Gaza Everywhere: exploring the applicability of a rhetorical lens in HCI

GAZA EVERYWHERE:EXPLORING THE APPLICABILITYOF A RHETORICAL LENS IN HCI

Omar Sosa-Tzec - Erik Stolterman - Martin A. SiegelIndiana University

Aarhus UniversityAugust 20, 2015

Aarhus, Denmark

What is this paper about?This paper explores the idea of so!tware working as a visual enthymeme (rhetorical argument) and outlines a basic agenda about the applicability of a rhetorical lens in HCI

Rhetoric HCIThe applicability of

a rhetorical lens in HCI

?

Rhetoric HCI

Enthymeme

?

Speaker delivering arguments in order to win an audience

Truncated syllogism(leaving a premise unstated)

Rhetoric HCI

Enthymeme

Visual Argumentation

?

Rhetoric HCI

Visual Argumentation

Enthymeme

?

Rhetoric HCI

Visual Argumentation

Enthymeme

?

Why rhetoric?

2000 20042002 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014

Seduced by the creation, use and power of the visualOne of the author's personal connection with visual rhetoric

2015

Web design - Usability - Gestalt - Corporate identity

Digital image processing

First encounter with rhetoric, semiotics, design research, and information design

Rhetorical model of interaction designEncounter with Semiotic Engineering

Design lecturer & freelancer

Return to rhetoric

Rhetorical criticism & HCI

Rhetorical handbook for UI/UXSo!tware as visual argument

The possibility of visual arguments

“Hearts” by United Colors of Benneton (1996)

Case Study

Source/screenshots from:http://ahmadnassri.github.io/gaza-everywhere/

Gaza Everywhere

Source/screenshots from:http://ahmadnassri.github.io/gaza-everywhere/

Gaza Everywhere

Source/screenshots from: http://i100.independent.co.uk/article/gaza-everywhere-app-highlights-true-scale-of-humanitarian-crisis--lJ7Dz3Jg!g

Publication on i100 from The Independent

Source/screenshots from: http://i100.independent.co.uk/article/gaza-everywhere-app-highlights-true-scale-of-humanitarian-crisis--lJ7Dz3Jg!g

Publication on i100 from The Independent

Source/screenshots from: http://i100.independent.co.uk/article/gaza-everywhere-app-highlights-true-scale-of-humanitarian-crisis--lJ7Dz3Jg!g

Publication on i100 from The Independent

• Gaza Everywhere's intent is not oriented to provide a territorial truth

• Gaza Everywhere's intent is not oriented to provide a territorial truth

• Each user has a di!ferent awareness of the con!lict in the Gaza Strip, which a"fects the perception of the application's intent

• Gaza Everywhere's intent is not oriented to provide a territorial truth

• Each user has a di!ferent awareness of the con!lict in the Gaza Strip, which a"fects the perception of the application's intent

• Not only the interactive map, but the whole user interface (interactive map, stats, information design, and Twitter embedded timeline) functions to support the detected or interpreted claim

• Unlike other traditional forms of visual enthymeme, Gaza Everywhere allows the user to play with the composition at will

• Unlike other traditional forms of visual enthymeme, Gaza Everywhere allows the user to play with the composition at will

• Interaction and experiential knowledge help the user to fill in the unstated premise

• Unlike other traditional forms of visual enthymeme, Gaza Everywhere allows the user to play with the composition at will

• Interaction and experiential knowledge help the user to fill in the unstated premise

• The user might revisit the detected or interpreted claim, which makes the rhetorical/persuasive e"fect of Gaza Everywhere evolve with the user

So!tware asEnthymeme

user

user

designer

ij

kuser

user

User ExperienceContext of Use

appl. so!tware(visual enthymeme)

Discourse

Considering arhetorical lens

for HCI

Future Directions

• Composition of visual arguments (in HCI) (dialectical vs. rhetorical, topoi, rhetorical figures)

Future Directions

• Composition of visual arguments (in HCI)(dialectical vs. rhetorical, topoi, rhetorical figures)

• Understanding of the rhetoricity of UX design

Future Directions

• Composition of visual arguments (in HCI) (dialectical vs. rhetorical, topoi, rhetorical figures)

• Understanding of the rhetoricity of UX design

• Pertinence of rhetoric in UX design competence

ClosingRemarks

• Gaza Everywhere illustrates the possibility of application so#tware functioning as a visual enthymeme

• Gaza Everywhere illustrates the possibility of application so#tware functioning as a visual enthymeme

• A rhetorical lens could bring awareness of the social, moral and ethical implications not only about a design but also the user experience

TAK!Paper available athttp://cs.au.dk/~hko/Aarhus2015ProceedingsVolumeI.pdf(Page 69)@omitzec@estolter msiegel@indiana.edu

This work is supported in part by the National Science Foundation (NSF) Grant Award no. 1115532. Opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the entire research team or the NSF.