Visual Rhetoric in Outdoor Advertising

The paper presents a research, the aim of which is to find out how graphic expressions and visual language can be used for persuasion. The research material consists of outdoor advertisements photographed in their actual exhibition places in a city environment. Outdoor advertising media, which are used to communicate visual messages from a sender to several addressees, participate in building the visual city culture and open manifold solutions in design. The visual language used in the research material is analyzed in order to find out how advertising messages, their denotations and connotations, are constructed and how arguments used for persuasion are visualized. The first analysis is based on the knowledge and methods used in graphic design practice, which has been defined to be the process of making, choosing and arranging marks in order to convey a message. The analysis shows that different modes, techniques and visual elements are applied to attract the attention of spectators and arouse interest towards the message of an artefact. The second analysis is based on communication studies and semiotics, especially on Roman Jakobson’s theory about the functions of communication. The method of combining two analyses reveals different ways of using visual language and syntaxes to announce the excellence of an advertised product, service or subject. It also shows various types of visual arguments used in advertisements. Three types of visual rhetoric emerge from the research material. They are called brand rhetoric, personalized rhetoric and poetic rhetoric. The taxonomy of visual rhetoric exemplifies how visual language can be constructed and used for persuasion. It shows that the decisions in design influence the messages and meanings created. The research calls for further studies as regards the reception of visual rhetoric and suggests that the taxonomy of visual rhetoric could be applied in visual communication design and in the analysis of advertising messages. Keywords: Outdoor Advertisement/Advertising; Visual Rhetoric; Visual Language; Graphic Design; Visual Communication Design; Advertising Message</p

Pictures are necessary but not sufficient: Using a range of visual methods to engage users about school design

It has been argued by both educationalists and social researchers that visual methods are particularly appropriate for the investigation of people's experiences of the school environment. The current and expected building work taking place in British schools provides an opportunity for exploration of methods, as well as a need to establish ways to achieve this involvement of a range of school users, including students. This article describes a consultation that was undertaken in a UK secondary school as part of a participatory design process centred on the rebuilding of the school. A range of visual methods, based on photographs and maps, was used to investigate the views of a diverse sample of school users, including students, teachers, technical and support staff and the wider community. Reported here is the experience of using these tools, considering the success of different visually-based methods in engaging a broad cross section of the school community and revealing useful information. Using a range of visual methods allows a complex, but coherent, understanding of the particular school environment to be constructed and developed. It is further argued that such a range of visual and spatial methods is needed to develop appropriate understanding. The study, therefore, contributes to knowledge about specific visual research methods, appreciation of the relationship between tools, and a general methodological understanding of visual methods' utility for developing understanding of the learning environment

The role of visual management in collaborative integrated planning and control for engineer-to-order building systems

Visual Management is a key approach in the implementation of Lean Production. It emphasizes the importance of developing easy-to-understand visual devices for sharing knowledge within an organization. Such visual devices can play an important role in mitigating the complexity of engineer-to-order production systems. A major difficulty in managing engineer-to-order prefabricated building systems is the need to integrate planning and control of different processes, such as design, fabrication and assembly on site, in a multiple project environment. This paper reports preliminary findings on the implementation of visual devices for collaborative and integrated planning and control in a Steel Fabricator, which designs, fabricates and assembles steel structures. The aim of this paper is to understand how visual management tools can contribute to improve the effectiveness of planning and control in this environment. A set of visual devices have been used in the planning and control system in this company, including a panel that makes available information about 200 simultaneous contracts in an easy-to-understand way. The implementation of those tools has enhanced the participation of different people in the planning process from operational levels or from the different production units

Design considerations for a space database

Part of the information used in a real-time simulator is stored in the visual database. This information is processed by an image generator and displayed as a real-time visual image. The database must be constructed in a specific format, and it should efficiently utilize the capacities of the image generator that is was created for. A visual simulation is crucially dependent upon the success with which the database provides visual cues and recognizable scenes. For this reason, more and more attention is being paid to the art and science of creating effective real-time visual databases. Investigated here are the database design considerations required for a space-oriented real-time simulator. Space applications often require unique designs that correspond closely to the particular image-generator hardware and visual-database-management software. Specific examples from the databases constructed for NASA and its Evans and Sutherland CT6 image generator illustrate the various design strategies used in a space-simulation environment. These database design considerations are essential for all who would create a space database

