Using mappings, affordances, constraints and signifiers in ux

Using mappings, affordances,

constraints and signifiers in UX

Stefan Ivanov

MSc in Media Informatics

UX Design lecturer

CEO & Co-Founder

Stefan Ivanov Using mappings, affordances, constraints and signifiers in UX

Agenda

• Mappings

• Affordances

• Constraints

• Signifiers


Warning

The following slides and examples depict situations

and object from every day life. They are not limited

to digital interfaces only, on the contrary, they are

applicable to every single thing out there!


Mappings

“express the relation between a control and the

object it manipulates”


Spatial mappings

“express a spatial relation”


Spatial mappings


Biological mappings

“express a biological relation”


Cultural mappings


Mappings

Voodoo doll principle


Mappings


Mercedes Benz seats

Mappings


Affordances


“properties of objects to conduct their utilization through

physical appearance”

Affordances


Affordances


bus stops

Affordances


school desks

Affordances


Constraints

“intentional design restrictions, limiting the freedom

of usage of an object”


Physical constraints


“the user is physically restricted to perform certain

actions”

Semantic constraints


“certain actions lack semantic meaning”

Logical constraints


“certain actions would disrupt the logical entirety of

an object”

Cultural constraints


“the usage is implied by an established

cultural norm”

Constraints


Signifiers


“social indications that can be interpreted in a

meaningful way”

lamps

Signifiers


traffic jams

Signifiers


Signifiers


Agenda

• Mappings

• Affordances

• Constraints

• Signifiers


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