The Semantic Turn

An indispensable guide, The Semantic Turn offers designers a foundation on which to state their claims and validate their designs. Written by a recognized designer and distinguished scholar of communication and language use, the book builds an bridge between language/communication theory and human-centered conceptions of contemporary artifacts. Clarifying how the semantic turn differs from other approaches to meaning, the author develops four new theories of how artifacts make sense and presents a series of meaning-sensitive design methods, illustrated by examples, and evaluative techniques that radically depart from the functionalist and technology-centered tradition in design.