Showing papers in "Visible Language in 2007"

Thoughtful Interaction Design: A Design Perspective on Information Technology

Abstract: JONAS LOWGREN AND ERIK STOLTERMAN THOUGHTFUL INTERACTION DESIGN A DESIGN PERSPECTIVE ON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY MIT Press, 2004 ISBN 0-262-12271-5, 198 pages, hardbound, black and white illustrations, $35.00 When I picked up this book, I thought I'd give it a quick browse. The early pages confirmed this approach as it identified its goal as representing design to information technology (IT). However by the end of the first chapter I knew I needed to read it thoroughly. The authors are in the Scandinavian human-centered tradition that emphasizes development of the human side of technology use. As designers in search of digital solutions, they traverse design processes, understanding people and technology in use and development. This book is important because designers increasingly work with information technologists and epistemologically their worlds are quite different. What is important, what constitutes evidence for a solution, how a process unfolds and what is the goal are all somewhat different between these disciplines. Many designers lack basic understanding of science or logic and find interdisciplinary work difficult or even troubling. This book serves to provide a bridge from design to IT. Another book is needed for traffic going in the other direction, from IT to design. In an early chapter the authors develop terms for the design process in order to speak clearly about it; the terms are vision, a largely intuitive first organizing principle for what will unfold; operative image, the externalization of the vision that bridges the abstract and the concrete; and specification, the transition from an operative image into a specific something to be built. The way a designer works, holistically, fluidly and in a search for the character of an emergent whole, is significantly different from that of an engineer. The authors enumerate design ability with the following (p. 45): * Creating and shaping demands creative and analytical ability * Deciding demands critical judgment * Working with a client demands rationality and ability to communicate * Design of structural qualities demands knowledge of technology and material * Design of functional qualities demands knowledge of technology use * Design of ethical qualities demands knowledge of relevant values and ideals * Design of aesthetic qualities demands an ability to appreciate and compose After establishing design fundamentals, a chapter explores design methods and techniques. …

Windows and Mirrors: Interaction Design, Digital Art and the Myth of Transparency

Abstract: JAY DAVID BOLTER AND DIANE GROMALA WINDOWS AND MIRRORS INTERACTION DESIGN, DIGITAL ART AND THE MYTH OF TRANSPARENCY Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2003 ISBN 0-262-02545-0, 182 pages, softbound, black and white illustrations, $17.95 Buzz surrounding new concepts, techniques and computer applications is hard to escape. Making sense of it requires some time to elapse so that a perspective is possible. Bolter and Gromala have a perspective and they share it in Windows and Mirrors, a book that is part polemic and part history of dichotomous positions regarding digital development. First, let's look at the polemics. Using Siggraph's 2000 digital art show as a device with which to illustrate positions and developments, the authors focus primarily on the myth of transparency. A favorite theme of structuralists, who rationally organize interface, navigation and interaction so these elements fade into the background leaving only engagement with the user's task at hand, Bolter and Gromala expose transparency as a myth belonging to a long line of reductive approaches to communication and design. "Text Rain," an interactive physical interface, is the Siggraph exemplar for the counter position in which awareness of and interaction with digital mechanics as pleasurable and essential to the experience. In similar fashion, artificial intelligence (Al) is put into perspective as a big idea that has not delivered on its promises despite its continued exploration in computer science and science fiction cinema. Virtual reality (VR) is also challenged as the supreme focus of the developmental future as Western culture repairs its mind-body split (see Lakoff and Johnson's Philosophy in the Flesh for more on this). Interestingly, Eastern culture never suffered this fragmentation in the first place (see Nisbett's Geography of Thought). VR's role in simulation (for pilots or surgeons for example) is acknowledged, but its potential role in daily life is questionable. Augmented reality (AR) is understood as a more useful mediation between physical or psychological reality with focused feedback based on sensors and sensory stimulation. The exemplar for (AR) is Gromala's own "Meditation Chamber" that provides real-time feedback based on bodily signals (respiration, galvanic skin response, etc.). second, the other structural element of the book is history. This is woven through the pages to put the various digital developmental perspectives into context. The history is interesting in terms of the growth of scientific knowledge regarding human cognition and the technological developments that drive change. …

Design of a Rich-Prospect Browsing Interface for Seniors: A Qualitative Study of Image Similarity Clustering.

