The Theory of Categorization in the Determination of Product Semantic Profile and an example on its use in Product Design

Abstract

This theory lies on the belief that to understand the mental world of the user by attempting to discover how the structure of the mental world influences user’s perceptions on the basis of the data obtained in the research on human being’s understanding and categorization talents may trigger a radical change in the approaches to product design. The special visual clues of the new product give start to the mental research. And this research activates inevitably the category of similar examples coded, structured and labelled previously. The visual clues are connected directly with the sememe they represent in the minds. Therefore, the visual clues can have references as semantic instruments due to their semantic function. They can be, thus, interpreted directly in design processes aiming to determine product meaning profile. They can reflect themselves in the descriptions of product form. This is the characteristic of categorization which should not be disregarded in design processes. From the point of view of design processes, it is possible to visualize a form approach consisting of the building up of visual clues. This approach can be based on the understanding of visual clues and mental concepts as the single structure of the product by characterizing the visual clues and the mental concepts related to the semiotic function of the products. This frame which can be used as a productive design instrument will be theoretically analyzed and examplified on a corpus of products designed by a group of subject students.