Designing for Oman: what every tech team gets wrong (and how to fix it)
As UX designers working in Rihal, which is in Oman, we have seen the same problems show up multiple times where great technology is built with good intentions but completely misses the mark once it reaches real users. The mistake? Designing for people, not just platforms.
Oman is not a copy-paste version of another market. What works in San Francisco or Berlin will not apply to Muscat. However, many digital products still follow global templates without addressing local culture needs, language differences, and everyday behavior.
So,here is what tech teams often get wrong when designing for Omanand more importantly, how we are trying to fix it.
1. Designing Without Understanding the User 🗺️
One of the biggest mistakes is not giving enough attention to user research. It is still not common to interview real users to understand market trends. Many teams skip research altogether or only do it when it is too late in the end. But if you do not speak to the people you are designing for, how can you ever know if the product fits into their lives?
In Oman, user needs can be specific based on the platform and location they are meant for. Families may share devices. Bilingual interfaces are common. Local apps often vary from Gen Z students to retirees managing online services. We are designing for a wide range of abilities, habits, and comfort levels with technology.
How are we fixing it:Our Design team carries out localized user research early and mid-project. We have been successful in interviewing users from various places and not just stakeholders that hire us. This process usually begins with surveys, interviews, and then moves to usability testing. We use these to create actionable insights which later translate into real design screens of the platforms we are working with.
2. Ignoring Arabic Layouts, and Language Nuances📲
It is quite common to see broken Arabic interfaces with text cut off, buttons misaligned, or worse, English-only or Arabic-only options. This is not just poor UX but excludes a huge industry opportunity.
Arabic is read right-to-left which is opposite to English. This affects everything from typography to navigation flow. Moreover, it is not just a translation job but a linguistic and cultural design decision.
How are we fixing it: Designing bilingual platforms from the beginning. This is much more efficient with multiple RTL resources available both in design and development. Just to note, even icons flip direction (like arrows), while others (like a trash bin) do not. Language consideration is not an afterthought but part of our UX process.
3. One-Size-Fits-All Visuals 📸
Although I have seen a huge improvement in this area with AI and other cross-creative collaborations but using generic stock images that are not culturally valid is incredibly old school. Also, color schemes that clash with brand expectations.These details matter and they affect trust and quality of a brand.
Aesthetics carry cultural weight. Colors, icons, imagery, and typography shape whether your user feels like the product was created for them.
How are we fixing it: Choosing images, illustrations, and colors intentionally and only aligning with local norms. This not only covers visual but also copywriting tone, like the tone of voice in content. We usually personalize the text copies based on our users so mild wordings for a softer, sophisticated audience.
4. Forgetting About Mobile-First in a Mobile-Only World 📶
Mobile is not a second screen in Oman but one of the primary screens. For many users, smartphones are their main access point to the internet. And yet, most platforms are web-based squished into mobile layouts.
How are we fixing it: A lot of our recent projects come with both a website and mobile app which allows us to experiment with both. We also make sure to test on actual devices using prototypes specific to a desktop or mobile. This also means prioritizing features based on the type of device, speed, and data usage to create simplified flows wherever necessary.
5. Ignoring Religion and Local Holidays🌙
Oman does not have users that would be online 24/7. For example, life moves differently during Ramadan. Major holidays like Eid and national days are celebrated and user behavior changes then. Friday is the weekend, not Saturday. These cultural and religious rhythms directly affect the amount of engagement a platform will receive.
How are we fixing it: Our team makes sure to integrate Oman specific wherever needed. Also, companies often tailor their offers, campaigns, and content calendars around local seasons and not just global ones which we cater to in the design screens.
7. Not Collaborating with Locals 🤝
As designers in the clientele-based business, it is especially important to understand the culture, not just from reading but from living it. And it is also vital to collaborate with other businesses within Oman instead of outsourcing all things abroad.
How are we fixing it: Our team and every department in Rihal closely collaborates with Omani local businesses which not only promotes creativity, but also fresh ideas from different perspectives.
8. Designing for Features, Not for Lives🌍
It is easy to get caught up in features: AI this, chatbot that, dashboard here. Since the rise of AI and innovation, a lot of businesses forget fundamentals and focus on incorporating AI some way or another. This is not bad but what users care about is how the product fits into their day. Can it save them time? Help them avoid stress? Help them get something done faster?
How are we fixing it:The design team at Rihal focus majorly on creating user flows, journey maps and carrying out user research before jumping into the designs. What time of day are they using your app? Are they multitasking? Waiting in line? On slow mobile data?
Although showing off features is common and part of business, it is vital to use design as a bridge towards solving real problems.
Final Thoughts: Culture Is Not an Add-On🧩
Designing for Oman is not about making things look local aesthetically! It is about being local in how we think, research, and build. The local community is dynamic, young, connected and at its peak. If we get it right, our products will thrive.
At Rihal, our goal is not to design from a distance. We build through research, collaboration, and through respect for the users for whom we are creating. It might be slower, harder than usual but from our experience, it lasts.