Abstract: This paper examines inclusive design delivery through interface design, with a particular focus on access to healthcare resources for seniors. The goal of the project was to examine how seniors are able to access drug information using two different online systems. In the existing retrieval system, pills are identified using a standard search interface. In the new browsing prototype, all of the pill images appear on a single screen, where the user identifies images by clustering the pills displayed by choosing similarity criteria related to the database search terms (e.g., all white pills or all pills of a certain size). The feedback mechanism in this interface involves re-organization of the pill images that are already visible to the user. We used a qualitative, task-based verbal analysis protocol with 12 participants aged 65 and older who were asked to locate pill images in each database and to discuss their preferences for navigation, aesthetics and the results that appear on the screen. By assessing the features of both interfaces, the results suggest possible models that could be applied in meeting seniors' information retrieval needs. INTRODUCTION As the general population ages (and as life expectancy rates increase), seniors are increasingly faced with complicated medical regimes. Sorting pills, to ensure that certain medications are taken at particular times of the day with or without meals, can be a daunting task for many patients, yet this task is a vital part of personal health management. As individuals age, visual and/or motor impairments make sorting, holding and identifying pills a challenge. Designing effective reference materials-including websites-can aid in patients' and caregivers' awareness and recognition of the range of available medications and help them to locate valuable drug information (e.g., side effects). This project was designed to explore the viability of a prototype, a visually based interface that would meet seniors' specific searching and retrieval needs. This empirical study addresses a theoretical issue raised by Ruecker and Chow (2003), which called for further research into the use of browsing strategies in interfaces for seniors accessing health information of various kinds. Qualitative interviews were used to explore participants' general information searching strategies, and computer tasks (employing a verbal analysis protocol) were used to assess two interfaces - including a prototype that was designed to bridge the physical (e.g., vision-related) and cognitive/emotional (e.g., issues of trust related to health information) needs of older adults. The goal of this project was to see if an alternative visual browsing interface, showing photographs of 1000 pills, could be useful for seniors interested in pill identification. Usefulness in this case involved a number of factors, ranging from the basic question of whether 1000 photos would simply be overwhelming, to concerns about the best methods for providing tools to manipulate the display, down to detailed questions about specific design choices relating to contrast, legibility and control size. The images could be magnified and also clustered by participants based on similarity in two visual dimensions: color and shape. INCLUSIVE DESIGN - A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE Previous relevant research includes a wide range of studies on information design, browsing interfaces, information-seeking behaviors and public health information. In the design of human-computer interfaces, for example, Shneiderman and Plaisant (2004) provide a comprehensive overview of issues to consider, including concepts drawn from human factors, principles of interaction design, the importance of expert evaluation and user testing, and the role of support materials such as tutorials and help systems. In the more specialized area of browsing interfaces, a wide variety of examples have been discussed, including Small (1996) who proposed a 3D prospect view for browsing texts of Shakespeare's plays and Pirolli et al. …

The Method of Graphic Abstraction in Visual Metaphor

Abstract: In the design fields, graphics are often a medium of communication whose goal is to reach mutual understanding. The process of graphic abstraction is one of the most important methods in visual design. Designers often use it to enhance the recognition and impression of observers. This paper investigated abstraction methods through design software research and research of designer practices. The result showed that the major tools used in designer practice are paintbrushes (traditional hand-drawing medium) and software filters (computer media). Three abstraction methods were identified: a) shape simplification method, b) quantitative reduction and c) software-aided simplification. Designers used software programs mainly for simplification of overall image (plane) with comparatively little use to simplify 'points' or 'lines.' In addition, the design software cannot fulfill designers' needs for visual abstraction. The findings from this study can provide valuable references for user instructions, graphic design and computer-aided design applications. INTRODUCTION To turn a real object (3D) into a 2D representation is an example of graphicabstraction in visual design, (see figure 1; Arnheim, 1969; Langer, 1953; Yo, 1985; Hsu, 1993). The abstraction uses a strategy of simplification of detail, so designers often simplify the shape of the original object to enhance the recognition or impression of observers (Arnheim, 1969; Bell, 1913; Gombrich, 1982). Thus, abstraction is one of the most important methods in graphic design. The function of graphics is to communicate messages efficiently and accurately in human life. As a result, the rational analysis of graphics and their uses might help to enhance that efficiency and accuracy. Although an analysis of rules in the field of graphic design seems more challenging than in the fields of architecture or industrial design, as far back as in the Renaissance, Leonardo Da Vinci proposed that painting should be approached with a scientific aspect. Mistakes are likely to occur, he suggested, if structures and outlines are drawn from impression, rather than using the tools of measurement. Modern-design methodology attempts to scrutinize design scientifically. Although there are still gray areas in which science cannot give an account, the methodology has a significant bearing on user instructions (Burden, 1996; Jones, 1992; Munari, 1989). With the development of digital technology, the application of design methods can be transformed into the computation that has also presented itself as an important research topic (Kirsch S Kirsch, 1988; Knight, 2003; Simon, 1981; Stiny & Mitchell, 1978). Therefore, discovery of the 'methods' behind design is beneficial to both user instruction and design computation. RESEARCH FRAMEWORK This research is a case study that exploras graphic abstraction in digital and traditional media. This paper investigates abstraction methods through design software research and design practice research. First, in order to reflect the trend that modern design depends heavily on software, software that serves abstraction functions was examined in the design-software research section. Four of designers' favorite software are analyzed: Adobe Illustrator 10, Adobe Photoshop 7, Macromedia Fireworks MX, Macromedia Flash MX. second, to understand the work of designers currently using graphic-abstraction methods, thirty-two Shih-Chien University sophomore and junior students, equipped with design expertise, were surveyed with regard to their practice. LITERATURE REVIEW Abstraction process model 'Abstraction' is widely discussed in philosophy, science and psychiatry. The Gestalt School is the earliest school of art to systematically carry out this type of study. They presented the law of Pragnanz, which states that the best form is the form that has been 'appropriately simplified.' This is because people's visual perception leans towards using the most economical method to receive information (Arnheim 1969, 1974). …

Visual Language for the Expression of Scientific Concepts.

