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The Semiotic Inspection Method
By Omar Sosa Tzec
info 502Human-Centered Research MethodsProf. John Paolillo
PhD in InformaticsSpring 2013
Overview, Analysis and Critique
analyzed work
• de Souza, C., Leitão, C., Prates, R., da Silva, E. (2006) The Semiotic Inspection Method
• de Souza, C., Leitão, C., Prates, R., Bim, S., da Silva, E. (2010) Can inspection methods generate valid new knowledge in HCI? The case of semiotic inspection
• Peixoto, D., Prates, R., Resende, R. (2010) Semiotic Inspection Method in the Context of Educational Simulation Games
“In HCI the purpose of theory-based evaluation methods is to assess the quality of the interfaces and the interaction in the light of a given perspective on human-computer interaction.”
de Souza, C., Leitão, C., Prates, R., da Silva, E. (2006)
Semiotic Engineering
theory evaluation
Semiotic Inspection Method (SIM)
Communicability Evaluation Method (CEM)
Message
Signs
Metacommunication
Communicability
Communication breakdowns
ud Interface
ud Interface
signs
“Unlike cognitive theories, which have tended to follow a generalization path, semiotic engineering views human-computer interaction as a set of unique and contingent instances of metacommunication from designer-to-user”de Souza, C., Leitão, C., Prates, R., da Silva, E. (2006)
ud Interface
meta-communication
“Evaluators using semiotic engineering methods are the ‘producers’ (and reporters) of knowledge referring to unique cases of HCI... Semiotic engineering evaluation methods are qualitative and interpretative.” de Souza, C., Leitão, C., Prates, R., da Silva, E. (2006)
the metacommunication template
“Here is my [the designer’s] understanding of who you [users] are, what I’ve learned you want or need to do, in which preferred ways, and why. This is the system that I have therefore designed for you, and this is the way you can or should use it in order to fulfill a range of purposes that fall within this view.”
de Souza, C., Leitão, C., Prates, R., da Silva, E. (2006)
uInterfacesigns
Documentation
signs
semiotic engineering sign classes
1. Static signs
2.Dynamic signs
3.Metalinguistic signs
de Souza, C., Leitão, C., Prates, R., Bim, S., da Silva, E. (2010)
steps of the semiotic inspection method
de Souza, C., Leitão, C., Prates, R., Bim, S., da Silva, E. (2010)
case 1: analysis of feedback on simple css editor
de Souza, C., Leitão, C., Prates, R., Bim, S., da Silva, E. (2010)
Fuente: http://cloud.addictivetips.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Simple-CSS.png
case 1: validation
EndogenousSources
ExogenousSources
Google GroupsHelp Forum
SCSS GoogleGroups
triangulationsim
sim
case 1: results
• “It’s important to evoke the perceptible qualities that a configurable object may acquire. These perceptible qualities are effectively signified by ‘iconic’ signs, that is, signs that bring up the firstness of their referent.”
•“The systematic association between parameter values and prototype object qualities [...] is a sign of secondness. [...] The user become skilled in anticipating the correct effects of using conventional symbols.”
•“Once they dominate the symbolic representations that must be used to achieve their specific configuration goals, uses can be said to have learned a conventional configuration language, an unmistakable sign of thirdness.”
case 2: analysis of feedback on simse game
Peixoto, D., Prates, R., Resende, R. (2010)
Fuente: http://cloud.addictivetips.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Simple-CSS.png
case 2: validation
EndogenousSources
SimSE
triangulationsim
case 2: results
•It was found that “the consistent use of icons, indices, and symbols that refer to the same feedback (redundancy) may improve the designer metacommunication.
•This study reaffirms the “importance of the perceptible change of the iconic representation of the elements after changing of their attributes [in the game].”
•It’s important to take in count the “correct visual effect of the indices [in the game].”
•It’s also important to take in count “an explicit and consistent symbolic representation of partial results and strategies used to calculate them [in the game] could improve the feedback [from the game].”
analysis
1. SIM vs. cognitive approaches
2. Consistency/relevance of the triad icon-index-symbol
3. Human-centered research method for HCI
4. Contribution to development of design competences*
5. Expansion on design/evaluation of GUI
* Nelson & Stolterman, 2012
limitations (based on analyzed work)
1. Possible theoretical barrier
2. Expertise vs. development of researcher’s repertoire*
3. Resources
4. Validation through “triangulation” as a factor of error
5. Adaptation to other styles of interaction
* Schön, 1987
integration/expansion
MetalinguisticSigns
sim
ContentAnalysis
Communication in the context of designers and technical communicators
integration/expansion
Observation/Ethnomethodology
DynamicSigns
sim HCI, Design, and the everyday life and decision-making
integration/expansion
DynamicSigns
sim
Styles of interaction beyond the GUI
observation
StaticSigns
