THE IMPORTANCE OF THE THEORY OF SEMIOTICS

The importance of the theory of semiotics used in Illustration

By

Acknowledgement

I would take this opening to express gratitude my research supervisor, family and associates for their support and guidance without which this study would not have been possible.

DECLARATION

I, [….], declare that the contents of this dissertation/thesis comprise my own unaided work, and that the dissertation/thesis has not previously been submitted for learned written test in the direction of any qualification. Furthermore, it represents my own opinions and not necessarily those of the University.

Signed __________________ Date _________________

Abstract

Studio evaluation methods tend to be proposed and used to verify the interactive qualities of specific systems and design strategies. A discussion about the scientific merits of such methods to advance knowledge in studio as a field is very rare, although much needed. This paper shows that, under certain conditions, inspection methods can be safely used in scientific research in studio and extend their advantages beyond the territory of professional practice. Taking the Semiotic Inspection procedure (SIM) as an demonstration, we contend that its interpretive outcomes are target, can be validated, and make technical information comparable to that developed by more broadly accepted methods.

Table of Contents

ABSTRACT1

The importance of the theory of semiotics used in Illustration3

1. INTRODUCTION3

2. SEMIOTIC ENGINEERING AND COMMUNICABILITY4

3. AN OVERVIEW OF THE SEMIOTIC EXAMINATION METHOD9

4. CASE STUDY14

4.1. Preparation14

4.2. SIM steps16

4.3. Triangulation25

5. THE NATURE AND VALUE OF CASE STUDY RESULTS31

6. CONCLUSION33

REFERENCES35

The importance of the theory of semiotics used in Illustration

1. Introduction

Interface inspections are widely used in studio professional practice. When it is tough to recruit users or deadlines are close to quickly, experts are often called in to evaluate the quality of interaction sustained by a system's interface. Heuristic evaluation (Nielsen and Molich, 1990; Nielsen, 1994) and cognitive walkthroughs (Lewis et al., 1990; Spencer, 2000; Blackmon et al., 2002) are well known examination methods. Although precious in the industry, the outcomes of examination methods are usually considered and specifically mentioned to as expert opinions. This has probably assisted to the perception that inspection methods are dubious when utilised to make and validate technical knowledge. Empirical experiments and analytical evaluations founded on predictive models have been much more broadly acknowledged in this context. Even when backed by theory, most examination methods are frequently disregarded because they can produce interpretations of truth, information that cannot be generalized to predict how users interact with computer-based schemes.

This paper shows that, under certain conditions, inspection methods can be safely used in scientific research in studio and extend their advantages beyond the territory of professional practice. Taking the Semiotic Inspection procedure (SIM) as a case, we contend that its interpretive outcomes are target, can be validated, and make technical information comparable to that developed by more broadly accepted methods.

We start, in part 2, with an overview of semiotic technology and the delineation of key concepts for comprehending the method. Then, in part 3, we recount SIM steps and procedures. In Section 4 we present a comprehensive illustration of how SIM is utilised to investigate interaction with ...