Abstract: The accelerating rate of data generation and resulting publications are taxing the ability of scientific investigators to stay current with the emerging literature This problem, acute in science, is not uncommon in other areas New approaches to managing this explosion of information are needed While it is only possible to read one paper or abstract at a time, it is possible to grasp concepts presented visually in milliseconds This suggests the possibility of developing a visual language to represent concepts from a multitude of published papers in an accurate display that is highly condensed, yet readable in seconds This paper describes the initial exploration of a visual language approach to the display of concepts found in published scientific papers: in this case, some hypotheses surrounding the etiology of Alzheimer's Disease The approach is based on deriving propositions from papers or abstracts, breaking propositions into concept objects, designing a visual object system (consisting of icons, signs, glyphs and combinations) to represent all the objects in the relevant concept space, displaying the objects as a networked constellation and linking the visual display back to the papers from which they came The ultimate goal is to develop visual language techniques capable of revealing patterns, pathways and conceptual connections not readily apparent from text-based list of findings and using such visual language to make interactive displays that accurately represent large quantities of data in a condensed conceptual form Such an approach has potential application to any field of study that has a controlled vocabulary FACETS OF A PROBLEM You can see a lot Thanks to the computer and the Internet, there is a lot more to see, read and com Drehend than ever before According to Lyman and Varian, in the year 2000 the world produced between one and two exabytes (a billion gigabytes) of unique information, about 250 megabytes for every man woman and child on earth (Lyman and Varian, 2000) By 2003 this was five exabytes annually Those leading the pursuit of specialized knowledge, whether in science or other areas, are also on the forefront of dealing with this growth of information in dramatic ways In science, the primary source of new information is peer-reviewed papers and abstracts published in specialized journals In the area of medical research, the National Library of Medicine manages an online resource known as PubMed that currently hosts over 12,000,000 journal articles Users can type a text query and retrieve all of the relevant references (with abstracts) based on key words A recent (10/24/06) PubMed query using "Alzheimer*" as the search term, for example, returned 54,430 citations The rate at which the literature in this field has increased during the lifetime of one of us (KAC) is shown in the accompanying chart (figure 1) Let's imagine that a new investigator wants to become familiar with this literature At fifteen minutes per paper, it would take seven years of reading to get through all 54,000 - allowing for eight hours of reading per day with time off for weekends, holidays and vacations! To master the literature in the area of Alzheimer's Disease, however, would also require reading new papers, which are currently published at a rate close to 5,000 per year By the time the investigator had finished reading what is available today, the new stack of unread papers would be 35,000 (assuming no further increase in the number of papers per year) Yet staying abreast of what is happening in their field is exactly what scientists are expected to do Clearly, reading every paper is not viable This constant growth in information, acute in medicine and science, also occurs in other fields As if this explosion of data was not problem enough, biological systems have inherent complexity and relevant data come from various fields of study and various levels of analysis, ranging from atoms to populations …

Binding the Electronic Book: Design Features for Bibliophiles.

Abstract: This paper proposes a design for the electronic book based on discussions with frequent book readers. We adopted a conceptual framework for this project consisting of a spectrum of possible designs, with the conventional bound book at one difference pole, and the laptop computer at the other; the design activity then consisted of appropriately locating the new electronic book somewhere on this spectrum. Our data collection consisted of a web-based survey and two focus groups, all of which used a set of questions based on five human factors, to collect information on the opinions and practices common to graduate students in English and other frequent readers. Our purpose was to identify features considered crucial by frequent book readers. We addressed the goal of incorporating these features by developing an electronic book design called the Bi Sheng, which attempts to accommodate the significant features of conventional books while adding functionality derived from the electronic form of the text. INTRODUCTION The electronic book and electronic book reader have not yet been widely adopted by the majority of frequent book readers. This paper addresses the question of what an electronic book might look like that would appeal to this demographic. We ran a study with frequent book readers, in an attempt to gauge their reaction to existing e-books and e-readers, in order to identify what elements they consider crucial in the reading experience. We found that frequent readers would reasonably wish to retain the familiarity and benefits of regular book-reading that they have enjoyed, but would be interested in a technology that added still more benefits. In response, we propose a new design for the electronic book, the Bi Sheng,' which will combine the pleasure of book-reading with the flexibility of the e-book and e-book reader. Although he aptly concluded, in 1992, that manipulating electronic text was still more difficult than manipulating paper, Andrew Dillon also proposed that there might be better ways to organize information. However, by the time the second edition of Designing Usable Electronic Text (2004) appeared, Dillon's assessment on paper preference and usability had not really changed. He claimed that research still "suggests that paper is by far the preferred medium for reading" and that transferring texts to the "electronic medium is insufficient and often detrimental to use" (p. 4). The book is not a limiting form, he suggested; one could argue for "paper being the liberator as at least the reader always has access to the full text" (p. 117). Proposing a way to shape the electronic text for greater Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Dillon suggests the TIME framework (task, information, text and ergonomie variables) in an attempt to work with readers' tendency to impress structure on information (p. 126). For the purpose of our study, we look to a skill which is learned early and is easily transferable - text manipulation (p. 139). Manipulating paper and pages is a crucial and familiar aspect of interaction with a text; any attempt to create an electronic book for the frequent reader must, in some form, reproduce this (p. 179). Because electronic texts, especially e-books and e-book readers, have yet to provide the visual and tactile affordances provided by paper texts (e.g., the two dimensions of the electronic book give no indication of text size, content quality, age or usage (p. 125), an electronic book which provides those elements would serve as a mid-point between the useful familiarity of the paper text and the potential of the electronic. The Bi Sheng would provide what Dillon (2003) calls for: an e-book reader with a "richer sense of user experience, one that allows for aesthetics as much as efficiency" (p. 68). AVERSION HISTORY In the year 2000, D.T. Max looked back at the already cooled e-book industry, recollecting in "1994, when I first reported on the proposed electronic-book industry, I drank a lot of cappuccino with pony-tailed men who quoted Marshall McLuhan. …

