Navimation Research

New journal article published

Some time ago my second journal article was published by the academic journal FORMakademisk. This is an open-access journal, so the article is free for everyone to download as a PDF. In addition, I have made the article available as a webpage in order to embed videos and a Prezi presentation. The article is entitled ‘Connecting motional form to interface actions in web browsing: investigating through motion sketching’, and is based on work done in collaboration with Opera Software. Here is the abstract:

It is now possible to include complex visual movement in screen interfaces, including those that enable web browsing on different media devices. This article investigates the potential for employing movement in web browsing – or more specifically, how motional form may be connected to interface actions. The investigation is carried out through design experimentation. Techniques of ‘motion sketching’ have been developed and utilized in a practice-based research project. The resulting motion sketches are analysed as realizations of complex mediation – by drawing on social semiotics and the concept of action from Leont’ev. The article argues that motional form is made meaningful through connotations and experiential metaphors, and suggests ten provisional principles for how motional form may be used in web browsing. This challenges notions of form and function in current interface design and how social semiotic theory may be produced.

Tags: article, motion sketching, motional form, Opera, publication, Theory