Carla Faria Leitão

The semiotic inspection method

This paper describes semiotic inspection, a semiotic engineering evaluation method. It briefly identifies the essence of theory-based evaluation methods in HCI. Then it provides a detailed description and illustration of this method, which is based on a semiotic theory of HCI. It discusses its theoretical stance in semiotic engineering compared to the communicability evaluation method, as well as the perceived advantages and disadvantages of semiotic inspection. Finally, it points at the next steps in the semiotic inspection research agenda.

Can inspection methods generate valid new knowledge in HCI? The case of semiotic inspection

HCI evaluation methods tend to be proposed and used to verify the interactive qualities of specific systems and design strategies. A discussion about the scientific merits of such methods to advance knowledge in HCI as a field is very rare, although much needed. This paper shows that, under certain conditions, inspection methods can be safely used in scientific research in HCI and extend their advantages beyond the territory of professional practice. Taking the Semiotic Inspection Method (SIM) as an example, we argue that its interpretive results are objective, can be validated, and produce scientific knowledge comparable to that generated by more widely accepted methods.

A Psicologia no novo contexto mundial

Psychology in the new world context. Profound changes in the contemporary world have created a new context for scientific work, characterised by the deconstruction of old theories and the construction of a new network of knowledge. In this article, we analyse a few theories recently developed in the social sciences and in philosophy that make up this network: post-modernist theories, reflexive modernisation theories and Information Technology Revolution theory. In this way, we aim to provide psychologists with insights produced in other fields of knowledge that can serve as a starting point for the analysis of the subjective changes introduced by the new global scenario. We argue that psychology still observes contemporary man on the basis of traditional categories, ignoring the fact that profound social changes generate similarly profound psychological impacts that are unlikely to be detected through the use of old interpretation frameworks. We conclude that a better understanding of the radical changes our world is undergoing should help psychologists revise old certainties and look at new human phenomena in new ways.

Conceptual Metaphors for Designing Multi-cultural Applications

This paper proposes a set of conceptual metaphors for the design of multi-cultural systems. The work is part of a long-term study to adapt the International Childrens Digital Library for use in a Brazilian context. Results from previous studies along with Semiotic Engineering concepts have led us to propose five multi-cultural design metaphors to guide different communicative strategies that affect both designer-to-user communication and user-system communication.

Combining cognitive, semiotic and discourse analysis to explore the power of notations in visual programming

Using game design and programming to foster computational thinking acquisition has proved to be a successful strategy in recent years. In previous research with AgentSheets, we concluded that the semiotic richness of this visual programming environment, specifically designed to support computational thinking acquisition, could be explored more extensively to the benefit of learners. In particular, we realized that there are some additional representations of AgentSheets games and simulations that are not presented as programming tools in the interface, and yet they communicate new relevant meanings to the users. This paper reports on research where we artificially introduced such representations in a small follow-up experiment with selected participants from our previous research experiment. Our goal was to investigate the impact of such additional representations on program comprehension and modification tasks. To this end we contrasted empirical evidence of their performance in the two tasks with their verbal account of experience with AgentSheets. We used a combination of discourse analysis and inspections using Semiotic Engineering methods and the Cognitive Dimensions of Notations framework. Our findings go in two directions. First, we observed that additional representations have allowed participants to expand and correct previous learning. Therefore such representations can support new teaching strategies in computational thinking acquisition programs with AgentSheets. Second, we learned that the combination of methods we used to analyze empirical data - discourse analysis with semiotic and cognitive inspection techniques - can be used systematically in other research contexts, holding the promise of insightful results.

Communicability in multicultural contexts: A study with the International Children’s Digital Library

This paper presents some contributions of semiotic engineering to the identification of cultural issues involved in the design and evaluation of multicultural systems (i.e. systems designed for users from different cultures). We carried out a communicability evaluation of the International Children’s Digital Library. Participants of test sessions had different nationalities and spoke different native languages. We paid special attention to communicability problems stemming from language understanding and language use issues. Our goal was not to make generalizations from our findings, but rather to uncover and understand some of the users’ experience with multicultural systems. In addition to this understanding, we have gained relevant insights to inform the cultural adaptation of ICDL to the Brazilian context, and believe that they can be useful in other cultural contexts as well.

Impactos da internet sobre pacientes: a visão de psicoterapeutas

Este trabalho apresenta os resultados de uma pesquisa qualitativa na qual foram entrevistados psicanalistas e gestalt-terapeutas, visando conhecer os impactos da difusao da Internet sobre os processos de subjetivacao de seus pacientes. Para os entrevistados, o atendimento de usuarios da Rede revela a emergencia de novos processos de subjetivacao. Estes, no entanto, por serem em grande parte desconhecidos, ainda nao podem ser integrados em um modelo que defina a subjetividade contemporânea. Segundo os entrevistados, e possivel, contudo, identificar algumas caracteristicas subjetivas comuns aos pacientes usuarios da Internet. Sao elas: o prazer derivado do uso da Rede como um novo espaco de vida, o sentimento de onipotencia originado na experiencia online, as relacoes estabelecidas com seus corpos e os excessos vividos no espaco virtual. Finalmente, o exame destas caracteristicas e dos resultados de outras pesquisas gera uma interessante convergencia que fornece pontos de partida para uma reflexao teorica sobre a subjetividade contemporânea.

Cultural appropriation of computational thinking acquisition research: seeding fields of diversity

In this paper, we report the developments of a Computational Thinking Acquisition project carried out in pilot Brazilian schools. The project is a branch of a successful, more than a decade old project in the USA. We present and discuss the factors that led to specific cultural appropriation and diversification of the North American experience. In particular, we explain the kind of technology that has been developed in South America compared to the one developed and used in the USA, and propose that the lessons we have learned in the projects short history in Brazil can already seed the reflection of IT and Education researchers.

Using metaphors to explore cultural perspectives in cross-cultural design

We have proposed five cultural viewpoint metaphors to help designers that wish to encourage and support cross-cultural HCI contacts. In this paper we present the main results of an experiment carried out to assess the potential of these metaphors in designing cross-cultural systems. Six HCI designers, with different cultural backgrounds, were then asked to create re-design alternatives for a real website guided by the metaphors. As a result, the experiment showed the epistemic effect of the metaphors on cross-cultural design, i. e. as a means to build new knowledge and understanding.

Semiotic Engineering and Culture

This chapter presents the gist of Semiotic Engineering theory and the necessary concepts in it to understand our cultural approach. We also examine some well-established semiotic and anthropological definitions of culture according to interpretive and non-predictive perspectives. By adopting an interpretive definition of culture, Semiotic Engineering research on this topic focuses on systems whose designers want to communicate cultural diversity to users. We use this theory’s ontology to map out and frame the portion of cultural interaction design space in which we are interested and to define relevant elements in the organization of culture-sensitive interactive discourse produced by systems’ designers.