Representations of time in computer interface design

Abstract: The linguistic representation of time or tense is based upon a spatial metaphor: time is a path or trajectory. This metaphor has analogies in computer interface design in graphics such as feedback indicators, buttons and application windows that represent their current availability, icons that contain arrows to represent screen movements, and icons used to help users temporally orient themselves within an interface. It is generally agreed that the success of graphical user interfaces is based upon their ability to provide appropriate conceptual models for enabling human-computer action. One important model for such interaction is for time, which incorporates notions of change and movement. To describe how time is represented in computer interfaces, the paper makes comparisons to the structure of tense in both spoken language and in the sign language of the deaf, and also looks at the impact of the structure of writing on representations of time. It is argued that visual representations of time help computer users by providing information about the length of time for a process to complete; the functions that are available now versus those used in the past or ones available in the future; how to move through a set of data; how an object on screen can move; and for some applications, the time order in which data has been received or used, or the order in which operations were or are to be performed. (ProQuest: ... denotes formulae omitted.) Introduction A fundamental representation in language is for time or tense, which appears in every spoken sentence to identify when an event happened, how it generally happens, how it might happen and so on. Many studies across many languages have noted that the deep structure of tense is based upon a spatial metaphor: time is a path or trajectory (Clark, 1973; Traugott, 1975; Lakoff and Johnson, 1980, 1999; Nunez and Sweetser, 2006). This structure of tense has direct analogies in graphics that represent time directly, such as clocks and calendars, and in graphics that represent time as a secondary construct, such as family trees or process diagrams. Tense is also present in the interfaces of computer applications and web pages in the designs of graphics that provide feedback regarding computing processes (e.g., progress bars ...), in buttons and application windows that visually indicate their state of availability (e.g., in Microsoft Word 2000, there are visual markers that differentiate between icons that are active now, for example ..., and icons that were or could be active at other times, for example ...), in icons such as arrows that directly represent computer : movements or actions (e.g., ... represents the action of indenting text in Microsoft Word 2000) and in icons and text that help users to orient themselves temporally in the interface (e.g., ... in Windows Explorer represents possible movements through web pages). There are also a variety of icons and feedback indicators that represent time using images of clocks, sundials and other time-measurement tools (e.g., the history icon in Windows Explorer ... and the coffee cup, the hourglass and the rotating radial lines that appear on Macintosh screens). Tense is also present in some arrangements of information on the screen such as the history of user actions in Adobe Photoshop. The aim of this paper is to provide descriptions of visual representations of time in computer graphical user interfaces (GUIs). The paper considers these representations from a linguistic framework following dark's (1996) pragmatic approach. Clark defines languages as signals, a which are deliberate actions made by one person to mean something for another person. To this analysis, the paper also brings a cognitive perspective since according to Nuyts (2004, P-135), "an adequate account of language in general, or of any linguistic phenomenon in particular, has to focus on both the communicative functional and cognitive dimensions simultaneously in an integrative way. …

