Cross-Locale Format Interpretation & Preference Survey

Welcome! This survey explores how people in different regions read and prefer date, time, number, and currency formats. It should take approximately 5–7 minutes. Your participation is entirely voluntary—you may stop at any time. There are no right or wrong answers; we are interested in your genuine preferences and experiences. All responses are confidential and will be reported in aggregate only.

In the past 30 days, where did you most often read or enter dates?

• Work tools or productivity apps
• Government or finance portals
• Shopping and e-commerce
• Travel and booking
• Messaging or social apps
• News or media sites
• Other

In the past 30 days, how often were you unsure about a date format you encountered?

If you saw 03/04/2025 on a website, which date would you assume it represents?

• 3 April 2025
• April 3, 2025
• 4 March 2025
• March 4, 2025
• Not sure

Rank these date formats from clearest (top) to least clear (bottom).

1. YYYY-MM-DD (e.g., 2025-03-12)
2. DD/MM/YYYY (e.g., 12/03/2025)
3. MM/DD/YYYY (e.g., 03/12/2025)
4. DD Mon YYYY (e.g., 12 Mar 2025)

Which time format do you prefer when reading times?

• 24-hour (e.g., 16:30)
• 12-hour with am/pm (e.g., 4:30 pm)
• Either is fine
• It depends on context

Rank these number formats from clearest (top) to least clear (bottom) when reading prices or large amounts.

1. 1,234.56 (comma thousands, dot decimal)
2. 1.234,56 (dot thousands, comma decimal)
3. 1 234,56 (space thousands, comma decimal)
4. 1234.56 (no thousands separator)

Which currency display format is clearest to you?

• $1,234.56
• 1,234.56 USD
• USD 1,234.56
• 1 234,56 $
• It depends on context

Which day do you prefer as the first day of the week on calendars?

• Monday
• Sunday
• Saturday
• No preference

Rank the following areas from most in need of clarity improvements (top) to least (bottom).

1. Dates
2. Times
3. Numbers
4. Currencies
5. Calendar settings

Please describe a recent situation where a date, time, number, or currency format caused you confusion or led to an error.

We'd like to explore your experiences with format confusion a bit further. Please share what happened and how it affected you.

Based on your responses in this survey, is there anything else you'd like to share about how dates, times, numbers, or currencies could be displayed more clearly?

Which region best describes where you currently live?

• Africa
• Asia
• Europe
• Latin America & Caribbean
• Middle East
• North America
• Oceania
• Prefer not to say

Which language do you most prefer for digital interfaces?

• English
• Spanish
• Mandarin Chinese
• Hindi
• Arabic
• French
• Portuguese
• German
• Japanese
• Other
• Prefer not to say

Which device do you use most often for browsing or apps?

• Smartphone
• Laptop or desktop
• Tablet
• Other

What is your age?

• 18–24
• 25–34
• 35–44
• 45–54
• 55–64
• 65+
• Prefer not to say

How do you describe your gender?

• Woman
• Man
• Non-binary
• Prefer not to say

Thank you for completing this survey! Your responses have been recorded and will help improve how dates, times, numbers, and currencies are displayed across regions and products.