The DOI matches its Crossref record.
The Semiotic Engineering of Human-Computer Interaction
Abstract
A theory of HCI that uses concepts from semiotics and computer science to focus on the communication between designers and users during interaction. In The Semiotic Engineering of Human-Computer Interaction, Clarisse Sieckenius de Souza proposes an account of HCI that draws on concepts from semiotics and computer science to investigate the relationship between user and designer. Semiotics is the study of signs, and the essence of semiotic engineering is the communication between designers and users at interaction time; designers must somehow be present in the interface to tell users how to use the signs that make up a system or program. This approach, which builds on—but goes further than—the currently dominant user-centered approach, allows designers to communicate their overall vision and therefore helps users understand designs—rather than simply which icon to click. According to de Souza's account, both designers and users are interlocutors in an overall communication process that takes place through an interface of words, graphics, and behavior. Designers must tell users what they mean by the artifact they have created, and users must understand and respond to what they are being told. By coupling semiotic theory and engineering, de Souza's approach to HCI design encompasses the principles, the materials, the processes, and the possibilities for producing meaningful interactive computer system discourse and achieves a broader perspective than cognitive, ethnographic, or ergonomic approaches. De Souza begins with a theoretical overview and detailed exposition of the semiotic engineering account of HCI. She then shows how this approach can be applied specifically to HCI evaluation and design of online help systems, customization and end-user programming, and multiuser applications. Finally, she reflects on the potential and opportunities for research in semiotic engineering.
Overview
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Verification
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
In the citing paper
“If a representation (like a virtual exhibit) is intended to convey meaning, that meaning only truly exists when generated by a viewer, listener, or user [48].”
From Virtual Museums as Meaning-Modeling Systems in Digital Heritage (2025) · cites this paper as [48]
In the citing paper
“According to modeling theory, meaning lies not in the content itself but in how that content is understood by someone.”
From Virtual Museums as Meaning-Modeling Systems in Digital Heritage (2025) · cites this paper as [48]
Citations
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Items 601–700 of 756
Overcoming LMS Internet dependency
Júnior, A. N. D. C., & Ferreira, R. (2014) · 2022 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE) · doi:10.1109/fie.2014.7044390
“To evaluate communication and collaboration principles that an adapted ‘Recent Activity’ module delivers to course participants through metacommunication of user interface, we have applied Semiotic Engineering resources [8][9], to assess perception level with respect to synchronism as proposed in this paper.”
MethodA Case Study: Re-designing the AVIS Website
Salgado, L. C. D. C., Leitão, C. F., & de Souza, C. S. (2012) · Human-computer interaction series · doi:10.1007/978-1-4471-4114-3_4
Self-citationSubjects and reading strategies in hypermedia: The re-emergence of the author
Mazzali-Lurati, S. (2009) · Semiotica · doi:10.1515/semi.2009.025
“…as Van der Geest 2001, approaches coming from computer semiotics such as Andersen 1990 or technological approaches such as Semiotic Engineering — De Souza 1993, 2005), hypertextual communication is seen as a communicative process that starts with the design and implementation of the application…”
BackgroundCaracterizando desafios de interação com sistemas de mineração de regras de associação
Tuler, E., Prates, R. O., Almir, F., et al. (2006) · doi:10.1145/1298023.1298029
“baseada na teoria da ação [15] e uma caracterização fundamentada na engenharia semiótica [6], com o objetivo de explicar os”
BackgroundEnd-user (further) development: A case for negotiated semiotic engineering
de Souza, C. S. (2007) · DROPS (Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz Center for Informatics) · doi:10.4230/dagsemproc.07081.10
Self-citationIdeologies in HCI: A Semiotic Perspective
Brejcha, J. (2014) · Lecture notes in computer science · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-07668-3_5
“[8] In this light, the user should be aware as much as possible of the techniques used during the development process as well as the prevailing ideologies driving the UI production.”
Investigating the Case-Based Reasoning Process During HCI Design
Motta, J. A. G., & Barbosa, S. D. J. (2015) · Journal on Interactive Systems · doi:10.5753/jis.2015.653
“Semiotic Engineering is an HCI theory that views human-computer interaction as an act of communication between two humans (the system designer and the user) mediated by a computer (the system itself) [7].”