Italicization and Understanding Texts through Metaphoric Projections of Movement

Abstract: Bellantoni and Woolman (2000) note that "Italic and oblique typefaces possess a kinetic quality because of their slant to the right." But what is the nature of this kinetic quality and why is it imparted in this way? This paper explores kinetics, not as a property of italics, but as a manifestation of cognitive work involving metaphoric projection, for which the typeface is but a cue. It will use concepts from cognitive semantics (Lakoff and Johnson, 1999; Fauconnier and Turner, 2002) to posit the idea that the dynamic quality of italics arises from preconceptual structures (such as image schemas) related to embodied experiences of writing and running. These structures forming the basis for higher level metaphors to be constructed in cognition. Consequently, a layout incorporating italics is metaphorical to the extent that the concept of running is used (consciously or unconsciously) to understand an arrangement of type characters. Furthermore it is argued that the meaning we construct from italic type is not a simple correspondence between slanted letters and the body in motion, but is situated; resulting from a blend of concepts triggered by such things as the meanings of the words italicized and the site/s where they appear. Introduction Italic and oblique typefaces possess a kinetic quality because of their slant to the right. Bellantoni and Woolman, 2000, p.35 The kinetic quality of oblique forms in general and italicized and oblique letterforms in particular has been commented on by practitioners and theorists (Arnheim, 1954 /1975; Bellantoni and Woolman, 2000) and this quality is often discussed as something belonging to the form itself; something intrinsic, for example, to letters on the page. This paper uses theories and concepts from cognitive linguistics (Coulson, 2001; Fauconnier and Turner, 2002; Johnson, 1987; Lakoff, 2006; Lakoff and Johnson, 1999; Talmy, 2000), to explore an alternative account of italicization and kinetics. An account in which the dynamic quality of these letterforms is constructed in cognition, and where an association with motion arises not because of some universally evident property of italics, but because of our shared bodily faculties and experiences which we utilize both consciously and unconsciously to make and to read typographic designs. It will be argued that the use of the body in these designs is metaphorical to the extent that a source domain (the body) is utilized to understand a different torget domain (the letter). Furthermore that this embodied understanding of letterforms contributes to the dynamics we associate with italics. This interest in metaphorical associations between letter and body stems from a concern to make both the designer's and the user's conceptualizations explicit in order to improve communication. In many cases the mental processes investigated are preconceptual, but their functioning is fundamental rather than trivial, and the nature of the links between body and letter are not fixed and predetermined, but are situated in the cognitive work involved in acts of communication. This paper describes some aspects of an ongoing practice-based master's project concerning the metaphorical associations between italicization and the body. Such associations, though often unconscious, may be reflected in the way that we communicate (Lakoff and Johnson, 1980/2003); for example we might talk of 'running text' or type 'ieaning to the right.' These are both cases of understanding letters in terms of what we can do with our bodies. There are many such ways of talking about typography that make reference to the body. It is argued here that these ways of talking about type are what Lakoff and Johnson refer to as metaphorical expressions: that is, statements that are structured by an underlying conceptual metaphor (in this case LETTER IS BODY). Logan has identified similar conceptual metaphors in 'metaphor based discourses' (2006, p. …

ALPHABET "Ante Portas": How English Text Invades Japanese Public Space.

Abstract: This paper examines the prominence of written English on shop signs in Japan. Based on data from a larger empirical study into multilingual signs in Tokyo, the most common ways of using English and the roman alphabet on Japanese shops signs are identified. It is argued that the ambivalent nature of English loan words plays a key role in the ever growing visibility of English in Japanese public spaces. Focusing on one special type of sign - price lists outside hairdressers' - I will show how the use of English loan words entails the general use of English and the Roman alphabet, which in the long run results in signs completely functioning in English. INTRODUCTION About twenty years ago, Saint-Jacques (1987) in this journal published a paper that was titled "Bilingualism in Daily Life: The Roman Alphabet in the Japanese Writing System." Motivated in part by a discussion on the use of the roman alphabet published two years earlier in a special issue of the Japanese journal Gekkan Gengo (1985), Saint-Jacques observed a relatively sudden increase in the use of roman letters in Japan, the beginning of which he dates back to the early 1980s. One of the main points he makes is that 'the alphabet is in,' especially in the domain of commercial language usage (Saint-Jacques, 1987, 90, 97). The aim of this paper is to follow up on Saint-Jacques' observations and see how things have developed since. On the basis of empirical data, I will discuss how the roman alphabet and the language that it most commonly represents, English, are integrated into Japanese text and context. In this respect, it is necessary to know that written Japanese is a combination of four scripts: 1) kanji, the Japanese adaptations of Chinese characters; 2) hiragana and 3) katakana, the two indigenously developed syllabary scripts also referred to as kana; and 4) the twenty-six letters of the English variety of the roman alphabet, called romaji in Japanese. The roman alphabet has traditionally been used for transliterating Japanese terms, usually place and person names or other proper nouns, and in internationally known abbreviations, acronyms, measurement units, etc. However, already Saint-Jacques observed a growing use of 'the alphabet'1 for the representation of loan words from Western languages. This second type of usage is of major interest in this paper, which focuses on language use on public signs. The study of language on signs is now commonly referred to as linguistic landscape research (Landry & Bourhis, 1997; Gorter, 2006), but the topic already attracted scientific interest in Japan long before the term gained wider currency. An early survey was conducted by Masai (1972, 153-158), who in 1962 examined shop signs in the Shinjuku area of central Tokyo. His methodology was revived by Lim (1996) some three decades later. Comparing the findings of her survey to Masai's data, Lim observed a strong increase in the use of the alphabet. Similar studies into language on shop signs in Japan have been conducted by Miyazima (1995, 14-19), Oura (1997, 27-28), lnoue (2000, 16-20), Someya (2002, 2007), MacGregor (2003) and Sato (2003). The general tenor of these publications is that English and the alphabet are characteristic features of shop signs in Japan. They further emphasize that the use of English in the majority of cases serves a Japanese rather than a foreign target group. The survey on which the observations in the present paper are based was conducted in Tokyo in spring 2003 (Backhaus, 2007). A total of 2444 multilingual signs were collected in twenty-eight survey areas in the center of the city. Employing this data, I will identify four common ways of using English and the alphabet on Japanese signs. I will argue that the ambivalent nature of English loan words plays a key role in the ever growing visibility of English in Japanese public spaces. Discussing in detail four signs found outside hairdressers, I will show how the use of English loan words entails the general use of English and the alphabet, and how in the long run, this results in signs completely functioning in English. …

