A Unified Theory Of Information Design

Communicative visuals, including written text, have a diverse range of forms and purposes. In this volume, the authors show that it is possible to both describe and explain the major properties of diverse visual-communication forms and purposes within a common theoretical framework of information design and ethics. For those unaccustomed to thinking of written text as a visual form belonging to the same general class as other visual forms (colour, texture, shape, imagery, etc.), consider how a text's readability suffers if we remove all white space and punctuation, which can be identified as visual signals of the same subtype as grid lines and bullet points, dividing and calling attention to adjacent information. The authors identify deep connections between foundational visual design elements and the grammar of language itself. No physicist or chemist today questions the value of a single theory that describes and explains a wide variety of phenomena, but oddly enough, the authors have frequently been asked why they are interested in advancing a unified theory of visual communication. The simplest answer is: to treat visual communication as a science, and seeking unified theories is just what science does. In more practical terms, a unified approach to visual communication allows us to teach visual design students relatively few things that will enable them to do relatively many things.

At the dawn of the information age, a proper understanding of information and how it relates to matter and energy is of utmost importance for the survival of civilisation. Yet, attempts to reconcile information concepts underlying science and technology with those en vogue in social science, humanities, and arts are rather rare. This book offers a new approach, departing from fragmented information concepts.Many academics refrain from undergoing unifications, as most undertakings are reductionistic. This book contends that it is the noble task of an as-yet-to-be-developed science of information to go one step in the direction of a unified theory of information without falling back into neither reduction nor anthropomorphisation.To be able to succeed in an ambitious task like this, the book advocates the application of complex systems theory and its philosophical underpinnings. Information needs to be interpreted in terms of self-organisation to do justice to the richness of its manifestations. The way the book does so will provide the reader with a deep insight into a basic feature of our world.The following are discussed in the volume: A Science of Information; A New Way of Thinking; Praxio-Onto-Epistemology; Evolutionary Systems Design; Evolutionary Systems Ontology; Evolutionary Systems Methodology; Capurro's Information Concept Trilemma; A Multi-Stage Model of Evolutionary Types of Information: Pattern Formation, Code-Making, and Constituting Sense; A Triple-C Model of Systemic Functions of Information: Cognising, Communicating, and Co-Operating; Nine Categories of Information Capabilities: Reflectivity (physical), Psyche (biotic), Consciousness (human); Connectivity (physical), Signalability (biotic), Languageability (human); Cohesiveness (physical), Coherency (biotic), Communitarity (human); Nine Categories of Information: Response (physical), Flexible Response (biotic), Reflexion (human); Correspondences (physical), Signals (biotic), Symbolic Acts (human); Assemblage (physical), Assignment (biotic), Association (human); A Unified Theory of Information for, about, and by means of the Information Society.

First published in 1999. Volume 13 in the 13-volume set titled World Futures General Evolution Studies with a common focus of the emerging field of general evolutionary theory. This volume will expand across disciplines where scholars from new fields will contribute books that propose general evolution theory in novel contexts. The essays are structured with five topics: Approaches to Unification; Concepts of Information; Self-Organizing Systems; Life and Consciousness; Society and Technology.

The goal of communication-oriented design of messages should always be clarity of communication. In information design the task of the sender is actually not completed until the receivers have received and understood the intended messages. Information Design – An introduction includes chapters explaining verbo-visual communication, information and message design principles, design processes, and design tools. These chapters can be seen as a general framework for production of information and learning materials. Based on theories for verbo-visual communication this book presents several practial guidelines for the use of text, symbols, visuals, typography, and layout in information and learning materials. Rune Pettersson is Professor of Information Design at the Department of Innovation, Design and Product Development (IDP) at Mälardalen University in Eskilstuna, Sweden.

The four-volume set LNCS 13311 - 13314 constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Cross-Cultural Design, CCD 2022, which was held as part of HCI International 2022 and took place virtually during June 26 - July 1, 2022. The papers included in the HCII-CCD volume set were organized in topical sections as follows: Part I: Cross-Cultural Interaction Design; Collaborative and Participatory Cross-Cultural Design; Cross-Cultural Differences and HCI; Aspects of Intercultural Design Part II: Cross-Cultural Learning, Training, and Education; Cross-Cultural Design in Arts and Music; Creative Industries and Cultural Heritage under a Cross-Cultural Perspective; Cross-Cultural Virtual Reality and Games Part III: Intercultural Business Communication; Intercultural Business Communication; HCI and the Global Social Change Imposed by COVID-19; Intercultural Design for Well-being and Inclusiveness Part IV: Cross-Cultural Product and Service Design; Cross-Cultural Mobility and Automotive UX Design; Design and Culture in Social Development and Digital Transformation of Cities and Urban Areas; Cross-Cultural Design in Intelligent Environments.

Ad hoc and interdisciplinary, the field of interaction design claims no unified theory. Yet guidelines are needed. In essays by 26 major thinkers and designers, this book presents the rich mosaic of ideas which nourish the lively art of interaction design. The editors introduction is a critical survey of interaction design with a debt and contribut

Produced by the ever-widening gap between what we understand and what we think we should understand, information anxiety is the black hole between data and knowledge, and it happens when information doesn't tell us what we want or need to know. Illustrated.

A theoretical model of design, that is universal and has a scientific basis, was developed. By doing so, it is believed that the practice of engineering design can be significantly improved. A better system of modeling designs is the missing ingredient that needs to be developed in order to improve the practice of design in the manner suggested above. Existing methodologies were reviewed to examine the current state of engineering design. This helped in developing a set of requirements for a new methodology. The potential for a scientific methodology to improve the practice of engineering design is also discussed. Developing a scientific theory of design, and showing that it meets these requirements was done to satisfy the objective. The theory takes the form of a conceptual model of design, which relates important aspects of the problem and the solution to facilitate a truly top-down hierarchical approach. A few examples are given to show how the methodology can be applied to real world design problems. As a result, a theoretical framework for design was created as a part of this research project. The new methodology, termed UTED (Unified Theory of Engineering Design), addresses many important aspects of design which are overlooked by other methodologies. A set of rules was developed, to guide the designer through the design, and allow a more scientific process to be used. Making design more scientific increases the likelihood of achieving a successful design. The primary conclusions are that the development of a scientific theory of design can be created that makes design processes faster and more efficient, and improves the quality of designs produced, meaning there is a strong potential for such a methodology to have a positive impact on the field of engineering design.

Reinforced concrete structures are subjected to a complex variety of stresses and strains. The four basic actions are bending, axial load, shear, and torsion. Presently, there is no single comprehensive theory for reinforced concrete structural behavior that addresses all of these basic actions and their interactions. Furthermore, there is little consistency among countries around the world in their building codes, especially in the specifications for shear and torsion. Unified Theory of Reinforced Concrete addresses this serious problem by integrating available information with new research data, developing one unified theory of reinforced concrete behavior that embraces and accounts for all four basic actions and their combinations. The theory is presented in a systematic manner, elucidating its five component models from a pedagogical and historical perspective while emphasizing the fundamental principles of equilibrium, compatibility, and the constitutive laws of materials. The significance of relationships between models and their intrinsic consistencies are emphasized. This theory can serve as the foundation on which to build a universal design code that can be adopted internationally. In addition to frames, the book explains the fundamental concept of the design of wall-type and shell-type structures. Unified Theory of Reinforced Concrete will be an important reference for all engineers involved in the design of concrete structures. The book can also serve well as a text for a graduate course in structural engineering.