Design Semiotics Research Articles

Os Atributos Estético-Simbólicos da Cultura Material da Cotonicultura do Seridó/RN

This research aimed to identify and characterize the use and conceptual representation mediated by signs that refer to cotton production within pieces and artifacts from the material culture of Serido in Rio Grande do Norte. The cotton planting phase at the local level represented a great economic, social and cultural advance, becoming a sign of great value for the inhabitants of the region. Thus, it was noticed that several local artifacts contained symbolic representations of cotton in its visual configuration. For that, an analytical research was elaborated, with historical and documental base, tracing as pertinence principle the concepts of syntactic, semantics and pragmatic, coming from the design semiotics. As a result, we identified a participation of the signs of cotton production in festive artifacts, such as clothing from the Rainha do Algodao contest and in graphic pieces, in the flags and coats of arms of the municipalities of Serido in Rio Grande do Norte. The relevance of the work for the region is found in the appreciation of the local discourse. In conclusion, it was observed that it is possible to bring up references from regional historical contexts, valuing local identity and transposing this information to artifacts of material culture.

Study on Appearance and Morphology Evolution of Chinese Ceramic Tea Ware Based on Design Semiotics Theory

Ceramic tea set is an important part of Chinese tea culture. Influenced by the environment and human development, the appearance of tea set has changed a lot. The artistic characteristics of tea set are mainly reflected in the form, color, texture and surface decoration. In order to improve the research on the evolution of the external form of Chinese ceramic tea set, this paper summarizes and explores the development process of Chinese ceramic tea set from the perspective of design symbols From the perspective of science theory, this paper interprets the appearance of tea sets, and provides a theoretical basis for the appearance evolution of ceramic tea sets. At the same time, combined with the actual development, it provides the hypothesis for the appearance of Chinese ceramic tea set in the future and enriches its possibility.

The Semiotics of Test Design: Conceptual Framework on Optimal Item Features in Educational Assessment Across Cultural Groups, Countries, and Languages

This paper offers a conceptual framework on test design from the perspective of social semiotics. Items are defined as arrangements of features intended to represent information, convey meaning, and capture information on the examinees’ knowledge or skills on a given content. The conceptual framework offers a typology of semiotic resources used to create items and discusses item representational complexity—the multiple ways in which the semiotic resources of an item are related to each other—and item semiotic alignment—the extent to which examinees share cultural experience encoded by items. Since the ability to make sense of items is shaped by the examinees’ level of familiarity with the social conventions underlying the ways in which information is represented, unnecessary representational complexity and limited semiotic alignment may increase extraneous item cognitive load and adversely impact the performance of examinees from certain populations. Semiotic test design allows specification of optimal pools of semiotic resources to be used in creating items with the intent to minimize representational complexity and maximize semiotic alignment for the maximum number of individuals in diverse populations of examinees. These pools of semiotic resources need to be specific to the content assessed, the characteristics of the populations of examinees, the languages involved, etc., and determined based on information produced by cross-cultural frequency analyses, cognitive interviews, focus groups, and expert panels.

Study on Appearance and Morphology Evolution of Chinese Ceramic Tea Ware Based on Design Semiotics Theory

Ceramic tea set is an important part of Chinese tea culture. Influenced by the environment and human development, the appearance of tea set has changed a lot. The artistic characteristics of tea set are mainly reflected in the form, color, texture and surface decoration. In order to improve the research on the evolution of the external form of Chinese ceramic tea set, this paper summarizes and explores the development process of Chinese ceramic tea set from the perspective of design symbols From the perspective of science theory, this paper interprets the appearance of tea sets, and provides a theoretical basis for the appearance evolution of ceramic tea sets. At the same time, combined with the actual development, it provides the hypothesis for the appearance of Chinese ceramic tea set in the future and enriches its possibility.

Analysis on the Application of Architectural Semiotics in Design

In the field of architecture, more and more “symbols” have been introduced into architectural design, enriching the connotation and methods in architectural design, and adding a lot of vitality to architectural design methods. Based on the emergence, development and characteristics of architectural semiotics, this article analyzes the application of architectural semiotics in architectural design in combination with specific practical cases, and discusses the development and significance of semiotics in architectural design.

Göstergebilimsel Analiz Üzerinden Tasarımı Anlamak: Sallanan At Üzerine

Communication is a part of social life and manifests itself in industrial products as well. Design products have meanings and messages. Products carry out communication through their own forms. The concepts taken into consideration while developing design forms are signs that make people feel them. It is, therefore, necessary to know about semiotics in order to convey the language of design Semiotics provides analysis and allows products to perform communication. Semiotic and semantic approaches play a role in the way senses perceive and interpret products. Semiotics differ according to what and to whom the design will be transferred. If the target audience is children, the form and language of expression should be determined according to them. Games are the most effective form of communication for children. The games and toys that have existed since early ages depend on factors such as technology, material, and consumption and usage habits. In this context, it is important to make sense of toys used as educational tools today. The aim of this study is to investigate the meaning of toys that are now universal products and to determine design language through semiotics. To that end, this study makes a semiotic analysis through the design of a rocking horse, a toy which almost everyone experiences in childhood. This study discusses and evaluates the icon, index and symbol of the rocking horse and compares the product language of different typologies in the same toy category.

