"Communicative Theory" Seminar Notes
Richard Miles
Shannon- Weaver Mathematical Model, 1949
The Communicative Process based on the Shannon- Weaver Mathematical Model, 1949.
Within the army, Shannon and Weaver were employed by test labs to improve efficiency in communication and to understand where communication was being broken down. They researched into telephone calls and radio messaging.
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Shannon- Weaver Mathematical Model, 1949
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To understand any communicative act, you need to understand the different components of the message. There are 5 stages where communication could break down:
- Information Source
- Transmits Message
- Channels Message
- Receiver of Message
- Destination of Message
eg. a Radio Message: Speech- Radio- Radio Waves- Radio- Other Person's Ear
If this was to be used to describe the process of making design:
eg. Client/ Brief- Designer- Visual Means- Audience- Subconscious
eg. Research- Designer- Design Production- Client- Public Domain
eg. Designer- Idea- Design Process- Audience- Target Audience
What could happen at each stage which could negatively effect the message being communicated perfectly?
Information Source: Client/Brief- Not very clear explaining themselves and the brief, Inadequate research
Transmit Message: Designer- There interpretation of the brief or ignorance towards the brief. Lack of talent or skills
Channel: Design Piece- Limit of chosen Channel, Inappropriate Design Choices; Tone of Voice, Aesthetic, Content, Target Audience
Receiver: Audience- Not Distributed Appropriately or Clarity of Message, Unsuitable or Demographic not relevant
Destination: Subconscious- Not Understood or Memorable, Overlooked when not in Context, No Interest
Noise Source:
Interference of the communicative act. Anything unintended added to the Signal between Transmission and Reception. It can happen at any stage of the process. Eg. Telephone- noise on the line due to electrical fault making it difficult to hear.
Noise source can effect the visual communication of something. Zines add noise to the designs creating a desirable outcome due to the feature value of the Noise. Culture Jamming allows for noise which destabilises intended message with a new Communication System creatively.
Information Source: Legibility or Readability of brief, Distractions, Too Much Information, Stress from Bosses
Transmit Message: Inaccessibility to Facilities, Illness, Distraction
Channel: Traffic/ Noise based on situ of the Design, e.g.. Internet pop-ups
Receiver: Actual noise, Destruction of Design
Destination: Dislike of Actual Product (Word of Mouth), Rival designs of Other Companies
Communication Problems:
Shannon and Weaver produced a levelling system to categorise problems further to deal with them efficiently. They were;
- Level A- Technical Problems: How Accurately can the Message be Transmitted?
- Level B- Semantic Problems: How Precisely is the Message Conveyed?
- Level C- Effectiveness Problems: How Effectively does the received meaning effect Behaviour?
How could this be applied to Graphic Design?
Level A
- Inaccessibility to Facilities (Alternative Strategies)
- Execution of the Design/ Skills of the Designer
- Printing Difficulties (Forward Planning)
- Technology Involved
Level B
- Client/ Brief Interpretation
- Readability and Legibility
- Not Distributed appropriately- Wrong choice of media, language, tone
Level C
- Not understood or Memorable
- No Interest
Can this system be applied to Graphic Design?
- Simple yet misses a lot of stuff out
- Linear Process- too simplistic- Designs need more dialogue
- Measures success like Army does
Redundancy vs Entropy:
Redundancy
- High Predictability and Low Information = Highly Effective
- Understandable and Conventional
- Conservative and the Status Quo
- The Path of Least Resistance e.g.. Toilet Symbols
Entropy
- Moments of bleeding out of the line of Communication
- Ca be interpreted in many different ways
- High Information and Unexpected = Unconventional
Designers are usually seen as Redundant as they are audience-centered but Entropy allows for you to challenge the system. Visually Interesting designs take away from the 100% Communication therefore it becomes sacrificed.
Study Task:
From this, we need to study a piece of visual communication using the model of Shannon- Weaver. It can be a news story, an advert or a piece of design.
