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Transcript of E concept metaphors-representations_signs_semiotics
Metaphors & Representation
Interaction DesignO B J E C T S — S I G N S — S Y M B O L I C C O M M U N I C A T I O N
Introduction to the tools
1. The sign and the representation:Signs as representative via basic semiotics
2. The metaphor:The basic metaphor as representation
3. The interactive design:Metaphors in interactive design
M e t a p h o r s & R e p r e s e n t a t i o n
1
The sign and the representation:Signs as representative via basic semiotics
M e t a p h o r s & R e p r e s e n t a t i o n
The sign and the representation: Signs as representative via basic semiotics
Communication is often the work of signs which represent something
Flags represent something (but what?) … Representation anchored with a text
M e t a p h o r s & R e p r e s e n t a t i o n
Semiotics is the study and the making use of signs as communication
Signs are words, written and spoken.
Signs can be seen, smelled and tasted
Signs are visual artefacts and visual representations.
Signs are cultural codes.
Semiotics is the communication strategy by which you decidewhat effect you want to achieve by the use of a particular sign.
M e t a p h o r s & R e p r e s e n t a t i o n
The sign and the representation: Signs as representative via basic semiotics
C O N N O T A T I O N(signified/mental concept)
D E N O T A T I O N(Signifier)
(I will give you)breakfast
in bed
Automaticscripting
In a certain context you often intuitively expect somethingparticular based on the signs you encode.
This proces is called scripting. Here’s an example:
(You expect)a particularkind of breakfast(you like)
M e t a p h o r s & R e p r e s e n t a t i o n
The sign and the representation: Signs as representative via basic semiotics(S
ourc
e: L
akof
f& Jo
hnso
n 19
80 /
Sau
ssur
e 19
16)
SignComposed of
SignifierExistense
of the signActivates …
Signified
the mental concept, which relates to …
SignificationReference to “reality” as meaning
Now, let’s look at the conceptual scopeof denotation and connotation …
the referent
tree
(Sou
rce:
Fis
ke 1
990)
M e t a p h o r s & R e p r e s e n t a t i o n
The sign and the representation: Signs as representative via basic semiotics
Tegneter struktureret af
Signifiantbetegneren
af eksisterende tegn Aktiverer …
SignifiéDet betegnede
et mentalt koncept, der relaterer til …
SignificationRefererer til “det virkelige” som meningsfuldt
referenten
træ
(Sou
rce:
Fis
ke 1
990)
M e t a f o r & r e p r æ s e n t a t i o n
EN DANSK GUIDE TIL BEGREBERNE
The sign is arbitrary
D E N O T A T I O N(Literal concept)
Signifier
Word, soundor image
C O N N O T A T I O N(Mental concept)
Signified
Percieved
Conceptual,perceptual
and culturalcontexts
(Sou
rce:
Fis
ke 1
990)
M e t a p h o r s & R e p r e s e n t a t i o n
The sign and the representation: Signs as representative via basic semiotics
APPLE ?
A sign never has any “real” meaning, it’s what you percieve as meaningful.
The sign corresponds with your codes of reality and the sign refers to your world.
The sign is always arbitrary and it is encoded in a certain context.
Tank ?
The sign activates … the mental concept, which relates to … the referent?
M e t a p h o r s & R e p r e s e n t a t i o n
The sign and the representation: Signs as representative via basic semiotics
SignComposed of
SignifierExistense
of the sign
SignifiedMental concept
Signification
This is important in relation to the way youintend to make people react to the signsin your strategic communication …
“Reality” / Meaning
SignUse of sign
(encoding/strategy)
InterpretantPercieving the sign
(decoding/scripting)
Effect of the sign(response/action)
M e t a p h o r s & R e p r e s e n t a t i o n
The sign and the representation: Signs as representative via basic semiotics
Contradictingscripting
And sometimes the strategy is to deliberately surprise youand contradict your expectations.
To experience and learn new things via signs: a new scripting proces
“What! Monkey food!?”(or)“It looks good!”
(you get served)an alternative
kind of breakfast (you
might like)
R E A C T I O NN E W S C R I P T I N G
M e t a p h o r s & R e p r e s e n t a t i o n
The sign and the representation: Signs as representative via basic semiotics(S
ourc
e: L
akof
f& Jo
hnso
n 19
80)
M e t a p h o r s & R e p r e s e n t a t i o n
The sign and the representation: Signs as representative via basic semiotics(S
ourc
e: F
iske
199
0 / A
nne
Met
te B
usch
201
1)
Semiotic Categories of the Sign
S E M I O T I C S I G N S
I C O N
I N D E X
S Y M B O L
The iconic sign bears a resemblance to its object.
