Meaning is a community of understanding. The transfer of meaning is the basic purpose of language, and the association between language and meaning is indissoluble. Mario Pei
Visuals are only half of the Story
Visuals are only half of the Story
(Please note: Some images are graphic)
We have discussed the plethora of information that is available which has defined the age we are in as the information age, also called the digital or computer age. Both information storage and information transmission capabilities continually improve as devices get faster, smaller, more efficient, and perhaps “smarter”. Now, we have intelligent assistants in our phone.
Enter Siri
Siri can find contacts; recognize relationships, set events, modify calendars, set alarms, find the weather, tell you the date, set a timer, send an email, reply to texts, locate businesses, give directions, play messages, write notes, complete web searches, answer questions, and provide reminders. Siri completes these tasks with verbal commands and delivers both a spoken reply and visual reply.
How it Works
Sound Conveys Meaning
“The need for effective information design spans every medium” (Baer, p. 122). Meaning transfer is critical within information design and depends upon communication. Communication devices have changed over time and “each increase in the complexity of our communications vehicles-the moves from pictorial languages to abstract alphabets or from cave painting to digital image manipulation-has been motivated by a desire to improve the range and richness of meaning we can share” (Macy, Anderson, and Krygier, p. 296). Technology has provided recordable greeting cards, talking envelopes, and postcards with spoken marketing messages.
In my blog
I used sound and visuals through the video called “Designing Sound”. The video, on its own, can convey the effect sound has on visuals and the importance to information design in order to convey effective meanings.
Works Cited
Baer, Kim. Information Design Workbook. Beverly, MA: Rockport Publishers, 2008. Print.
Macy, Sheryl, Anderson, Elizabeth, & Krygier, John. ”Interactivity and meaning.” Information Design. Ed. Robert Jacobson. London: MIT, 2000. 293-299. Print.
Hi there,
ReplyDeleteI think you did a great job explaining how sound contributes to the user's experience of information design. The designing sound video was very interesting, and gave me a new appreciation for the process of "turning everyday sounds into art." I never thought about how much effort and talent goes into creating audio that ties into the unified experience. The lead composer mentioned that the starting point is knowing "how are people supposed to be feeling, and what kind of experience do we want to create." It's certainly true that audio has a significant role in how the user will experience the final product, and coordinating sound with the other design tools is a key consideration.
I liked how you added images to the sidebar of your blog to compliment the post, I think it helps clarify the key points of the post. You make a good point about how "the meaning of words can change depending on how they are spoken." Tone definitely impacts how your brain translates the message. When I considered this point, the first thing I thought about is how I could always tell if I was in trouble depending on how my parent's said my name. The more you interact with someone, the better you are able to decipher different emotional states based on their voice. The same can be said for facial expressions, as you also mentioned above.
Great job on the post, you provided great examples that demonstrate how audio impacts our interactions, entertainment, and overall day to day experiences.
Helen
Hi Helen;
ReplyDeleteThank you for your review and comments. I found this to be an interesting concept as well.
Lisa
Hi Lisa.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you chose sound as the subject of your information design tools post. It seem that even though everyone can agree that information can be passed on using more than just visual design the majority of our content is based on graphic interfaces or signage and the like.
You're post is both insightful and interesting. I also liked your sidebar photos further supporting the written post itself.
Hi Tom
ReplyDeleteThank you for the feedback. I appreciate the comments. Thanks for mentioning the sidebar photos. I have used them all the way through and like the additional context they can add.
Lisa