A schema for depiction.

Abstract: The article for a special issue on Visual Metaphors in User Support proposes a five-part schema for analysing the design process in constructing pictorial representations, highlighting the multiple ways in which the objectives of a design influence the final form: pictorial pragmatism, driven by the objectives, is argued to be the dominant force. It rejects models of depiction as ‘thoughtless imitation' compared with diagramming, and argues that the way in which representations fall short of matching what they represent is a vital part of their expressivity. Its originality is in seeking to identify the nature of those mismatches, in a form useful to both designers and theorists. Using visual evidence and a range of literatures including information science, research methods were to: 1. Analyse the transformations from perceived scenes to pictures, breaking them down into conceptually distinct phases. 2. Progressively refine the resulting schema, aiming for sufficient simplicity to be useful without misrepresenting the subtleties of the depictive process. 3. Establish a proper place for the affective aspects of depiction, in addition to the informational. 4. Integrate in the schema the metaphorical aspects of depiction called for by the theme of the special issue. The aims of the article are: to question simplistic models of depiction; to provide a simple but robust framework for thinking about depiction and related forms of designing; and to act as a guide in the advanced education of designers, in particular making them aware of the extent of the choices open to them. Related work: 1) refereed workshop paper ‘Representing space: the pictorial imperative' 2004 Workshop on Space and Spatiality at Napier University, Edinburgh, 13-14 December, 2004, ISBN 0-902703-82-X, 65-70. 2) paper for AHRC ICT Methods workshop From Abstract Data Mapping to 3D Photorealism, Birmingham 19 June 2007. http://www.viznet.ac.uk/cross_domain/boydDavis.pdf Portfolio available.

Visual metaphors in user instructions

Abstract: Introducing this special issue, Visual Metaphors, the role of metaphor and our various understanding's of metaphor are discussed. Articles are introduced revealing their particular foundational position with regard to metaphor. The array of information applications covered by authors in this issue is broad, from italic type to nutrition diagrams, from computer interface to designers' abstraction processes. Examples with analyses regarding abstraction and reference are all part of the investigation. The increasing complexity of the world around us is reflected in the increasing complexity of our communication with this world. Finding our ways in complex surroundings, installing and using more and more complex technological products, software and services, traveling and interacting more and more internationally, meanwhile getting less and less direct personal help-it has all created massive quantities of instructions, from tooltips to guided tours to interactive tutorials to safety instruction cards to wayfinding signage systems. Complexity and communication only seem to increase more rapidly than ever, and there is no reason to believe that it will get less in the near future. Increasing complexity of the world around us not only implies increasing quantities of information; it also implies increasing complexity of the communication. Technical phrases, color-coded drawings, multimedia presentation, higher levels of abstraction, more symbolism, more metaphoric communication-all possibilities are applied to get the difficult messages across. Micro-electronics forced instructional graphic design to make giant leaps. Because of nternationalization, distant marketing, increase of functionalities per device, together with miniaturization of the devices and displays, verbal language can often not be applied or may not be the most efficient way to communicate. As a consequence, we see the application of visuals, instructive pictures, schemas, signs, icons, visual symbols and other visual tools, all part of a visual instructive language which is supposed to be understood internationally. Such visuals may be thought of as just direct representations of reality. But of course they are not. Every visual-however realistic-is an interpretation or abstraction of the reality it depicts. A photo may be only a selection of reality-and further be completely realistic. But technical drawings, pictograms, icons, schemas and other visualizations are always interpretations and abstractions from reality. In our view, metaphors are a specific type of abstraction and when we started conceptualizing this special issue of Visible Language, we thought of metaphors as abstractions in the ancient, traditional, literary way: a metaphor describes one thing in terms of another. That enables us to grasp abstract concepts, for instance the complex technological problems which we are confronted with when using modern electronic devices. Such metaphors are omnipresent in user interfaces of electronic devices, software, way signage systems, etc. We all know the famous examples: the wastebasket on the computer screen that indicates that we throw away a document or a program or whatever from the computer hard disk by dragging the icon into the wastebasket. Some may remember the only interesting alternative: the black hole on the NeXT computer. By far the most used-but rarely mentioned visual metaphor-is the arrow to indicate direction (see figures 1, 2 and 4). Another nice metaphor in the strict sense is the bird's feather on a gas pedal in a car to indicate: 'drive carefully' (see figure 3); the idea can be seen in various other car manuals. Metaphors in the wider, but still literary sense, figures of speech, are for example the pars pro toto (a kind of metonymy) (figure 5), a euphemism (figure 6). On the edge of being a metaphor in its widest meaning may be for instance the anacoluthon (figure 7)-if the anacoluthon can be a figure of speech at all. …