BackgroundMethodInfluentialHoriguchi, Y., Kuroda, Y., Nakanishi, H., et al. (2008) · SICE Annual Conference (SICE) · doi:10.1109/sice.2008.4654686
“In relation to such artifact-mediated communications on the designer’s vision, de Souza has defined the concept of communicability as follows [2]:”
BackgroundMethodEnd User Creativity: A Critical Realist Perspective
Baker, G. D. A., Cragg, P. B., Bartneck, C., & Seidel, S. (2013) · University of Canterbury Research Repository (University of Canterbury) · doi:10.13140/rg.2.2.12021.58089
Communicability in Corporate Intranet: Analyzing the Interaction among Deaf Bilingual Users
Alves, A., Ferreira, S. B. L., de Oliveira, V. S., et al. (2013) · Americanae (AECID Library)
Interaction Evaluation Using the Mac-g in Sloodle
Dantas, A. D., Guimarães, V., Lima, D., et al. (2015) · Procedia Computer Science · doi:10.1016/j.procs.2015.09.260
A Semiotic Analysis of Interactions Between End Users and Information Systems
Huang, S., & Bias, R. G. (2010) · Computer supported cooperative work · doi:10.1007/978-1-84996-347-3_5
Using derived social clusters in email to support high-throughput users in message management
Rosson, M. B., & Gross, J. B. (2009)
de Albergaria, E. T., Bax, M. P., & Prates, R. O. (2014) · Human Factors in Computing Systems
Investigating the Case-Based Reasoning Process During HCI Design
Motta, J. A. G., & Barbosa, S. D. J. (2015) · Greater South Information System · doi:10.60692/wp0hr-c4998
Agner, L., Santagueda, A., Viegas, N., et al. (2015) · doi:10.5151/designpro-cidi2015-cidi_81
Computer semiotics as a possible framework for understanding computer-mediated communication
Kleut, J. (2015) · CM Communication and Media · doi:10.5937/comman10-8450
Cross-cultural user-experience design, including Asia
Marcus, A. (2015) · SIGGRAPH Asia Courses · doi:10.1145/2818143.2818150
Gutachter, E., Wallmannsberger, J., & Gutachter, Z. (2006)
Play, metaphor and representation - a love triangle or une liaison dangereuse?
Möring, S. (2013) · Foundations of Digital Games
Design de tecnologias adaptáveis para uso de profissionais da área de autismo
Braz, P., Raposo, A. B., & de Souza, C. S. (2014) · Human Factors in Computing Systems
Self-citationTag-it: uma ferramenta de apoio ao MAC
Charallo, L., Bim, S. A., & Hild, T. (2011) · Latin American conference on Human-Computer Interaction · doi:10.5555/2254516.2254521
Negotiating system changes with designers and users
de Souza, C. S., & Sampaio, A. L. (2010) · doi:10.5555/1978702.1978715
Self-citationde Albergaria, E. T., Bax, M. P., Prates, R. O., et al. (2016) · Reciis · doi:10.29397/reciis.v10i2.1070
Saariluoma, P. O., Cañas, J. J., & Leikas, J. (2016) · Palgrave Macmillan UK eBooks · doi:10.1057/978-1-137-53047-9_4
Using a Design Science Research Approach to Develop a HCI Artifact for Designing Web Interfaces
Islam, M. N., & Tétard, F. (2016) · Advances in human and social aspects of technology book series · doi:10.4018/978-1-5225-0435-1.ch012
The Logic of User Interface Design
Saariluoma, P. O., Cañas, J. J., & Leikas, J. (2016) · Palgrave Macmillan UK eBooks · doi:10.1057/978-1-137-53047-9_3
Derboven, J. (2013) · Lirias
Epistemic Tools, Instruments and Infrastructure in Professional Knowledge Work and Learning
Markauskaitė, L., & Goodyear, P. (2016) · Professional and practice-based learning · doi:10.1007/978-94-007-4369-4_12
Markauskaitė, L., & Goodyear, P. (2016) · Professional and practice-based learning · doi:10.1007/978-94-007-4369-4_15
Participatory Management of Protected Areas for Biodiversity Conservation and Social Inclusion
Briot, J.-P., Irving, M. D. A., Filho, J. E. D. V., et al. (2016) · Advances in computational intelligence and robotics book series · doi:10.4018/978-1-5225-1756-6.ch013
ANÁLISE DA USABILIDADE DE UM HOMEPAGE DE VENDA DE APARELHOS DE MICROONDAS
Azevedo, P. A., Ferreira, E. V., Soares, M. M., et al. (2016) · doi:10.5151/engpro-conaerg2016-6778
“De acordo com Souza (2005) a preocupação com a interação Humano-Computador é de extrema importância no processo de desenvolvimento de software.”
