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SYMBOLIC & NON-SYMBOLIC COMMUNICATION, LAYERS OF MEANING
Symbolic Communication
We take symbols
for granted, but we have to understand what they are, and how to use them
successfully.
Objective
Learn to evaluate a piece's use of symbolic communication.
|
The piece's symbols are familiar to the audience |
(0-4)
|
Explain . Are the piece's symbols ones that the audience is likely to be familiar with? Suggest improvements. |
|
The piece's symbols are recognizable |
(0-4) |
Explain. Have the symbols been rendered in good enough quality so that the audience can recognize them? Suggest improvements. |
|
The piece's symbols are appropriate for the audience |
(0-4)
|
Explain. Will the audience get an appropriate message from the piece's symbols? Are these meanings what the client/publisher intends? |
Non-symbolic Communication
In addition to using symbols, designers need to know how to use non-symbolic means of communication.
Objective
Learn to evaluate a piece's use of non-symbolic communication.
|
The piece's typography contributes to its overall message |
(0-4)
|
Explain. How would you characterize the typographic style in this piece? What meaning does this style have? Is it consistent with the overall message of the piece? What would you do to make the piece better in this regard? |
|
The piece's color scheme contributes to its overall message |
(0-4) |
Explain. How would you characterize the piece's color scheme? What meaning does it have? Is it consistent with the overall message of the piece? What would you do to make the piece better in this regard? |
|
The piece's layout style contributes to its overall message |
(0-4)
|
Explain. How would you characterize the piece's layout style? What meaning does it have? Is it consistent with the overall message of the piece? What would you do to make the piece better in this regard? |
|
The piece's musical style contributes to its overall message |
(0-4)
|
Explain. How would you characterize the piece's musical style? What meaning does it have? Is it consistent with the overall message of the piece? What would you do to make the piece better in this regard? |
Layers of meaning
Multimedia supports many "layers of meaning".These can be symbolic, non-symbolic or a combination of each. Each can carry a unique part of a piece's overall message
Objective
Learn to evaluate how well a piece makes use of a variety of layers
of meaning.
|
The piece makes good use of a variety of layers of meaning |
(0-4)
|
Explain. Is it clear that the designers were aware of the various layers and used them strategically to construct a consistent message out of the separate layers? What are the layers of meaning that the piece uses effectively (or not)? What messages or meanings are contained in these layers? Was this use successful? What would you do to make the piece better in this regard? |
Symbolic and Non-symbolic Communication
What are SYMBOLS?
Symbols represent things. To re-present means to bring before us something that isn't there -- the memory of that something. In Pavlov's experiments, a dog trained to expect dinner after a bell rings drools at the mere sound -- the bell re-presents dinner! For the dog, the bell is a symbol of dinner.
Once a symbol has been learned, the memories that we associate with the symbol take on special importance -- it is the meaning of the symbol. Once we've learned a symbol, we can use it to receive or transmit the symbol's meaning, assuming (and this is a BIG assumption) that the people on the other end associate similar memories for the symbol.
This is a big assumption. Each of us acquires a unique inner universe, a kind of Userland, which encompasses both the symbols we've learned, and their associated meanings and memories. It includes everything we know about the world, our memories, emotional life, and the way we think, learn, play, and react. It includes the symbols we know, their meanings, and the way we communicate with them.
For symbolic communication to work, the symbols used and their associated meanings have to reside in the Userland of both sender and receiver of the communication.
What makes for successful use of symbols?
Two categories of problems confront anyone wishing to use symbols. First, is the question of whether the audience can recognize -- first in the sense of legibility, then in terms of familiarity -- the symbols.
Suppose you are a Navaho and you show a Norwegian a drawing of a coyote. In your culture, this drawing has certain meanings as a symbol. To the Norwegian, it could be just some dog.
Second, assuming your audience recognizes a symbol, is the question of whether they will connect it with the correct memories or meanings (correct in terms of what the author intended.) The meanings of the author must match the audience's meanings.
What makes for successful NON-SYMBOLIC COMMUNICATION?
Listen to a piece of instrumental music (no words) or look at an abstract painting (no symbols.) Ask yourself what is being communicated. How is it being communicated?
What kind of things can be communicated non-symbolically? What kind of things can't? Why or why not?.
What stylistic descriptions, textures, colors, layout, can you make of the piece? To what extent are these styles non-symbolic? Describe what this style communicates. What are the elements of this style; what goes into making this style say what it does? Is the style of the piece appropriate for the piece's purpose, audience and content?
What are layers of meaning?
Typography, color, texture, pacing, graphic style, text messages, choice of icons, styles of icons, style of music, rhythm of music, type of sound effects... Each of these is an example of a layer of meaning that you can use to carry a portion of a piece's overall message.