The homogenized imagery of non-profit organizations on the Internet

Abstract: This research evaluates websites from 200 'non-deviant' and 200 'deviant' non-profit organizations to better understand the relationship between the type of advocacy group and the visual imagery used for self-representation. Seventeen of 21 variables measured for this study found no difference between non-deviant and deviant non-profit organizations' visual representations on the Internet. These findings potentially complicate the notion of a diverse communicative sphere. As non-profits face the responsibility of representing themselves to potentially millions of viewers online, it is suggested that self-imposed 'normalizing' restrictions on visual constructions of organizational identity may be inevitable. The societal implications of homogenized imagery from non-profit organizations online are discussed. Non-profit groups have long charged that media misrepresent their purpose or polarize their issues.1 Their frustration has stemmed from the deeply held belief that those who control power within society also create the predominant mass ideology of citizen organizations.2 However, the arrival of the Internet has allowed for organizations to present their own ideology to a truly mass audience- without any mediation -for the first time in history. Certainly, organizations have long had access to print outlets in the past, but the cost of advertising could be particularly prohibitive to cash-strapped non-profit organizations and the audience reach of the Internet provided exponential promise. The Internet has permitted groups to define their own terms "within which reality is experienced, perceived, and interpreted."3 In creating their own visual ideology, non-profit organizations now control the implicit boundaries where particular information is included and excluded for potentially millions of people. Yet, it is possible that with the capability to reach the masses, non-profit organizations may have to pay greater attention to the powerful moderate 'mainstream'- the majority of those exposed to their message. While the inception of the Internet has been heralded as an advancement for diversity, democracy and a heterogeneity of voices, the actuality-in terms of self -representation- could actually be far more homogenous representations. This possibility has deeper implications for groups that deviate further from societal norms. Therefore, this research explores the generally overlooked intersection between non-profit organizations and visual constructions of organizational identity on the Internet. The Internet has been heralded as a democratizing and heterogeneous communication tool, particularly for non-profit citizen organizations. Yet, a thorough examination of visual content on the Web that substantiates this position has not followed. With remarkably little data exploring this facet of cyber -communication, this research asks whether nonprofit organizations that deviate more from accepted norms in society use equally deviant visual representations to get their message out. This area of overlooked research must be examined if scholars are to better understand the widely assumed heterogeneous forces of the Internet. ACTIVISM ON THE NET Non-profits are defined as "two or more individuals who organize in order to influence another public or publics through action that may include education, compromise, persuasion tactics or force"4 Their success depends in large part on their ability to access and to use political allies, media coverage, money and public awareness.5 For the most part, non-profit groups are, or begin as, marginal or powerless groups.6 Certainly, there are exceptions, such as the lobbying powerhouses of the National Rifle Association or the Sierra Club. However, the overwhelming majority of non-profit organizations remain largely powerless in society7 given that they fall outside of mainstream media's norms of inclusion8 and they are faced with tight budgetary constraints that hamper their ability for promotion otherwise. …

