Graphic Design
LOST IN TRANSLATION - DISSERTATION
Lost in Translation is a research-driven UX project exploring how digital experiences can be designed to work seamlessly across languages, cultures, and regions.
Year :
2024 - 2025
Industry :
Tech and design
Client :
University project
Project Duration :
4 months
Introduction
As a bilingual designer who grew up between Venezuela and Northern Ireland, I’ve always been aware of how language shapes understanding. This project allowed me to turn that lived experience into research-backed design thinking:
How can we create products that feel intuitive and familiar — no matter where a user comes from?
This dissertation bridges academic research and practical UX application, resulting in a clear framework for designing globally accessible, linguistically inclusive interfaces.
Software: Adobe suit, Figma, Miro, Notion
Skills: UX Research, Cross-Cultural Design, Linguistic Accessibility, Information Architecture, Design Systems
The Challenge
Most digital products are designed first for English-speaking audiences — and only translated later.
This creates significant UX issues:
Text expansion breaking layouts
Right-to-left languages requiring mirrored interfaces
Colours carrying different cultural meanings
Visual density preferences varying across regions
Idioms and tone not translating naturally
Formatting standards (date, currency, measurement) conflicting
These problems lead to experiences that feel unfamiliar, confusing, or even unusable for global users.
My challenge:
Identify what breaks when digital products cross borders — and propose how designers can prevent it.
RESEARCH APPROACH
I conducted a comprehensive investigation combining:
Literature review across UX, Human interactions with technology and localisation
Comparative analysis of global leaders (Airbnb, Netflix, Spotify)
Cross-cultural visual + linguistic research
Exploration of best practices for multilingual accessibility
This allowed me to understand both the technical and cultural implications of designing for a global audience.
KEY INSIGHTS
1. Language shapes the entire interface
German expands ~30% compared to English.
Chinese and Korean compress text, requiring different visual balance.
Arabic and Hebrew flip interface direction entirely.
2. Culture influences usability expectations
Western users prefer minimalism.
Japanese users expect higher content density.
Colour symbolism varies dramatically between regions.
3. Automated translation creates usability risks
Lack of nuance or idioms
Inconsistent terminology
Broken visual hierarchy
This highlighted the importance of human oversight in multilingual interfaces.
4. Typography can make a product accessible — or unusable
Many typefaces don’t support multilingual scripts or shift drastically in tone when switched.
5. Localisation is a competitive advantage
Airbnb, Netflix and Spotify use localisation not just for usability — but to increase trust, engagement, and market success.
DESIGN FRAMEWORK & SOLUTION
Instead of creating a single interface, I developed a practical design framework that helps product teams build global-ready experiences from day one.
My proposed guidelines include:
Designing flexible, responsive layouts to support text expansion
Using typefaces with broad script coverage
Creating components that easily adapt to LTR/RTL languages
Accounting for cultural colour and imagery differences
Writing UI copy that avoids idioms and ambiguous phrasing
Planning for region-specific formatting (dates, currency, units)
Testing with native speakers and cultural experts
This creates a design system that is scalable, culturally aware, and accessible.
OUTCOMES & IMPACT
Completing this research and design project allowed me to understand and learn new aspects of design and helped me put into words frustrations I have experienced when consuming translated content. Here are some of the skills I improved upon along the way:
Strong research foundations — I able to synthesise complex information into actionable insights.
Global design thinking — understanding how UX must adapt across languages and cultures.
Accessibility mindset — designing for inclusion beyond disability, extending into linguistic accessibility.
Systems-level thinking — creating frameworks that scale across regions and contexts.
Clear communication — translating academic insight into practical design guidance to create frameworks that support real-world product design
The final result is a detailed, accessible guide that helps designers avoid design pitfalls and create products that feel local everywhere.
It taught me that great user experiences are not just intuitive — they are culturally aware, linguistically inclusive and globally adaptable.
Click here to see my complete dissertation.
