Formality in Sketches and Visual Representation

1
Formality in Sketches and Visual Representation

• Alan Blackwell, University of Cambridge
• Luke Church, University of Cambridge
• Beryl Plimmer, Auckland University
• Dave Gray, XPLANE

2
Kinds of Formality

• i) Formal Intention
• ii) Formal Connotation
• iii) Formal Description
• iv) Formal Interpretation

3
i) Formal Intention

• a clear formulation of objectives

4
ii) Formal Connotation

• professional or conservative appearance

5
iii) Formal Description

• representation elements are clearly
  differentiated
• from other classes of element
• from other parts of the representation (bounded
  and separate)
• from alternatives that might have been chosen but
  are not
• elements not just visual symbols, but
  relations
• arrangement in the plane
• topological relations
• grouped graphical attributes

6
iv) Formal Interpretation

• Rules things a reader should do differently in
  response to differences in the representation
• the reader may be a machine
• human readers may interpret using different rules
  
• including rules the creator didnt intend

7
Sketches and Computation

• visual representations that are created or
  captured by computers tend toward formality.
• computers follow interpretative rules
• business and scientific visual styles have formal
  connotations
• user interfaces need predictable correspondences

8
Problems

• Are some kinds of human endeavour not supported
  by computer processing of visual representations,
  because inappropriately formalised?
• Above kinds of formalisation are conflated
• so freedom of intention is restricted
• as a result of representational choices
• as a result of technical implementations
• as a result of unnecessary connotations

9
Some Productive Research Approaches

• Studies of designers
• Studies of pencil use
• (or other traditional drawing tools)
• Studies of finishedness in graphic
  communication
• Studies of ideation
• Philosophy of art
• Sociology of knowledge

10
Case Studies
11
(No Transcript)
12
(No Transcript)
13
Discussion?