User interface design as a mediator of intercultural communication

The subject of this research is the role of user interface (UI) design as a mediator of intercultural communication in the context of digitalization. The author examines in detail how cultural differences influence the perception of digital products by representatives of diverse communities. The article analyzes the fundamental categories of world picture and worldview as mental filters that shape how users interpret visual, auditory, and textual information. Special attention is paid to the issue of communicative gaps that arise when different cultural codes intersect within a shared digital environment. The study addresses an interdisciplinary field at the intersection of cultural studies and applied UI design. It highlights the need to shift from simplified technical localization to deeper cultural adaptation. The research argues for the importance of designing inclusive interfaces capable of accurately conveying meanings, ensuring high-quality user experience and effective interaction between users from different cultural backgrounds. The methodological framework of the study is based on systemic and comparative approaches to the analysis of cultural phenomena. The research applies methods of concept operationalization, theoretical generalization, and typologization. The study considers Geert Hofstede’s model of cultural dimensions and Edward T. Hall’s concept of contextuality as projected onto the digital environment. The scientific novelty of the research lies in substantiating the necessity of a flexible application of classical cultural models under conditions of digital transformation. The main findings demonstrate that interface design functions not merely as a technical instrument or a process of visual styling, but as an active adapter of meanings. The study explicates the distinction between the user’s world picture and worldview. It is shown that effective interface adaptation should rely on a relevant cultural lens while avoiding excessive stereotyping. The research discusses the applicability of Hofstede’s six dimensions for cultural interface adaptation and formulates a set of principles for the functional adaptation of digital products. The study concludes that accurate interpretation and transmission of meanings with regard to cultural codes reduces communicative risks and contributes to the development of a harmonious, human-centered digital environment, preventing semantic and value-based distortions.