Visual management in design management within a digital environment

Difficulties in managing the construction design process are strongly related to its nature, as a large number of interdependent decisions are involved, which need to be made by many different stakeholders, in an environment that has a high degree of uncertainty. Moreover, there is a growing use of digital tools to support design. Traditional communication approaches used in design management only partially comply with the requirements of digital contexts, and new methods and tools are necessary to address these challenges. Visual Management (VM) has the potential to increase process transparency in the design stage, in order to support collaboration and communication and facilitate the transfer of information. However, the literature on the implementation of VM to support design management is still scarce. Moreover, there is limited understanding of the connection between VM and information and communication technologies (ICT). This investigation aims to propose a set of requirements to support VM applications for design planning and control within digital contexts, which can potentially contribute to improving the effectiveness of VM. This set of requirements were initially identified within the literature, considering different fields of knowledge, and then refined in an empirical study that was developed in collaboration with an infrastructure design and consultancy company in the UK. The secondary objectives are (i) to devise a concept map connecting different VM constructs related to design management systems and (ii) to propose guidelines for the integration of Visual Management in design management within digital environment. The Design Science Research approach was the methodological approach adopted in this investigation, which involved incremental learning cycles for devising the artefact, carried out in three different projects. The main findings include (i) the definition of a set of VM requirements that are applicable to the context investigated in this research study; (ii) an assessment of the relevance of the requirements for different types of visual practices, hierarchical planning levels, and stakeholders that are involved; (iii) the identification of some current limitations and challenges of implementing digital VM in construction design. From a practical perspective, this set of requirements may guide practitioners and academics in devising and assessing digital VM practices.As dificuldades no gerenciamento de projeto são consequência da natureza do processo de projeto, o qual envolve um grande número de decisões interdependentes, que precisam ser tomadas por diversos stakeholders, em um ambiente com um alto grau de incerteza. Além disso, há um crescente uso de ferramentas digitais para apoiar o gerenciamento de projeto. As abordagens de comunicação tradicionais usadas no gerenciamento de projeto atendem apenas parcialmente aos requisitos dos contextos digitais, e novos métodos e ferramentas são necessários para enfrentar esses desafios. A gestão visual (GV) tem o potencial de aumentar a transparência do processo de projeto, permitir melhor colaboração e comunicação e facilitar a transferência de informações. No entanto, a literatura sobre a implementação de GV para apoiar a gestão de projetos ainda é escassa, e também há uma compreensão limitada da conexão entre GV e tecnologias de informação e comunicação (TIC). O principal objetivo deste trabalho de pesquisa é propor um conjunto de requisitos para apoiar aplicações de GV para planejamento e controle de projetos em contextos digitais, que podem contribuir potencialmente na maior eficácia de GV. Esse conjunto de requisitos foi inicialmente identificado na literatura, considerando diferentes áreas do conhecimento, e posteriormente refinado em um estudo empírico desenvolvido em colaboração com uma empresa de projeto e consultoria de infraestrutura no Reino Unido. Os objetivos secundários são: (i) elaborar um mapa conceitual relacionando diferentes conceitos de GV para sistemas de gestão de projetos, e (ii) propor diretrizes para a adoção de GV em gestão de projeto considerando contextos digitais. Design Science Research foi a abordagem metodológica adotada nesta investigação, através de ciclos de aprendizagem incrementais para a concepção do artefato, os quais foram realizados em três projetos diferentes. As principais contribuições incluem (i) definição de um conjunto de requisitos de GV aplicáveis ao contexto investigado nesta pesquisa; (ii) avaliação da relevância dos requisitos para diferentes tipos de práticas visuais, níveis hierárquicos de planejamento e stakeholders envolvidos; e (iii) identificação de algumas limitações e desafios na implementação da GV digital em projeto de construção. De uma perspectiva prática, esse conjunto de requisitos pode orientar profissionais e acadêmicos na elaboração e avaliação de práticas de GV digital

Designing a visible city for visually impaired users

This paper reports on an ongoing doctoral research project which aims to identify the main barriers to access within the built environment for persons with a visual impairment. The research seeks to investigate whether these barriers are common for all types of visual impairment and degree of vision loss and if so, what inclusive design solutions can accommodate the needs of the majority of visually impaired users. An access audit has been conducted within Glasgow city centre which sought to quantify the number and type of hazards present within a typical built environment. This was followed up by a questionnaire which asked participants to rate factors which may prevent them from making independent visits to their nearest city centre including psychological factors, physical features and obstructions resulting from the presence of street furniture. Participants also indicated the colours and contrasts which they find easiest to detect within the built environment. These findings will be used to inform the creation of a new set of design guidelines to assist designers, architects and urban planners as to how they can provide more accessible and inclusive environments for the visually impaired population

Audio Cartography: Visual Encoding of Acoustic Parameters

Our sonic environment is the matter of subject in multiple domains which developed individual means of its description. As a result, it lacks an established visual language through which knowledge can be connected and insights shared. We provide a visual communication framework for the systematic and coherent documentation of sound in large-scale environments. This consists of visual encodings and mappings of acoustic parameters into distinct graphic variables that present plausible solutions for the visualization of sound. These candidate encodings are assembled into an application-independent, multifunctional, and extensible design guide. We apply the guidelines and show example maps that acts as a basis for the exploration of audio cartography

Designing a notation for the senses

Understanding the role of the non-visual senses is difficult, as there is at present no recording medium for the olfactory, gustatory, tactile or even aural environment which is useful to the practice of urban design. In any case, recording has a different aim from drawing and notation

GRAPHIC CONTENT DESIGN OF THE DIGITAL INTERACTIVE BOOK

Abstract. The present study introduced a design for graphic content of a digital interactive book, which is based on a system of design approaches and techniques for achieving a holistic visual language regarding the digital exposition environment of the cultural objects.Keywords: Design, Digital Environment, Interactive Book, Visual Language, Design Approache