Semantic Network Differences Across Engineering Design Communication Methods

Author(s):  
Christian E. Lopez ◽  
Zixuan V. Zhao ◽  
Conrad S. Tucker

Abstract Engineering designers have a variety of methods at their disposal when it comes to communicating an idea (e.g., Linguistic, Pictorial, Virtual). Studies have explored how these methods affect the idea generation process, revealing that some methods can induce design fixation and reduce creativity. Moreover, studies reveal that depending on the communication methods and a receiver’s familiarity with the idea conveyed, the amount of relevant information transmitted could vary. Hence, based on previous studies, it is hypothesized that different communication methods and a receiver’s familiarity can impact a receiver’s ability to construct and interpret the information conveyed. To test this hypothesis, an experiment is conducted in which multiple methods are used to communicate different product ideas to individuals (N = 370). Participants are asked to describe the products in their own words and provide details about their functions. A text-mining approach is used to analyze the semantic structure of their responses. The results reveal that dissemination methods affect the consistency of participants’ responses, as well as the diversity of words used to describe a product idea or its functions. This knowledge can help designers in the selection of an appropriate method, given the design intention and help them leverage different methods to maximize communication effectiveness during the different stages of the design process.

Author(s):  
Tat Koon Koh ◽  
Muller Y. M. Cheung

Crowdsourcing ideation contests allow solution-seeking firms (seekers) to solicit ideas from external individuals (solvers). Contest platforms often recommend seekers to provide examples of solutions (i.e., seeker exemplars) to guide and inspire solvers in generating ideas. In this study, we delve into solvers’ ideation process and examine how different configurations of seeker exemplars affect the quantitative outcomes in solvers’ scanning, shortlisting, and selection of ideas. Results from an online experiment show that solvers generally search for, shortlist, and/or submit fewer ideas when shown certain seeker exemplars. In addition, solvers who submit fewer ideas tend to submit lower-quality ideas, on average. Thus, a key insight from this study is that showing seeker exemplars, which contest platforms encourage and seekers often do, could negatively affect quantitative ideation outcomes and thereby impair idea quality. To help mitigate these adverse ideation outcomes, we propose a few areas of which seekers should be mindful. We also suggest ways that contests’ platforms can contribute to the idea generation process that solvers undertake.


2010 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 161-172 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edmund Wascher ◽  
C. Beste

Spatial selection of relevant information has been proposed to reflect an emergent feature of stimulus processing within an integrated network of perceptual areas. Stimulus-based and intention-based sources of information might converge in a common stage when spatial maps are generated. This approach appears to be inconsistent with the assumption of distinct mechanisms for stimulus-driven and top-down controlled attention. In two experiments, the common ground of stimulus-driven and intention-based attention was tested by means of event-related potentials (ERPs) in the human EEG. In both experiments, the processing of a single transient was compared to the selection of a physically comparable stimulus among distractors. While single transients evoked a spatially sensitive N1, the extraction of relevant information out of a more complex display was reflected in an N2pc. The high similarity of the spatial portion of these two components (Experiment 1), and the replication of this finding for the vertical axis (Experiment 2) indicate that these two ERP components might both reflect the spatial representation of relevant information as derived from the organization of perceptual maps, just at different points in time.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexia Bourgeois ◽  
Carole Guedj ◽  
Emmanuel Carrera ◽  
Patrik Vuilleumier

Selective attention is a fundamental cognitive function that guides behavior by selecting and prioritizing salient or relevant sensory information of our environment. Despite early evidence and theoretical proposal pointing to an implication of thalamic control in attention, most studies in the past two decades focused on cortical substrates, largely ignoring the contribution of subcortical regions as well as cortico-subcortical interactions. Here, we suggest a key role of the pulvinar in the selection of salient and relevant information via its involvement in priority maps computation. Prioritization may be achieved through a pulvinar- mediated generation of alpha oscillations, which may then modulate neuronal gain in thalamo-cortical circuits. Such mechanism might orchestrate the synchrony of cortico-cortical interaction, by rendering neural communication more effective, precise and selective. We propose that this theoretical framework will support a timely shift from the prevailing cortico- centric view of cognition to a more integrative perspective of thalamic contributions to attention and executive control processes.


Author(s):  
Jochen Schiewe

AbstractMaps that correctly represent the geographic size and shape of regions, taking into account scaling and generalization, have the disadvantage that small regions can easily be overlooked or not seen at all. Hence, for some map use tasks where small regions are of importance, alternative map types are needed. One option is the so-called equal area unit maps (EAUMs), where every enumeration unit has the same area size, possibly also the same basic shape such as squares or hexagons. The geometrical distortion of EAUMs, however, leads to a more difficult search for regions as well as a falsification of topological relationships and spatial patterns. To describe these distortions, a set of analytical measures is proposed. But it turns out that the expressiveness of these measures is rather limited. To better understand and to model the influence of distortions, two user studies were conducted. The study on the search in EAUMs (also with the aim of reconstruct the search strategies of the users) revealed how important it is to consider the local topology (e.g. corner or border positions of regions) during the generation process. With regard to pattern identification, it could be shown that EAUMs significantly increase the detection rate of local extreme values. On the other hand, global lateral gradients or geostatistical hot spots often get blurred or even lost. As a consequence, a task-oriented selection of map types and further developments are recommended.


