Hi all-
I have a good friend in MIS here at IU who had a question I could not
answer, but as someone who reads the list but does not take the time to
participate I knew you would be of help. His email is below if you want to
respond directly to him, but it may be productive to post to the list as
well. A few short lines with a reference is all he needs, but if you have
more that would most likely be welcome.
Thanks-
Aaron
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Aaron Mosiah Curtis <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Thu, Aug 14, 2008 at 1:31 PM
Subject: Re: Symbolic Design Cues
To: Aaron Houssian <[log in to unmask]>
I'm looking for a reference that perhaps you can help me with. I'm trying to
understand how symbolic cues embedded within designed artifacts can
communicate things pertaining to the identity of the individual or group
that is using them. My thinking goes back to some philosophical work I read
by, I think it was Husserel, who talked about a tool being defined by its
function(s) rather than its properties. I read another paper describing
how firefighters were instructed to throw down their gear and run from a
fire that had blown out of control. The author argued that without their
tools, the individuals were no longer firefighters, but became simply
victims running away from a fire. I came across a paper on surgeons
responding to a clinical information system and feeling its clerical
functions did not align with the activities embedded within their identity
as a surgeon:
Sometimes I recall that the reason why I chose the profession and job was
> because I wanted to be a craftsman – you know, to take care of hip
> replacements. Everybody in my profession is characterised by being a
> carpenter, a bricklayer, a butcher, a seamstress at the same time. Being
> placed in front of a computer is not natural to me.
I'm looking for references that might discuss how a designed object can
communicate its function to a user, and how those functions influence 1) the
identity of the person using it, and 2) the collective identity of multiple
persons using it simultaneously.
Do you have any pointers as to where I might start such a search?
--
Aaron Houssian
**I only check email 2x/day at 12 & 4pm EDT M-F**
http://designingforexperience.com
+1.812-650-4050
MS Human-Computer Interaction/Design '08 Indiana University School of
Informatics
Fax +1.631.885.8958
Skype: ahoussian or GTalk:aaronh
What am I doing? http://www.twitter.com/houssian
--
Intentional design is what is needed in every area of life, business, and
technology
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