In my current research i'm interested to understand how designers approach our sustainability challenges. In a recent paper, I suggest that text, drawings and meaning are tightly interconnected - and can shed light on the design approach used.
Do have different thoughts on how design outcomes - drawings and text in particular - can tell us about how designers approach problems?
Using different expressions(e.g. text and drawings) is due to the complexity of the design process
It is useful to break them down further such as:
- Written language (instruction manual, specifications),
- Charts (performance characteristics),
- Drawings (plans, technical drawings, etc.),
- Tabulated data(spreadsheets),
- Mixed form (patents which contains both written language and diagrams).
Each one of these representations can advantageously represent a particular aspect or feature of the design
When referring to drawings in technology, we are focusing not on the artistic
but on conveying a technical idea. One of these types of drawings is explanative illustrations [1]. These types of illustration as defined by them have the goal of helping the reader understand text.So, yes, text and drawings are very much interrelated.
A second (related but different) alternative explanation is that some of the drawings such as those in patents help convey tacit information. In this interpretation the drawing has a supplementary context. For example, a drawing "further illustrates" the characteristics of a curve. In the example, it saves the user from having to imagine a curve which might not be the desired one or having the writer to specify that the curve can be achieved by "a cubic spline with parameters ..." (which is difficult to visualize without the aid of drawing software).
[1] Richard E Mayer and Joan K Gallini. When is an illustration worth ten
thousand words? Journal of educational psychology, 82(4):715, 1990
Thank you so much Arturo for this great answer and the reference. These will be very helpful for me to think about and develop on!
Sherif Goubran ,
Should you wish to further discuss the topic, it is one that I am currently indirectly touching in my research. I think we can both benefit from the exchange of ideas (you can post it here or send me a message as you prefer).
Regards
The meaning of text is crystallized by context and co-text. The latter, that is the pictures accompanying the text play a pivotal role in clarifying the meaning intended in design projects.
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