user interface least common cultural denominator

The user interface least common cultural denominator is the least common meaning of a user interfaces by a subject group defined by a culture.

The user interface least common cultural denominator is the set of user interface conventions, symbols and behaviors that all the targeted users of software are familiar with and therefore guarantees its understanding and that is functional enough and allows the software creator to optimize its design for a single user profile, highly reducing the complexity of the software.

For apps with general global audiences or a general purpose operative systems the user interface least common cultural denominator is defined by the global digital culture.

E: Apple’s original success with the Mac was highly attributed to its skeuomprophic design. It was able to leverage the existing shared meaning of the analog world into the the digital world.

If the need for a particular software is high, the software creator has the power of requesting to its users to adapt and learn to the user interface patterns that they’re interested on and subsequently increasing the user interface least common cultural denominator.

E: Apple’s iOs has always optimized with a very small/strict user interface least common cultural denominator, giving them a huge success with a “non-advanced” user base, and slowly and progressively incorporating new user interface patterns. At the same time though has been highly criticized by the “pro” user base that feel that powerful products like the iPad could allow them to do much more.

E: The “burger menu” that became popular with the adaptation of mobile user interfaces had a period that created a lot of confusion among “non-advanced” users, as they had never seen that pattern before. In that case the user interface least common cultural denominator wasn’t clear by the software creators.

The user interface least common cultural denominator serves main high-level need of the software creators but also leads to product insufficient adaptation.

In apps and particularly information management tools and general purpose software such operative systems the user interface least common cultural denominator completely limits the potential of computer system serving humans and adapting to their particular needs.