What shapes design work for Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia is the one Gulf market where designing in English first is usually a mistake. The other influences follow from scale and from the pace of government digitization.
| Topic | What it means for your product | Decide early |
|---|---|---|
| Arabic first | The majority of users are Arabic readers. A layout conceived in English and mirrored shows its origin in cramped labels, awkward line breaks and type that looks secondary | That Arabic screens are drawn and approved first |
| The national design system | The Digital Government Authority has published a design system for government platforms, reported as open source with components and guidelines. It applies to government entities. A private product is not bound by it unless a contract says so | Whether your buyer requires it, and which version |
| Familiar journeys | Users are accustomed to signing in with a phone number and a code, confirming identity through the national sign-on where a service is eligible, and entering a short national address | Which of these steps your product uses, in the order users expect |
| Two calendars | Official and personal dates may be read in the Hijri calendar as well as the Gregorian. Date pickers, statements and reminders need a deliberate choice | Which calendar is shown where, and whether users can switch |
| Payment expectations | Checkout normally shows the national debit scheme, phone wallets and installment options beside cards, in a recognizable order | The methods offered, and their order on the payment screen |
| Consent wording | The Personal Data Protection Law makes clear notice part of the interface, in Arabic that an ordinary reader understands | The Arabic text for each request, approved by your legal adviser |
| Scale and regions | A national product serves cities and regions with different habits and connection quality | The regions in the first release, and who is recruited for testing |
Design work we do for Saudi products
These engagements reflect what Saudi product teams and government suppliers most often ask for.
Arabic-first product design
For companies launching or rebuilding a consumer or business product.
- Research with Arabic-speaking users
- Structure and journeys agreed
- Arabic screens designed as the primary version
- English derived and adjusted
- Prototype tested in both languages
- Specification delivered to developers
Design within the government system
For suppliers delivering platforms to government entities.
- Buyer's requirements and the system's version confirmed
- Journeys mapped to existing components
- Gaps identified and resolved with the buyer
- Screens assembled and tested
- Deviations documented for approval
Arabic review of an English product
For international products entering the Saudi market.
- Existing product assessed screen by screen
- Layout, type and wording issues ranked
- Sign-in, address and payment steps localized
- Priority screens redesigned
- Remaining changes specified
Checkout and onboarding optimization
For apps and stores with drop-off at sign-up or payment.
- Current journey measured
- Steps compared with what users expect
- Changes prototyped
- Tested with users in more than one city
- Results handed over with recommendations
What we design
User research in Arabic
Interviews and usability tests conducted in Arabic with participants who match your users.
Arabic-first interfaces
Type, spacing, icons and components chosen for Arabic, with an English version that receives the same care.
Work to the national design system
Screens built from the published components where a government contract requires them, with documented exceptions.
Localized journeys
Sign-in, identity, address and payment steps designed the way Saudi users meet them elsewhere.
Design systems for product teams
Tokens and components in both directions, explained in our guide on building and maintaining a design system.
Developer handover
Specifications for both languages, with states, errors and edge cases written out.
What we need from you
- The product and its users, by city or segment if known
- Whether a government buyer is involved, and its design requirements
- Existing brand assets and any Arabic typeface already licensed
- People who can review and approve Arabic wording
- The team that will build from the designs
Ownership and licensing terms are defined in the project agreement.
A readiness checklist for a design project in Saudi Arabia
Before design starts
0 of 8 checkedWhat to do next
Tell us about the product, who uses it and whether a government entity is the buyer. We will reply with the engagement we would suggest and how we would run research and review in Arabic. Start a conversation or book a 30-minute call.
Our Arabic RTL product design checklist lists what to verify on every screen.
Common questions
Do private companies have to use the government design system?
Not as a general rule, from what is published. The system is intended for government platforms. A private company meets it when a contract with a government entity requires it, which tenders often do. For your own commercial product, the system is still a useful reference for Arabic component behavior, though your brand should lead.
Why design in Arabic first?
Because the first language shapes every layout decision. Arabic words differ in length from English ones, the script needs more vertical room, and reading order affects where the eye lands. A design that begins in Arabic fits Arabic readers naturally and adapts to English with few compromises. The reverse order leaves the majority of Saudi users with the weaker version.
How do you test with Saudi users?
With Arabic-speaking participants recruited to match your audience, in sessions run in Arabic, either remotely or through a research partner in the Kingdom. We test the prototype on phones, since that is where most use happens, and include people from more than one city where the product is national.
Can you adapt an existing English product for the Saudi market?
Yes. We review it screen by screen, rank what must change and redesign the journeys that matter most, usually sign-up, address entry and payment. Some components can be mirrored, and others need to be redrawn. The outcome is a specification your developers can implement in stages, beginning with the screens every user passes through.
Where to go from here
Related serviceUI/UX DesignInterface design that engineers can actually build