Semiotics of motion picture sound design

The purpose of the article is to determine the specificity of sound design as a sign system inthe structure of the film. The methodology of the study includes a semiotic approach and theinvolvement of some poststructuralist concepts (in particular, an "empty sign"), there is also a postphenomenological optics of view and a media theory of Boris Groys. Scientific novelty lies in thefact that for the first time an attempt has been made to reveal the conceptual core of sound designfrom the position of the simulated index field and the ontology of the submedial surface.Conclusions. If the movie as a whole is trying to create the impression of a "true story", it is logicalto assume that individual components of the film perform the same function, not excluding thesound. Sound design is designed not to create a "realistic" image (because we do not haveimmediate access to reality), but an image that inspires confidence. More precisely, the feeling thatbalances between trust and suspicion (using the media-theory of Boris Groys). Therefore, instead ofthe word "reality", the word "credibility" should be used, which is primarily a function of thecontext (especially with regard to the sounding of phenomena and objects that do not exist in thereal world). In relation to sound in cinema, "reality" is not an epistemic category (as it isimpossible to get to the "real" sound of things), but ethical. At least, the sense of "likelihood" has adirect bearing on the ethical dimensions of human existence. From the point of view of the signsystem, sound design is a unique example of an index field simulation, because it combines two"materialities" — an image without sound (events on the screen) and sound without an image (thedubbing of events on the screen in studio conditions).Key words: motion picture, sound design, film sound image, sound engineering, soundrecording, simulation

Атласное картографирование Байкальского региона: структурно-семиотическая организация

We consider the process of forming the iconic system of atlas mapping of the Baikal region. More than twenty atlases were created for the territory of the Baikal region and published. Fifteen of these were selected by us for their general cartosemiotic study. We review the results of the analysis of the information-modular structure of atlases on the example of the map index in these atlases. It is shown that the number of information-semiotic modules in each atlas can vary and depends on its subject and purpose. The subject, structure and purpose of atlases are the cause of their complex and flexible modular-thematic semiotic structure. The analysis of the internal semiotic structure of atlases was carried out from the perspective of a single system of classification of conventional signs and graphic display methods on the example of three atlases: Atlas of Transbaikalia, Atlas of the Baikal Basin and the new atlas “Baikal region: society and nature”. The information and semiotic modules of the new atlas are formed according to the macrostructure of its thematic content, taking into account territorial levels and specific substantive thematic positions of mapping. When creating this atlas, we used effective methods of semiotic modeling and a certain balance and variety of applied syntactic constructions of cartographic signs. The atlas is being prepared for a printing publication as a work of a new kind, integrating modern information about the impact of socio-economic processes on the natural environment. The balance and diversity in the combination of various types, classes, groups and types of syntactic constructions of cartographic signs revealed during semiotic analysis of atlases of the Baikal region shows a high scientific level of map compilation and works on the general semiotic design of the publication of most atlases of the Baikal region.

Design practices

Design practices inherently cope with meaning making, but the semiotic notion of sense seems to be misled. Despite the evolution of Industrial Design over the past years, design research has been widely criticized for its groundlessness. In 2009, we proposed theoretical frameworks to overcome the absence of specific foundations to support empirical research in design semiotics. Funded by Whirlpool Latin America in partnership with Fapemig (2010-2012), such frameworks were built on ethnographic methods and had their assumptions empirically tested. The results showed that carrying out theoretical and empirical research simultaneously is epistemologically effective. In 2013, a theoretical-empirical phase started, yet several issues remain unclear. Some theoretical advancements have been achieved, such as The Trefoil Model, but now there is a need to face further questions, such as: How to cope with evidence in field research within design semiotics? Are we taking on the development of a Theory of Design Consequences?

A Semiotic Rosetta Stone Workshop

ADIM delegates will learn how the quality of user-participation can be enhanced by improving the visual communication within designed outputs. The workshop’s aim is to provide a direct, hands–on experience, to explore how iconic, indexical and symbolic semiotic representation can improve design’s message, concept or affordance. It will complement the conference sub-track 5.e Seeking signification in transformational times: design semiotics and the negotiation of meaning.

Applied research on semiotics in industrial style interior design

As a kind of creative social activities of human beings, designing has the typical symbolic characteristics. The application of semiotics in interior design can make a useful attempt for the practi...

