Re: [IxDA Discuss] Pragmatic language theory and usability theory... same same or what?
What's going on? I may be dumb, but the best usability test subjects are. Is the interaction design of this forum an experiment? I posted a reply to William. It's gone. I received a reply in my mail-box I cannot see in the thread??? Sorry, it just blows my mind to see something like that in a forum like this! As I hope you have already guessed, I'm trying to provoke a reaction. No doubt that these two disciplines are each relevant in their own right. But they have much more in common than usability people (I use the term very broadly) tend to acknoledge. And the discipline of usability being so young, it would bebenefit greatly by looking more closely at some of the language/communication theory classics. No reason to invent the wheel all over again. Paul, Just like usability (again very broadly defined) language theory have been assisted and developed by all kinds of disciplines dealing with the human being (mind and body). You will of course need to fit it to your branch of communication, but I can recommend Grice's co-operative principle and four maxims to introduce some very basic, but important understandings of pragmatics, and Sperber and Wilson Relevance (the later got me an A in the usability exam at Copenhagen IT University - my only formal usability credentials). - Grice, Paul H 1967: Logic and Conversation. i Cole Morgan 1975 - Sperber, Dan Wilson, Deidre 2. udgave 1995: Relevance - Communication and Cognition. Blackwell Publishers, Oxford . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=44465 Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] Pragmatic language theory and usability theory...same same or what?
Soren - It is a useful distinction - there is a lot more to usability and user experience than just language. Also, those of us focussing on user-centred design tend to be more concerned with what influences user behaviour rather than theoretical semantics. Regards, William Hudson Syntagm Ltd Design for Usability UK 01235-522859 World +44-1235-522859 US Toll Free 1-866-SYNTAGM mailto:william.hud...@syntagm.co.uk http://www.syntagm.co.uk skype:williamhudsonskype Syntagm is a limited company registered in England and Wales (1985). Registered number: 1895345. Registered office: 10 Oxford Road, Abingdon OX14 2DS. Confused about dates in interaction design? See our new study (free): http://www.syntagm.co.uk/design/datesstudy.htm 12 UK mobile phone e-commerce sites compared! Buy the report: http://www.syntagm.co.uk/design/uxbench.shtml Courses in card sorting and Ajax interaction design. London, Las Vegas and Berlin: http://www.syntagm.co.uk/design/csadvances.shtml http://www.syntagm.co.uk/design/ajaxdesign.shtml -Original Message- From: new-boun...@ixda.org [mailto:new-boun...@ixda.org] On Behalf Of Soren Weimann Sent: 10 August 2009 3:39 AM To: disc...@ixda.org Subject: [IxDA Discuss] Pragmatic language theory and usability theory...same same or what? ... Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] Pragmatic language theory and usability theory... same same or what?
I agree with you about the importance of language in user experience design. An understanding of semiotics and related aspects of information theory support the creation of interactive access points that most closely mirror the intentions of the largest or more most valuable segments of users of a given web site. Some aspects of user experience design that are better supported by sciences such as ethnography, market research, web analytics, etc., include such things as task modeling, competitive differentiation, and perceived utility. If the words are optimal, but we have users step through processes that don't mirror the mental image they have of those processes, or are not intuitive in terms of a mental leap to a new process, then in studies we've conducted they clearly get confused and abandon the experience. Also, we can create a system with optimum words and images, but if users don't perceive that they will benefit more from using this system than other available options (like calling HR or stopping at the mall after work), then they will not even start the experience. For this reason, user experience designers need to rely on many branches of social science, including semiotics, to achieve optimal, measurable results. Paul Bryan Principal Consultant, Usography Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=44465 Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] Pragmatic language theory and usability theory...same same or what?
Hi Soren -- I have an MA in English Literature. I see a lot of parallels myself. For example, the Communication Triangle described by Kinneavy in a Theory of Discourse is concept that (to me) really applies to usability. I really think the issue is that most usability folks are NOT really tuned into the communications field. And, I think an argument could be made that the communications field has started to take some steps. For example, the Society for Technical Communication has a SIG on Usability. I see a lot of parallels: - Personas - Storytelling - Patterns - Metaphors Am I talking about thinking about communication theory, studying a novel, working on a web design, or doing a usability project? The answer is, of course: It depends. (This is really sayingCONTEXT). For me, I have always thought it would be interesting to use some ways to analyze a work of fiction, but apply it to the design and usability field: - Post-colonialism (think social media here) - Bibliographic codes (building components over time--ex: shopping cart) - Historical context (ex: social media, iPhone, Google) - Post-modernism (ex: gaming theory, emotional design, making meaning) - Themes and motifs (ex: design patterns) - Freudian (ex: Gestalt principles, anyone) I do think there are a lot of connections to be explored. I do not think people are making the connection because there are few people out there with the background in both areas. Finally, I would also say that usability and web design can also be considered part of the creative process. Buffalo State University has a wonderful program teaching Creative Problem Solving (CPS) method. I see a lot of parallels in the early design process with this method, too. Stake a claim. Make a name for yourself. Make that connection. Thanks, Brian -Original Message- From: new-boun...@ixda.org [mailto:new-boun...@ixda.org] On Behalf Of Soren Weimann Sent: Sunday, August 09, 2009 9:39 PM To: disc...@ixda.org Subject: [IxDA Discuss] Pragmatic language theory and usability theory...same same or what? Being a product of the school of pragmatic language theory it have always puzzled me that (some) usability folk are very eager to distinguish their field from language and semiotic theory. Honstly I don't see a big difference. By removing themselves from language theory, they are cuting themselves of from several hundreds of years of research on which they could be building their branch of communicative theory. - it's all about communicating - it's all about receivers - it's all about context What am I missing? Reply to this thread at ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=44465 Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] Pragmatic language theory and usability theory... same same or what?
Could anybody explain the relationship between Human Computer Interaction and Interacton Design? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=44465 Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] Pragmatic language theory and usability theory...same same or what?
Its a bet confussing bcoz the explanation seems to be more close to the definition of Interaction Design, so how about you put it into defferent percepctive? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=44465 Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