More Projects
Graphic Design
LOST IN TRANSLATION - DISSERTATION
Lost in Translation is a research-driven UX project exploring how digital experiences can be designed to work seamlessly across languages, cultures, and regions.
Year :
2024 - 2025
Industry :
Tech and design
Client :
University project
Project Duration :
4 months
Introduction
As a bilingual designer who grew up between Venezuela and Northern Ireland, I’ve always been aware of how language shapes understanding. This project allowed me to turn that lived experience into research-backed design thinking:
How can we create products that feel intuitive and familiar — no matter where a user comes from?
This dissertation bridges academic research and practical UX application, resulting in a clear framework for designing globally accessible, linguistically inclusive interfaces.
Software: Adobe suit, Figma, Miro, Notion
Skills: UX Research, Cross-Cultural Design, Linguistic Accessibility, Information Architecture, Design Systems
The Challenge
Most digital products are designed first for English-speaking audiences — and only translated later.
This creates significant UX issues:
Text expansion breaking layouts
Right-to-left languages requiring mirrored interfaces
Colours carrying different cultural meanings
Visual density preferences varying across regions
Idioms and tone not translating naturally
Formatting standards (date, currency, measurement) conflicting
These problems lead to experiences that feel unfamiliar, confusing, or even unusable for global users.
My challenge:
Identify what breaks when digital products cross borders — and propose how designers can prevent it.
RESEARCH APPROACH
I conducted a comprehensive investigation combining:
Literature review across UX, Human interactions with technology and localisation
Comparative analysis of global leaders (Airbnb, Netflix, Spotify)
Cross-cultural visual + linguistic research
Exploration of best practices for multilingual accessibility
This allowed me to understand both the technical and cultural implications of designing for a global audience.
KEY INSIGHTS
1. Language shapes the entire interface
German expands ~30% compared to English.
Chinese and Korean compress text, requiring different visual balance.
Arabic and Hebrew flip interface direction entirely.
2. Culture influences usability expectations
Western users prefer minimalism.
Japanese users expect higher content density.
Colour symbolism varies dramatically between regions.
3. Automated translation creates usability risks
Lack of nuance or idioms
Inconsistent terminology
Broken visual hierarchy
This highlighted the importance of human oversight in multilingual interfaces.
4. Typography can make a product accessible — or unusable
Many typefaces don’t support multilingual scripts or shift drastically in tone when switched.
5. Localisation is a competitive advantage
Airbnb, Netflix and Spotify use localisation not just for usability — but to increase trust, engagement, and market success.
DESIGN FRAMEWORK & SOLUTION
Instead of creating a single interface, I developed a practical design framework that helps product teams build global-ready experiences from day one.
My proposed guidelines include:
Designing flexible, responsive layouts to support text expansion
Using typefaces with broad script coverage
Creating components that easily adapt to LTR/RTL languages
Accounting for cultural colour and imagery differences
Writing UI copy that avoids idioms and ambiguous phrasing
Planning for region-specific formatting (dates, currency, units)
Testing with native speakers and cultural experts
This creates a design system that is scalable, culturally aware, and accessible.
OUTCOMES & IMPACT
Completing this research and design project allowed me to understand and learn new aspects of design and helped me put into words frustrations I have experienced when consuming translated content. Here are some of the skills I improved upon along the way:
Strong research foundations — I able to synthesise complex information into actionable insights.
Global design thinking — understanding how UX must adapt across languages and cultures.
Accessibility mindset — designing for inclusion beyond disability, extending into linguistic accessibility.
Systems-level thinking — creating frameworks that scale across regions and contexts.
Clear communication — translating academic insight into practical design guidance to create frameworks that support real-world product design
The final result is a detailed, accessible guide that helps designers avoid design pitfalls and create products that feel local everywhere.
It taught me that great user experiences are not just intuitive — they are culturally aware, linguistically inclusive and globally adaptable.
Click here to see my complete dissertation.
