arabic user interface in mobile phones and mobile services.