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 didn’t 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

13. Discussion?