record

Thesis Info

LABS ID
00094
Thesis Title
Hypermedia Design on the Internet: A semiotic analysis of the on line communication patterns
Author
Marcelo Luis Barbosa dos Santos
2nd Author
3rd Author
Degree
Masters
Year
2005
Number of Pages
227
University
Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo - PUC/SP
Thesis Supervisor
Giselle Beiguelman
Supervisor e-mail
Other Supervisor(s)
Language(s) of Thesis
Portuguese
Department / Discipline
Communication & Semiotics
Languages Familiar to Author
portuguese, spanish, english (excellent), french (little)
URL where full thesis can be found
www.superface.com.br/Padroes.Design.Hipermidia.pdf
Keywords
Internet; Interface; Information Architecture; Hypermedia; Interaction; Interactivity
Abstract: 200-500 words
The purpose of this work is to establish a classificatory typology for hypermedia in the Internet environment, built on a sample analysis of its various forms of expression, confronting market, academic and artistic views under a scientific approach based on semiotics and information science. This proposal seeks not only to portray the hypermedia creation and development environment, but also to build a critical typology that bears relation to current paradigms without being shackled to technicalities, in an attempt to stand the test of time. Mostly premised on Peirce's phenomenology, this work is set on pointing out fundamental characteristics of a hypermedia project from the perspective of the communicational processes involved, seeking to produce an outcome able to withstand the next technological leap. Three hypermedia design dimensions were thus identified, grounded on the man-task-machine system, i.e. user, interface and information, as well as three cognitive levels in which semiotic processes among such dimensions take place, supported primarily by Peirce's phenomenological categories – perceptional level as firstness, relational level as secondness, and interpretational level as thirdness. In conclusion, we present a series of propositions on hypermedia tendencies brought up by this research, which we expect will open new paths within the academic and scientific forum.