The indexical sign has a direct connection to its object.
The symbolic sign has a rule- or convention connection to its object.
These categories often mix!
M e t a p h o r s & R e p r e s e n t a t i o n
The sign and the representation: Signs as representative via basic semiotics(S
ourc
e: F
iske
199
0 / A
nne
Met
te B
usch
201
1)
S E M I O T I C S I G N S
I C O N The iconic sign bears a resemblance to its object.
Examples:
Pictograms
Outlines and shapes
Specific denotations
M e t a p h o r s & R e p r e s e n t a t i o n
The sign and the representation: Signs as representative via basic semiotics(S
ourc
e: F
iske
199
0 / A
nne
Met
te B
usch
201
1)
S E M I O T I C S I G N S
I N D E X The indexical sign has a direct connection to its object.
Examples:
Smoke (of a fire)
Postures (of emotions)
Relational denotations
M e t a p h o r s & R e p r e s e n t a t i o n
The sign and the representation: Signs as representative via basic semiotics(S
ourc
e: F
iske
199
0 / A
nne
Met
te B
usch
201
1)
S E M I O T I C S I G N S
S Y M B O L The symbolic sign has a rule- or convention connection to its object.
Examples:
Logos and visual signs
Words (“war” means chaos)
Objects in a certain context
Denotations and connotationsvia rules or conventions meansthat we have learned how to decode the symbol.
M e t a p h o r s & R e p r e s e n t a t i o n
The sign and the representation: Signs as representative via basic semiotics(S
ourc
e: F
iske
199
0 / A
nne
Met
te B
usch
201
1)
S E M I O T I C S I G N S
I C O N
I N D E X
S Y M B O L
Exercise
S I G N S & B R A N D I N G
T O P - D O W N
Example
T O P : The sign as a promise
D O W N : Benefactor/product
Kres
s& L
eeuw
en19
96 v
ia B
arna
rd20
05)
M e t a p h o r s & R e p r e s e n t a t i o n
S I G N S & B R A N D I N G
L E F T - R I G H T
Example
L E F T : A symbol/sign
Kres
s& L
eeuw
en19
96 v
ia B
arna
rd20
05)
R I G H T : the anchorage(picture + text)ProductBenefactor
M e t a p h o r s & R e p r e s e n t a t i o n
M e t a p h o r s & R e p r e s e n t a t i o n
2
The metaphor:The basic metaphor as representation
Metaphoricalscripting
The metaphor means …an analogy and a connection between two different objects or ideas.
It depends on the scripting and the signs in the particular context.
An action can mean something.
“This must mean that youreally like me!”Or“ what have Idone to you?!”
The alternativekind of
breakfast(You happen
to like now)
R E A C T I O N
A C T I O N(Signifier)
P E R C I E V E D(Signified)
M e t a p h o r s & R e p r e s e n t a t i o n
The metaphor: The basic metaphor as representation
The metaphor means …an analogy and a connection between two different objects or ideas.
We can understand one aspect by the aid of another.
For example:“the city is acting like it’s on fire”can mean that “the city is celebrating” or “the city is in panic .”
Other examples:
The general concept of “discussion” can mean conflict.It opens for a wide range of metaphors:
“I will win this argument” or “You disagree? Ok, fire away!”
Or the concept of “good is up” and “bad is down”:
“I’m on top of the world today” vs. “I’m feeling down!”
M e t a p h o r s & R e p r e s e n t a t i o n
The metaphor: The basic metaphor as representation(S
ourc
e: L
akof
f& Jo
hnso
n 19
80)
M e t a p h o r s & R e p r e s e n t a t i o n
3
The interactive design:Metaphors in interactive design
“There are three dominant paradigms in the conceptual and visual design of user interfaces:implementation-centric, metaphoric, and idiomatic.
The implementation centric interfaces are based on understanding how things actually work under the hood—a difficult proposition.
Metaphoric interfaces are based on intuiting how things work—a risky method.
Idiomatic interfaces, however, are based on learninghow to accomplish things—a natural, human process.”
