The
photoset as a
qualitative research tool designed from a
semiotic perspective
DORA IVONNE ALVAREZ TAMAYO doraivonne.alvarez@upaep.mx 38th Annual Meeting of the Semiotic Society of America http://issuu.com/semiografica
October 26th 2013
CONTEXT
PROBLEM
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
METHODOLOGY APPLYING FINDINGS CONCLUSIONS REFERENCES 2
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4 In what aspect this picture relates to semiotics? What does it picture tell us about semiotics?
What does this picture tell us about semiotics?
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CONTEXT
Private sector university Graphic design undergraduate program Integrated graphic communication system oriented to diferent stakeholders Applicants
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The university is like a
basket
there are
different fruits in it suitable for every diner's taste but overall the basket make desirable
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1. COMMUNICATION
2. METHOD
3. CASE
There are institutional efforts that lead towards institutional reputation but this does not addresses a particular program, without good planning We need atofortuitous include resources positioning might occur. and techniques that allow the strategist access to the consumer mind (stakeholders) in order to ensure the effectiveness of the discourse. OBSERVATION: Low enrollment in the graphic design program (SYMPTOM), we discover a problem in terms of positioning 9
OBJECTIVE
To generate diagnostic assessment instruments, based on Marketing Semiotics, so that its application allows us to understand the semantic field of a segment of the audience, this on undergraduate academic program, applicants.
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PORPOSE
Applying a methodological model in a private university in Puebla in order to communicate brand attributes that offer academic programs and contribute towards the reputation of the institution.
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Brand positioning and institutional reputation
Projective techniques • PHOTOSET
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Marketing semiotics Integrated Graphic Communication Systems 13
INTEGRATED GRAPHIC COMMUNICATION SYSTEM Type Program, product of a joint planning process and visual
discourses that are issued through the communication subsystems of an organization, in the whole trying to keep with the objectives of marketing and comunication, so that the integrity of the discourse can be guaranteed with a positioning of the brand in the minds of the audience.
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POSITIONING In an environment governed by the symbolic value of organizations, products, people and images, Ries and Trout (2002) introduced the term positioning which refers to the optimal location where the company wants to place their product in the consumer's mind. BATTLE FOR THE MIND OF THE CONSUMER
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REPUTATION It is a concept that constitutes along with human resources the most valuable resource of an organization; with time this is manifested as recognition and character value with institutional appeal, one that the user determines with their behaviour and translates to actions, therefore it should be protected and developed through an strategic plan (Meyer, 2009).
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MARKETING SEMIOTICS "Vocation intended to address the conceptual and methodological tools useful to better understanding market behaviour in order to make a difference; an advantage over the competition� Floch (1993, p. 14).
Semiotics
Marketing
Graphic design
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PROJECTIVE TECHNIQUES Acording to Zaltman, (2004) it exists information within the behaviour of our audiences that are incapable of telling us through direct questioning instruments, the use of projective techniques will allow us the access to analogical thinking of our subject, in order to penetrate in the causes of their simbolic configuration.
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A PHOTOSET IS‌
PHOTOSET
ASOCIATION
Identification of the symbolic values associated with the graphic design profession.
Association projective technique consisting of selecting a set of images that are brought into contact with the user to perform a series of interpretations, of which the researcher notes which draws conclusions.
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WHY A PHOTOSET? Because the DISCOURSE brings us closer to the reality of things
The images appeal to different verbal language in which tropes can grow.
Let me process the information and I will reply
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PHOTOSET
1. Objective 2. Topic 3. Classification 4. Final images selection 5. Written inferences (1) 6. Application in focus group (2) 7. Codification 8. Finding patterns and ruptures 9. Discourse analysis interpretation 10. Summary of results
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Description
Sample Application Kind of sample Conditions Requirements
We present 10 to 20 images of a previously designed Photoset, the candidate writes the image associations, then discuss some of them High school students, Puebla and surrounding regions, medium / medium-high (C, C+) 3 groups of 26 respondents of applicants aspiring to graphic design as vocational choice No probabilistic, by convenience. Place: CETEC-UPAEP Lenght: 20 minutes Video camera, pieces of paper and pencils, photoset
DESIGNING THE PHOTOSET
The fotoset was built from the selection of 188 images that were classified in 8 CATEGORIES that reflected actions, associated areas, lifestyles, expectations, professional projection and meanings. Then it was made another selection, from which we obtained a total of 30 final images
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PHOTOSET
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MOTOR QUESTIONS
• What do you see in this picture? • What do you think about graphic design when you see this picture? • What does the image say about the graphic design? • What is the relationship of the image with graphic design? • Tell me a story that connect this image with graphic design • How is this image associated with the graphic design? 26
The results where analysed image by image, following the levels of a semiosis syntactic-semantic-pragmatic model and based on Eco Morris, some rhetoric figures where found aluding to a
metonymic, metaphorical and synecdochic thought
Syntactic features Semantic connections Pragmatic transfers
focus on prototypical forms of expression, colores and images successful executive, greatness and power, formal, reliability, photography, business I can be whoever I want, I can influence the world the world is in our hands, we accomplished what we set out, the designer can serve the world through their art what's on your mankind has developed good design around the world, mind when you doing well there are no limits, perseverance, good job, see this picture? wide view Metaphore power, man embraces the world, man is the villain of the film, the entrepreneur is part of the world, the world is in my hands Advertising is part of the company synecdoche Advertising is part of the company the entrepreneur r is part of the world, the world is in metonymy
cause and effect, the man dominates and has control of the world, the world will recognize my good design, I can manipulate the world through design
SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE THREE GROUPS FOUND IMAGE 1 IMAGE 2 IMAGE 3 The expression observed in the The brain is responsible for With the design may have the girl reflects spontaneity, fun, the generation of ideas and world at your fingertips, offering creativity, style, traits that you creativity in the graphic ownership and control, also the are allocating to graphic design designer. Furthermore, the design is everywhere and is a from the perception of young design relies heavily on the universal language. people. Besides the computer thinking of the person, and and technology are two the way of things are instruments of work that is planned. being awarded too.
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FINDINGS
In relation to the photo shown, the students realize that the graphic designer is a free person, able to work in a relaxed, innovative, creative, environmental abstraction capabilities for generating ideas. The environment is an essential part of their work, looking for suitable spaces Consider that their professional image is important to enter the world of business.
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DISCUSSION:
• For this activity has required the explicit representation
framework (or reference) to delimit the field of semantic relations for the reader to interpret the image produced. Each picture or frame is a fragment of a totality, the reader will seek textual coherence of the image in relation to a subject.
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DISCUSSION:
• During the sessions we realized that images mobilize the
rational and emotional aspects at the same time (the transformation gestural when author tries to express his point of view) •
The richness of each image is not only its power of making visible the reality but exposes the sense, that is, the image as an expression that works as a vehicle that provides light on the meaning (content) that filtered through their categories and belief system, charges for him and how it relates within a semantic field that determines its stance and actions.
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CONCLUSIONS
The results of the photoset analysis serve as
input to
develop a set of communication strategies to articulate the discourses that are broadcast from the academic program to produce a consistent and robust perception
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CONCLUSIONS
The application of projective techniques requires the involvement of different
disciplines to design and
interpretation.
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Why semiotics?
Because semiotics has a place in all areas of human activity, and allows interdisciplinary relationships aimed at understanding phenomena of different nature and for many purposes.
Pick one and semiotics will be there!
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The
photoset as a
qualitative research tool designed from a
semiotic perspective
doraivonne.alvarez@upaep.mx
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