Author(s):  
Serhad Sarica ◽  
Binyang Song ◽  
Jianxi Luo ◽  
Kristin L. Wood

Abstract There are growing efforts to mine public and common-sense semantic network databases for engineering design ideation stimuli. However, there is still a lack of design ideation aids based on semantic network databases that are specialized in engineering or technology-based knowledge. In this study, we present a new methodology of using the Technology Semantic Network (TechNet) to stimulate idea generation in engineering design. The core of the methodology is to guide the inference of new technical concepts in the white space surrounding a focal design domain according to their semantic distance in the large TechNet, for potential syntheses into new design ideas. We demonstrate the effectiveness in general, and use strategies and ideation outcome implications of the methodology via a case study of flying car design idea generation.


2019 ◽  
Vol 39 ◽  
pp. 66-94
Author(s):  
Kwangtaek Park ◽  
Sangjoon Bae

Parody which used as the way of creating for a long time has stood out by the spread of postmodernism. Parody that is defined as ‘repetition that includes difference’ by Linda Hutcheon structure the new semantic network in the process of transforming the original text. This paper focuses on the generation process of parody from the perspective of Gilbert Simondon, the theory of individuation. Likewise, technics and technical object, also the elements of culture have potential energy causing the transduction to the other individual, and individuation is occurred to form the new meanings. That is, parody is the phenomenon of individuation between the contents that have potential energy inside. Parody is animatedly applicated in the part of visual culture due to the progress of the digital culture. Especially film which is the interface between the technology, the industry, and the art, can be said as the advanced guard of parody aesthetics. After the 1970s, parody applied to begin in earnest in film produce abundant meaning in the network between film connecting the numerous work. One of the node of the film, <Ready Player One>(2018) tried parody covering the entire popular culture not only film but also game and so on. In that, <The Shining>(1980) is recontextualized of high importance. In the <The Shining> in the <Ready Player One>, value-neutral parody with no satirical or respectful intent unfolds icon or settings such as typewriter, anniversary picture, maze, and the banquet room. In this progress, after the fundamental elements in the adventure genre are taken the information of the original text, the internal potential energy form the parody. On the other hand, a filmic element such as a film texture rendering and steadycam commemorate the film historical position of the original, at the same time, those are represented in homage parody varied the meaning. Like the aforesaid parody, this brings about the process of individuation, as well as the nostalgia, which leads to trans-contextualization


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Deborah Yvonne Nagel ◽  
Stephan Fuhrmann ◽  
Thomas W. Guenther

Purpose The usefulness of risk disclosures (RDs) to support equity investors’ investment decisions is highly discussed. As prior research criticizes the extensive aggregation of risk information in existing empirical research, this paper aims to provide an attempt to identify disaggregated risk information associated with cumulative abnormal stock returns (CARs). Design/methodology/approach The sample consists of 2,558 RDs of companies listed in the S&P 500 index. The RDs were filed within 10 K filings between 2011 and 2017. First, this study automatically extracted 35,685 key phrases that occurred in a maximum of 1.5% of the RDs. Second, this study performed stepwise regressions of these key phrases and identified 67 (78) key phrases that show positive (negative) associations with CARs. Findings The paper finds that investors seem to value most the more common key phrases just below the 1.5% rarest key phrase threshold and business-related key phrases from RDs. Furthermore, investors seem to perceive key phrases that contain words indicating uncertainty (impacts) as a negative (positive) rather than a positive (negative) signal. Research limitations/implications The research approach faces limitations mainly due to the selection of the included key phrases, the focus on CARs and the methodological choice of the stepwise regression analysis. Originality/value The study reveals the potential for companies to increase the information value of their RDs for equity investors by providing tailored information within RDs instead of universal phrases. In addition, the research indicates that the tailored RDs encouraged by the SEC contain relevant information for investors. Furthermore, the results may guide the attention of equity investors to relevant text passages whose deeper analysis might be useful with regard to investors’ capital market decisions.


2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 6-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robyn Blakeman ◽  
Maureen Taylor

Today's advertising students are digital natives who grew up embracing technology in all facets of their lives. This study reports the results of a survey of 39 advertising creatives and art directors as they described the role that technology plays in the conceptualization process at advertising agencies around the country. The findings suggest that idea generation is still developed with pen and paper, but that computers are best suited for the final designs, as the ideation process moves to production. The research findings suggest ways forward in advertising pedagogy, especially curricula in the design sequences, as advertising educators teach the next generation of creatives.


1997 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 445-475 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruth Hacohen ◽  
Naphtali Wagner

Wagner's leitmotifs were intentionally constructed as compact, discrete musical units charged with extramusical meaning. Should they be considered merely as arbitrary signifiers, whose signifieds are discovered only through the dramatic context of their appearance? The research reported here rejects this possibility, demonstrating experimentally that the leitmotifs bear inherent meaning. It is this meaning that grants them their communicative potential and provides a basis for the specific message given them in the setting of the specific musical work. A selection of nine representative leitmotifs from Wagner's Ring cycle was played to subjects during the course of a two-part experiment. The first part, which was designed on the basis of the semantic differential technique, yielded several significant factors that defined an inclusive connotative space. The second part of the experiment was designed and evaluated according to the "semantic integral" method, which was developed for the purpose of adding a denotative dimension, using titles given to the leitmotifs by the subjects. The results substantiated the existence of complementary relations between the connotative and denotative aspects of the leitmotifs. Findings of this sort should assist in explaining how the leitmotifs function within the dramatic context. The methods applied, as well as the findings arrived at, disclose, we believe, essential characteristics of the semantic structure of music in general.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document