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"Contrast Outdoor Idea" (2012) by Mahmoud Samy
Samy, M. (2012) "Contrast Outdoor Idea" [Weblog] The Behance Network 30th August Available from http://www.behance.net/gallery/CONTRAST-OUTDOOR-IDEA/4986895 (Accessed 14th October 2013)
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For this advertisement to be successful, it needs to be able to fulfil the Shannon-Weaver Communication Process.
Based on the Shannon- Weaver Communication Process, there are 5 components of a message which need to be fulfilled for a message to be successful.
The Information Source covers both the client's brief and the research by the Designer. I would have thought the client had asked for a brand identity but it doesn't seem like it has been clearly researched into other brands as it is unimaginative and bland. The transmission is the designer and how they transmit the message which is negatively effected by the skills produced to develop this advert. The Channel would be from the actual design itself which is negatively effecting the message based on the unimaginative aesthetic and lack of production. The Receiver would be the Audience as they need to decode the message yet the design doesn't appeal to the necessary demographic as printing companies would normally get there business from designers and designers would not be convinced to use the company with an unprofessional brand design. The Destination is the Subconscious of the Audience but the design has no positive effect on the message as it has no staying power and would be completely overlooked by the target audience.
The levelling system of the Communication Problems would suggest that there are communication issues on all Levels: A, B and C. There are Technical Problems based on the lack of skill and poor execution of the Design. There are Semantic Problems based on the fact that the message is not being distributed appropriately due to the wrong choice of placement and situ. The is effective problems as there would be a behaviour adopted towards being non-plused or ignorant of the advert based on the appalling design choices. The only way it would be effective is if it was being purposefully badly designed to get publicity.
There is a lot of Noise that surrounds the Design in regards to the design itself and the Channel chosen of displaying the advert on Billboards. The medium is inappropriate as it is overshadowed by the surrounding areas, creating traffic as the brain is stimulated more by the place then the advertisement. This interference takes away from the attention that the advert is trying to garner.
The intention of the Design is to be Redundant as it is of low information and highly predictable as it is plain and conservative due to the lack of innovative visual stimulation. Despite this, the advert is not highly effective yet this is due to the design choices rather than the execution of the concept of Redundancy.
Based on the Shannon- Weaver Communication Process, there are 5 components of a message which need to be fulfilled for a message to be successful.
The Information Source covers both the client's brief and the research by the Designer. I would have thought the client had asked for a brand identity but it doesn't seem like it has been clearly researched into other brands as it is unimaginative and bland. The transmission is the designer and how they transmit the message which is negatively effected by the skills produced to develop this advert. The Channel would be from the actual design itself which is negatively effecting the message based on the unimaginative aesthetic and lack of production. The Receiver would be the Audience as they need to decode the message yet the design doesn't appeal to the necessary demographic as printing companies would normally get there business from designers and designers would not be convinced to use the company with an unprofessional brand design. The Destination is the Subconscious of the Audience but the design has no positive effect on the message as it has no staying power and would be completely overlooked by the target audience.
The levelling system of the Communication Problems would suggest that there are communication issues on all Levels: A, B and C. There are Technical Problems based on the lack of skill and poor execution of the Design. There are Semantic Problems based on the fact that the message is not being distributed appropriately due to the wrong choice of placement and situ. The is effective problems as there would be a behaviour adopted towards being non-plused or ignorant of the advert based on the appalling design choices. The only way it would be effective is if it was being purposefully badly designed to get publicity.
There is a lot of Noise that surrounds the Design in regards to the design itself and the Channel chosen of displaying the advert on Billboards. The medium is inappropriate as it is overshadowed by the surrounding areas, creating traffic as the brain is stimulated more by the place then the advertisement. This interference takes away from the attention that the advert is trying to garner.
The intention of the Design is to be Redundant as it is of low information and highly predictable as it is plain and conservative due to the lack of innovative visual stimulation. Despite this, the advert is not highly effective yet this is due to the design choices rather than the execution of the concept of Redundancy.
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