The Use of Metaphors in Dietary Visual Displays around the World

Abstract: Many countries have developed visual displays summarizing key scientific information on diet and health for the general public. The article analyzes the use of metaphors in dietary visual displays in seven countries. The objective is to examine how spatial organization and its graphical representation reflect conceptual organization. It investigates the correspondences between metaphors, schemas and visual depictions in the diagrams vis-a-vis the nutrition concepts they stand for: Do the displays foster understanding of dietary information? Do they support perceptual inferences? Do they facilitate decision-making in food consumption? Several countries around the world are committed to devising dietary strategies that promote and protect health through healthy eating and physical activity. Many of these countries have delineated national dietary goals and nutrition systems in the form of food-based dietary guidelines. Guidelines are educational tools designed to provide practical guidance with the purpose of promoting wellness and preventing chronic diseases among the general public. They synthesize current scientific research as well as national food consumption patterns and policies (e.g., Truswell, 1987; FAO, 1996; Painter, 2002; WHO, 2003). In many cases, they also reflect the influences of the local food industry (Nestle, 2002). National food guidance systems vary according to geography, cultural and ethnical traditions and year of publication.Most systems share a common set of wellness principles that promotes variety in food intake, emphasizing the consumption of fruits, vegetables and grains and limiting the consumption of fats. A recent trend is acknowledgment of different nutritional requirements for different age and gender. For example, the most recent American (USDA, 2005) and Canadian (Health Canada, 2007) food guidance systems offer online tools with personalization of food recommendations. Dietary guidance systems are disseminated in various ways, including brochures, labels with nutrition information on packaging and most recently online resources. Most countries provide a visual display presenting the key concepts. These graphics may be considered snap-shots of the dietary guidelines. The World Health Organization (WHO) emphasizes the need for visual graphics by recommending that the guidelines should "be accompanied by posters or food selection guides. These visual guides should assist users to select a diet... reflect a concern for promoting food choices ... be culturally inclusive and incorporate foods that are generally available.... In addition a guide should be based on sound educational principles and be accessible to a wide range of educational levels" (2003, p. 6). This article examines eight dietary visual displays of seven countries: Australia (figure 7), Canada (figure 5), China (figure 6), Portugal, (figure 2) Sweden (figure 4), the United Kingdom (figure 3) and the United States (figures 7 and 8). Dietary visual displays The graphics examined in this article represent information that is not inherently visible: a healthy diet. The concept of a healthy diet involves many aspects, among them nutrition advice. Because nutrients are a hard concept to grasp, all countries provide information about food, which is a concrete entity. All graphics categorize food according to nutritional properties. Information is presented in the form of food groups (e.g., Milk and Dairy Products). Each group is represented by a selection of food choices (e.g., milk, yogurt, cheese). Quantitative information is measured in terms of recommended daily servings for each group (e.g., gram, ounce, cup). The number of food groups and the suggested servings vary depending on the country and the year of publication (e.g., Truswell, 1987; FAO, 1996; Painter, 2002; WHO, 2003). In the selected food diagrams the country with the largest number of food groups is Portugal, with eight groups. …

Relating the Visual and the Headline in Chinese Print Advertisements

Abstract: The most important components in modern print advertisements are the visual and the headline. The interplay between these two components is poorly understood, and is typically judged by experience, feelings or common sense. Based on classical rhetoric, Gui Bonsiepe's visual/verbal figures and other literature sources including Chinese ones, this paper examines the relationship between the visual and the headline in 1,562 Chinese print advertisements collected from Longyin Review-the only Chinese creative advertising reference periodical. The study develops a typology for analyzing these relationships from two aspects: Physical and Conceptual. The physical aspect looks at the visual ordering of the visual and the headline, and the conceptual aspect concerns the ways in which these two components jointly form and present creative ideas. The typology provides a new tool for Chinese advertising practitioners to review their own or other people's work and it supplements what Bonsiepe has done. The findings compare the data in different ways and draw preliminary conclusions on the linkages between the various physical and conceptual relationships. INTRODUCTION Visual and headline in print advertisements interact in different ways and are likely to result in different presentations of the creative message. Most practitioners emphasize the manipulation of these interactions but seldom produce concise definitions. 'Work together' and 'complementary' (Cotzias, 1999) are the most widely used definitions, but these can only give a very broad and general idea. Jim Aitchison, the former creative director of Singapore's Batey Ads suggests that there are two modes in the relationships of visual and headline-"a bent headline with a straight picture" and "a straight headline with a bent picture" (Aitchison, 1999). 'Bent' means containing a twist or a shock and 'straight' means straightforward. But his conclusions are not totally clear. Some scholars give us a better answer. They have broken fresh ground in analyzing modern print advertisements during the past two decades by using the discipline of classical rhetoric. However, most of their studies aim to explore the use of rhetoric either in the headline or in the visual; employing rhetorical figures to evaluate consumer comprehension and liking (e.g. Beltramini & Blasko, 1986; Hitchon, 1991; Howard & Barry, 1988; Mcquarrie & Mick, 1992 & 1993; Philips, 2000; Scott, 1994; Tom & Eves, 1999; Unnava & Burnkrant, 1991). Only a few of them have touched lightly on the relationships between visual and headline (Houston, Childers & Heckler, 1987; Ward & Gaidis, 1990). In fact, the problem had been explored as early as in 1965 by Gui Bonsiepe. He was among the first to suggest "the need for a modern system of rhetoric, updated by semiotic theory, as a tool for describing and analyzing the phenomena of advertising" (Bonsiepe, 1999b, 167). He first presented his paper on visual and verbal rhetoric to Arbeitsgruppe fur Grafik Wirtschaft (The Working Group for Graphic Design and Industry) in Stuttgart in March 1965. Bonsiepe selected useful figures from the daunting system of classical rhetoric and brought them up to date with semiotics which originally studies every language sign in two aspects: syntactic and semantic. This helped Bonsiepe to draft his first list of visual/verbal figures (see table 1), based on the analysis of a series of advertisements with the focus on defining "the possible interactions" (Bonsiepe, 1999b, 168) between the visuals and the headlines. He claimed, "the [visual and headline] signs no longer simply add up, but rather operate in cumulative reciprocal relations" and "in this first approach, the visual/verbal figures were simply noted. The work of classifying and systematizing them still remains to be done" (Bonsiepe, 1999b, 171). However, his call didn't arouse much interest in mainstream advertising countries like present day America, until the 1990s, when Bonsiepe's work was eventually rediscovered and expanded beyond advertising to cover graphic communication (de Cosio et al, 1998). …