Dear Aaron & Aaron,


As it happens, I am teaching a course at The Danish Design School, entitled "Design as Communication". It is largely about how the designer may communicate with the user of the design product, through that product itself. But I think it also touches upon how users interpret design products in relation to their own identity.

You wrote:

(1) "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."

and

(2) "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?"

Judging from this, it woud seem that there might be at least a partial match between what you are after and what I am teaching in that course. Therefore some of the items of literature that my students read might be of interest to you. Please take a look at the selection below. Some of it may be relevant, some of it not. But at least it's a starting point.


REFERENCES:

Ashwin, C. (1989). Drawing, design and semiotics. In V. Margolin (Ed.), Design Discourse. History. Theory. Criticism (pp. 199-209). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Boztepe, S. (2007). Toward a framework of product development for global markets: a user-value-based approach. Design Studies, 28, 513-533.

Buchanan, R. (1989). Declaration by design: rhetoric, argument, and demonstration in design practice. In V. Margolin (Ed.), Design Discourse. History. Theory. Criticism (pp. 91-109). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Chang, W.-C., & Wu, T.-Y. (2007). Exploring types and characteristics of product forms. International Journal of Design, 1(1), 3-13.

Crilly, N., Moultrie, J., & Clarkson, P. J. (2004). Seing things: consumer response to the visual domain in product design. Design Studies, 25, 547-577.

Desmet, P., & Hekkert, P. (2007). Framework of product experience. International Journal of Design, 1(1), 57-66.

Eco, U. (1997). Function and sign: the semiotics of architecture. In N. Leach (Ed.), Rethinking Architecture. A Reader in Cultural Theory (pp. 182-202). London: Routledge.

Gibson, J. J. (1986 / 1979). The Ecological Approach to Visual Perception. Hillsdale NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. [A classic!]

Jordan, P. W. (2000). Designing Pleasurable Products. An Introduction to the New Human Factors. London: Taylor & Francis.

Krippendorff, K. (2006). The Semantic Turn. A New Foundation for Design. Boca Raton: Taylor & Francis.

Lenau, T., & Boelskifte, P. (2004). Semantik og materialevalg. Bidrag til konference: Digitale Designprodukter - Visioner og Virkelighed.   Retrieved 2007-10-03, from http://polynet.dk/lenau/

Lloyd, P., & Snelders, D. (2003). What was Philippe Starck thinking of? Design Studies, 24, 237-253.

Monö, R. (1997). Design for Product Understanding. The Aesthetics of Design from a Semiotic Approach. Stockholm: Liber.

Norman, D. A. (2002). The Design of Everyday Things (2. ed.): Basic Books. [Very well-known book, popular in form, but with some deep insights.]

Norman, D. A. (2004). Emotional Design: Basic Books.



Best wishes,
Per.

--

Per Galle, Ph.D., FDRS
Centre for Philosphy and Design
Centre for Design Research
The Danish Design School
Strandboulevarden 47
DK-2100 Copenhagen OE
Denmark.

Telephone: +45 3527 7500.
Direct line: +45 3527 7633.

---- Original message: ---

Date:    Thu, 14 Aug 2008 13:59:26 -0400
From:    Aaron Houssian <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Symbolic Design Cues

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 t=
o
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 rea=
d
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 =96 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) th=
e
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