BackgroundCOProduction as Last Resort to Make IT Projects Less Doomed to Fail.
Cabitza, F. (2014)
Communication in Virtual Environments
Antonijević, S. (2013)
Gomes, G. M. R., & Cendón, B. V. (2017) · The Electronic Library · doi:10.1108/el-02-2016-0044
An Initial Study on Meanings Facets in IvProg programs
Barata, P. E. C., & Mota, M. P. (2016) · Brazilian Symposium on Human Factors in Computing Systems (IHC) · doi:10.1145/3033701.3033745
“O termo ‘raciocínio computacional’ é comumente definido como um conjunto de habilidades que envolvem a resolução de problemas, a generalização e a transferência de conhecimentos adquiridos para outros contextos [7].”
BackgroundA Semiotic Study on Academic Search Interfaces
Rodrigues, P. R., & Prates, R. O. (2016) · Brazilian Symposium on Human Factors in Computing Systems (IHC) · doi:10.1145/3033701.3033755
“Na Engenharia Semiótica, os signos são classificados em três categorias: metalinguísticos, estáticos e dinâmicos [3].”
A experiência do usuário e a comunicabilidade aplicadas na avaliação da rede social Linkedin
Bernardon, C., Fernandes, P. S., de Vieira, A. P. A. M. C., et al. (2017) · Iberian Conference on Information Systems and Technologies (CISTI) · doi:10.23919/cisti.2017.7975908
“A teoria proporciona a ele uma base de conhecimento a um contexto específico, colaborando nas decisões tomadas pelos projetistas dos sistemas computacionais [6] [11].”
BackgroundPoiesis and Video Games for Adults
Cipolla-Ficarra, F. V., Alma, J., Cipolla-Ficarra, M., et al. (2017) · Advances in human and social aspects of technology book series · doi:10.4018/978-1-5225-3437-2.ch009
Um Relato de Experiência da Aplicação do SPIDe no Ensino de IHC
do Rêgo, B. B., Garrido, F. A., Rosa, J. C. S., Souza, I., & Matos, E. D. S. (2017) · Anais ... Workshops do Congresso Brasileiro de Informática na Educação · doi:10.5753/cbie.wcbie.2017.1394
Educational Games and Learning Effectiveness
Cascini, D., Resende, R. F., & Pádua, C. I. P. S. (2017) · Anais do ... Simpósio Brasileiro de Informática na Educação/Anais do Simpósio Brasileiro de Informática na Educação · doi:10.5753/cbie.sbie.2017.675
“The Semiotic Engineering theory classifies the signs in an interactive system into three classes of signs: metalinguistic, static and dynamic [de Souza 2005].”
BackgroundUnderstanding and Supporting Trade-offs in the Design of Visualizations for Communication.
Hullman, J. R. (2014) · Deep Blue (University of Michigan)
Reflections over Communicability in PaaS Environments
Brandão, R., Moreno, M. F., Ferreira, J. J., et al. (2017) · Journal on Interactive Systems · doi:10.5753/jis.2017.682
“Some previous research was made regarding cloud interaction in general [10] or about cloud systems evaluation all together, considering issues that are transparent to PaaSE’s users like infrastructure, for example [11], [12].”
Navigation in Mathematical Documents
Kohlhase, A. E. (2013)
A Framework For Abstracting, Designing And Building Tangible Gesture Interactive Systems
Angelini, L. (2017) · reroDoc Digital Library
A model to support designers of collaborative systems in anticipating scenarios
Pereira, M., & Prates, R. O. (2015) · Brazilian Symposium on Human Factors in Computing Systems (IHC) · doi:10.1145/3148456.3148501
“Nossa proposta está ancorada na Engenharia Semiótica [15].”