M e t a p h o r s & R e p r e s e n t a t i o n
The interactive design: Metaphors in interactive design(S
ourc
e: C
oope
r 200
7: 2
70)
“There are three dominant paradigms in the conceptual and visual design of user interfaces:implementation-centric, metaphoric, and idiomatic.
The implementation centric interfaces are based on understanding how things actually work under the hood—a difficult proposition.”
M e t a p h o r s & R e p r e s e n t a t i o n
The interactive design: Metaphors in interactive design(S
ourc
e: C
oope
r 200
7: 2
70)
“There are three dominant paradigms in the conceptual and visual design of user interfaces:implementation-centric, metaphoric, and idiomatic.
Metaphoric interfaces are based on intuiting how things work—a risky method. “
Yes, but not impossible:
“ When we talk about metaphors in the context of user interface and interaction design, we really mean visual metaphors: a picture used to represent the purpose or attributes of a thing. Users recognize the imagery of the metaphor and, by extension,can presumably understand the purpose of the thing.”
Remember an affordance strategy in visual metaphors.
M e t a p h o r s & R e p r e s e n t a t i o n
The interactive design: Metaphors in interactive design(S
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e: C
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r 200
7: 2
70 ff
)
Visual metaphors
M e t a p h o r s & R e p r e s e n t a t i o n
The interactive design: Metaphors in interactive design
Nature Layout elements on a website
Cooper is not fond of the metaphor:
“Artifacts like resizable windows and endlessly nested file folders are not really metaphoric — they have no parallel in the real world. They derive their strength only from their easy idiomatic learnability.” (Cooper 2007: 275)(S
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e: C
oope
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7: 2
70 ff
)
Cooper argues for the idiomatic approach to UX/graphic interface design:
“We understand the idiom simply because we have learned it and because it is distinctive, not because we understand it or because it makes subliminal connections in our minds.” (Cooper 2007: 274)
Well … that is exactly what a good metaphor is (according to Lakoff & Johnson), but for the sake of the argument, you can choose yourself whether you want to operate with the concept of an idiom or a metaphor.
M e t a p h o r s & R e p r e s e n t a t i o n
The interactive design: Metaphors in interactive design(S
ourc
e: C
oope
r 200
7: 2
70 ff
)
DOS (1981)
M e t a p h o r s & R e p r e s e n t a t i o n
The interactive design: Metaphors in interactive design
Amiga 1000 (1985)
M e t a p h o r s & R e p r e s e n t a t i o n
The interactive design: Metaphors in interactive design
Apple Macintosh (1985)
M e t a p h o r s & R e p r e s e n t a t i o n
The interactive design: Metaphors in interactive design
Sun Workstation(1989)
M e t a p h o r s & R e p r e s e n t a t i o n
The interactive design: Metaphors in interactive design
Windows (1992)
M e t a p h o r s & R e p r e s e n t a t i o n
The interactive design: Metaphors in interactive design
Windows (1995)
M e t a p h o r s & R e p r e s e n t a t i o n
The interactive design: Metaphors in interactive design
Windows Bob (1995)
M e t a p h o r s & R e p r e s e n t a t i o n
The interactive design: Metaphors in interactive design
Word (1989: 1.0)
M e t a p h o r s & R e p r e s e n t a t i o n
The interactive design: Metaphors in interactive design
Pages Ipad (2012)
Thoughts (2012)
Apple Mac (2006: OS X 10.4.7)
M e t a p h o r s & R e p r e s e n t a t i o n
The interactive design: Metaphors in interactive design
Ipad (Apple 2012)
M e t a p h o r s & R e p r e s e n t a t i o n
The interactive design: Metaphors in interactive design
?
Curriculum
Cooper, Allan (ed.) (2007):About Face 3. The Essential of Interaction Design.Wiley Publishing
Chapters: 13.
Other references
Cours de linguistique générale. Suassure 1916. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Course_in_General_Linguistics.
Lakoff og Johnson (1980, 2002):Metaphors we live by.Chicago Press, USA.
Fiske, John (1990):Introduction to Communication Studies.Routledge. References to signs p. 47. See Google books
Resources
Buhl, Claus (2005):Det lærende brand.Børsens Forlag.
Malcolm Barnard (2005):Graphic Design as CommunicationRoutledge.
Anne Mette Busch, David Engelby (m.fl.) (2011):Kommunikation i multimediedesign.Hans Reitzels Forlag.