Article: Using a semiotic classification to characterise objects involved in collaborative design Journal: Journal of Design Research (JDR) 2012 Vol.10 No.3 pp.155 - 169 Abstract: This paper addresses the problem of expression and sharing of domain-specific constraints and knowledge in engineering design. Pierce's theory of signs allows understanding why purely graphical 3D CAD systems partially fail to support design teams during design review meetings and more generally during collaborative design episodes. This theory can help us to go further in analysing annotation systems as symbolic systems of signs and we draw a parallel with the 2D standard drawing system, as they have the same semiotic nature. We show that semantic annotations can be considered to improve the semiotic richness in 3D CAD representations. A case study illustrates the need for cooperation support to multidisciplinary design teams. In this paper, we support the idea that future design tools should integrate both symbolic and iconic types of representations so that the designers could freely build shared representations taking advantage of the whole symbolic-iconic spectrum. We propose future developments reconciling the graphical precision of 3D digital models with the semantic richness of symbolic systems of signs. Inderscience Publishers - linking academia, business and industry through research

Title: Using a semiotic classification to characterise objects involved in collaborative design

Authors: Jean-François Boujut; Onur Hisarciklilar

Addresses: G-SCOP, Grenoble INP, UJF, CNRS – 46, av. Félix Viallet – 38031 Grenoble, France. ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, McGill University, 817 Sherbrooke St. W., Montreal, QC, Canada

Abstract: This paper addresses the problem of expression and sharing of domain-specific constraints and knowledge in engineering design. Pierce's theory of signs allows understanding why purely graphical 3D CAD systems partially fail to support design teams during design review meetings and more generally during collaborative design episodes. This theory can help us to go further in analysing annotation systems as symbolic systems of signs and we draw a parallel with the 2D standard drawing system, as they have the same semiotic nature. We show that semantic annotations can be considered to improve the semiotic richness in 3D CAD representations. A case study illustrates the need for cooperation support to multidisciplinary design teams. In this paper, we support the idea that future design tools should integrate both symbolic and iconic types of representations so that the designers could freely build shared representations taking advantage of the whole symbolic-iconic spectrum. We propose future developments reconciling the graphical precision of 3D digital models with the semantic richness of symbolic systems of signs.

Keywords: semantic annotation; design communication; asynchronous collaboration; semiotics; engineering design; semiotic classification; collaborative design; 3D CAD; computer-aided design; multidisciplinary design teams; shared representations; iconic representation; symbolic representation; theory of signs; modelling.

DOI: 10.1504/JDR.2012.047921

Journal of Design Research, 2012 Vol.10 No.3, pp.155 - 169

Received: 06 Dec 2010
Accepted: 20 Sep 2011
Published online: 30 Aug 2014 *

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Title: Using a semiotic classification to characterise objects involved in collaborative design

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