The semiotics of fashion design: A proposal for higher education

Abstract Although the role of semiotics was established as a tool to interpret fashion as a communication system, as a discipline it is virtually absent from the curricula of graduate and postgraduate programmes. In this article, we argue that semiotics can provide epistemological support for the development of a framework for fashion design education. Semiotics is required not only as a tool for designers to (re)interpret the complex and often abstract or conceptual/emotional relations between the design object (clothes) and the wearer, but also as a creative tool. We propose a framework where semiotic analysis is present throughout the structures of fashion design higher education programmes, in order to offer adequate support to fashion design projects. We also discuss the facets of semiotics relevant for fashion design, with an emphasis on the perspective of higher education settings.

Коммуникативные черты семиотики дизайна

Коммуникативные черты семиотики дизайна

Design incorporated: IKEA as personal experience

Providing deep and memorable experience to the consumers—in various manners and through all channels possible—is undoubtedly amongst the key factors for success in contemporary markets. Moreover, companies need to consider the trends of gamification, personalization, eco-living as well as the extremely short life-cycle of their products. In this context, design is getting more and more important in branding and consumer’ perceptions about the quality and benefits of the product available. It serves as a tool of communication not only for what the product is, but how it works and how exactly it will become part of the everyday life of the consumers as well. As such, design, in branding perspectives, has an active role and engages consumers in new kind of relationships that go beyond pure aesthetics. This article is an effort for a socio-semiotic analysis of the set of practices that IKEA implements regarding the use of design as a main basis on which it tries to create, deliver and maintain value of its huge global audience. What makes the company unique is its multimodal approach in terms of design-based brand management, point-of-sale design, furniture design, entire home interior solutions, catalogue design, and last but not least, lifestyle design. We can easily point out that it has built its own brand meaning by forming a recognizable and self-centered semiosphere, that highly influences the whole category it operates in, and sets the rules in people’s self-expression, on the one hand, and their attitude towards the notion of ‘home’, on the other-home as constantly moving ‘immobility’ similar to fashion trends and practices. IKEA is a very good example of design semiotics, applied in marketing activities and real life as successfully mixing its own production with customers’ desire for designing their own unique world of objects.

The semiotics of design in media visualization

The semiotics of design in media visualization

環境についての記号論的考察 1 : デザイン記号論(Design Semiotics)

環境についての記号論的考察 1 : デザイン記号論(Design Semiotics)

A Study on the Usability of Semiotics in Graphic Design

Currently, the current flat design has become a mainstream approach is widely used in web design, computer and mobile phone systems, interface design. In graphic design, graphic symbol design is increasingly being taken seriously and use minimalist design symbols often appear in print design plane, PPT presentations, public areas, identity-oriented system like. This paper discusses the design of graphical symbols flat in graphic design use need to make the audience cognitive ability, graphic symbols standardized principles, design principles angles for effective information design to achieve efficient information communication. Materialized mostly graphic image symbols, and mostly flat graphic indicator; flat screen symbol by the proposed development materialized symbol interface evolved. Materialized the graphical interface and the graphical interface is flat coexist and cannot replace each other. During the design, the designer should be based on the advantages and disadvantages of the two styles complement each other interfaces, common graphical interface design services.

The Analytical Method of Product Multi-dimensionality Form Elements for Kansei Engineering

In order to study the analytical method of product form for Kansei Engineering (KE), this paper studied the organic relationship between product form semantics, design semiotics and the significance level of products based on the Product semantics, Product Semiotics and the Phenomenology, and put forward the four dimension semantic coupling model of product symbol. Then the general step of deconstruction was analyzed based on semantic coupling model and the analytical method was presented for product multi-dimensionality form elements. This paper took intelligent mobile phone as an example, 141 multi-dimensionality form elements were obtained. Furthermore, the comparative verification method was applied to prove the practical application value of the analytical method proposed by this paper. This research provided a new idea and method for the research of KE and perceptual product from the perspective of product semantics.

The semiotics of design in media visualization

The semiotics of design in media visualization

Social Networking Sites for Language Learning: Examining Learning Theories in Nested Semiotic Spaces

Las redes sociales para el aprendizaje de lenguas (resal) han creado nuevos modelos de aprendizaje, de interacción social y de experiencias de aprendizaje. Este estudio se centra en Busuu —una resal bastante conocida— y examina las perspectivas de aprendizaje que subyacen al diseño semiótico del mismo. El artículo parte de la premisa según la cual la composición semiótica de cualquier medio de comunicación posiciona y promulga ciertas formas de tratamiento, adquisición y aprendizaje de los contenidos, y se basa en fundamentos teóricos y metodológicos de la investigación etnográfica y la semiótica social multimodal para analizar el sitio web. Una de las principales conclusiones del estudio indica que Busuu constituye un sistema ecológico de espacios semióticos entretejidos, donde los elementos y principios pedagógicos de las diferentes teorías del aprendizaje de lenguas —conductista, cognitiva, constructivista— se amalgaman de manera conflictiva y, al mismo tiempo, complementaria.