More Projects
Graphic Design
LOST IN TRANSLATION - DISSERTATION
Lost in Translation is a research-driven UX project exploring how digital experiences can be designed to work seamlessly across languages, cultures, and regions.
Year :
2024 - 2025
Industry :
Tech and design
Client :
University project
Project Duration :
4 months
Introduction
As a bilingual designer who grew up between Venezuela and Northern Ireland, I’ve always been aware of how language shapes understanding. This project allowed me to turn that lived experience into research-backed design thinking:
How can we create products that feel intuitive and familiar — no matter where a user comes from?
This dissertation bridges academic research and practical UX application, resulting in a clear framework for designing globally accessible, linguistically inclusive interfaces.
Software: Adobe suit, Figma, Miro, Notion
Skills: UX Research, Cross-Cultural Design, Linguistic Accessibility, Information Architecture, Design Systems
The Challenge
Most digital products are designed first for English-speaking audiences — and only translated later.
This creates significant UX issues:
Text expansion breaking layouts
Right-to-left languages requiring mirrored interfaces
Colours carrying different cultural meanings
Visual density preferences varying across regions
Idioms and tone not translating naturally
Formatting standards (date, currency, measurement) conflicting
These problems lead to experiences that feel unfamiliar, confusing, or even unusable for global users.
My challenge:
Identify what breaks when digital products cross borders — and propose how designers can prevent it.
RESEARCH APPROACH
I conducted a comprehensive investigation combining:
Literature review across UX, Human interactions with technology and localisation
Comparative analysis of global leaders (Airbnb, Netflix, Spotify)
Cross-cultural visual + linguistic research
Exploration of best practices for multilingual accessibility
This allowed me to understand both the technical and cultural implications of designing for a global audience.
KEY INSIGHTS
1. Language shapes the entire interface
German expands ~30% compared to English.
Chinese and Korean compress text, requiring different visual balance.
Arabic and Hebrew flip interface direction entirely.
2. Culture influences usability expectations
Western users prefer minimalism.
Japanese users expect higher content density.
Colour symbolism varies dramatically between regions.
3. Automated translation creates usability risks
Lack of nuance or idioms
Inconsistent terminology
Broken visual hierarchy
This highlighted the importance of human oversight in multilingual interfaces.
4. Typography can make a product accessible — or unusable
Many typefaces don’t support multilingual scripts or shift drastically in tone when switched.
5. Localisation is a competitive advantage
Airbnb, Netflix and Spotify use localisation not just for usability — but to increase trust, engagement, and market success.
DESIGN FRAMEWORK & SOLUTION
Instead of creating a single interface, I developed a practical design framework that helps product teams build global-ready experiences from day one.
My proposed guidelines include:
Designing flexible, responsive layouts to support text expansion
Using typefaces with broad script coverage
Creating components that easily adapt to LTR/RTL languages
Accounting for cultural colour and imagery differences
Writing UI copy that avoids idioms and ambiguous phrasing
Planning for region-specific formatting (dates, currency, units)
Testing with native speakers and cultural experts
This creates a design system that is scalable, culturally aware, and accessible.
OUTCOMES & IMPACT
Completing this research and design project allowed me to understand and learn new aspects of design and helped me put into words frustrations I have experienced when consuming translated content. Here are some of the skills I improved upon along the way:
Strong research foundations — I able to synthesise complex information into actionable insights.
Global design thinking — understanding how UX must adapt across languages and cultures.
Accessibility mindset — designing for inclusion beyond disability, extending into linguistic accessibility.
Systems-level thinking — creating frameworks that scale across regions and contexts.
Clear communication — translating academic insight into practical design guidance to create frameworks that support real-world product design
The final result is a detailed, accessible guide that helps designers avoid design pitfalls and create products that feel local everywhere.
It taught me that great user experiences are not just intuitive — they are culturally aware, linguistically inclusive and globally adaptable.
Click here to see my complete dissertation.