BackgroundReputation communication in HCI
Afonso, O. P., Salgado, L. C. D. C., & Viterbo, J. (2015) · Brazilian Symposium on Human Factors in Computing Systems (IHC) · doi:10.1145/3148456.3148512
Democracia digital: consultas públicas interativas
Meireles, A. V., Silva, T. B. P. E., & Câmara, R. (2018) · Design e Tecnologia · doi:10.23972/det2018iss15pp81-95
Semiotic inspection intermediated method
Capelão, L., de Oliveira, É. R., Dias, R., et al. (2015) · Brazilian Symposium on Human Factors in Computing Systems (IHC) · doi:10.1145/3148456.3148460
Applicability of the semiotic inspection method in interactive electronic games
Lopes, A. D., Maciel, C. D. O., & Pereira, V. C. (2015) · Brazilian Symposium on Human Factors in Computing Systems (IHC) · doi:10.1145/3148456.3148487
“A pesquisa se iniciou com uma revisão bibliográfica na literatura corrente com trabalhos relacionados a jogos [2, 9], jogos digitais [20], interfaces de jogos digitais [18] e Engenharia Semiótica [6, 7, 14, 15], com foco especial no método de inspeção semiótica [5].”
BackgroundFerreira, J. S. J., de Souza, C. S., Brandão, R., et al. (2018) · arXiv (Cornell University) · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1808.08138
“With its roots in Semiotic Engineering [3,7] and the Cognitive Dimensions of Notations framework [1], it is well equipped to evaluate notation-intensive interaction, which has become critical in the presence technolo-”
BackgroundMethodSelf-citationA tangible programming environment model informed by principles of perception and meaning
Smith, A. C. (2018) · Unisa Institutional Repository (University of South Africa)
Avaliação da Comunicabilidade da WABlind em Enciclopédias On-line
Raposo, N. O., de Castro, T. H. C., & Castro, A. (2018) · Anais do ... Simpósio Brasileiro de Informática na Educação/Anais do Simpósio Brasileiro de Informática na Educação · doi:10.5753/cbie.sbie.2018.1153
Canal, M. C., & Pereira, R. (2018) · Anais do ... Simpósio Brasileiro de Informática na Educação/Anais do Simpósio Brasileiro de Informática na Educação · doi:10.5753/cbie.sbie.2018.1868
Finite semiotics: A new theoretical basis for the information age
Shackell, C. (2018) · QUT ePrints (Queensland University of Technology)
PENSi: Núcleo de Pesquisa em Engenharia Semiótica e Interação
Prates, R. O. (2019) · doi:10.5753/ihc.2019.8441
“Dentre os diversos temas que são foco na pesquisa do PENSi estão: a própria teoria da Engenharia Semiótica, incluindo modelos para apoio a projeto de sistemas interativos e métodos de avaliação de comunicabilidade, sistemas colaborativos, programação por usuário final (End-User Development), Educação de IHC e de Compu…”
BackgroundInfluentialLibrasBot: Um Recurso Educacional Aberto para o estímulo o pensamento lógico de crianças surdas
Resende, J., de Oliveira, P. L. U., Silva, L., et al. (2019) · Anais do ... Simpósio Brasileiro de Informática na Educação/Anais do Simpósio Brasileiro de Informática na Educação · doi:10.5753/cbie.sbie.2019.892
Aplicando o Design Science Research no Desenvolvimento de um Sistema Colaborativo Assistivo
da Silva, D. M. A., Sartori, D. F., Hirata, C. M., et al. (2016) · doi:10.5753/sbsc.2016.9494
Borja-Galeas, C., Guevara, C., & Amagua, M. (2020) · Advances in intelligent systems and computing · doi:10.1007/978-3-030-51828-8_50
Reflections on Data Visualization Design by Professionals in the Tourism Field
Barroso, C. M., Santos, C. Q., Espindola, L. D. S., & Silveira, M. S. (2020) · Lecture notes in computer science · doi:10.1007/978-3-030-49059-1_40 · Cited by 1
SigniFYIng APIs in the context of polystore systems
Neto, C. G., Salgado, L. C. D. C., Ströele, V., et al. (2020) · Brazilian Symposium on Human Factors in Computing Systems (IHC) · doi:10.1145/3424953.3426654
“1007/978-3-31942831-4_3 [16] Clarisse Sieckenius de Souza.”
BackgroundAditiawarman, M., & Gemilang, R. A. (2020) · Jurnal Ilmiah Langue and Parole · doi:10.36057/jilp.v3i2.435
La importancia de los estudios semióticos en el diseño de interfaces interactivas
Ficarra, F. V. C. (2021) · Proceedings of the 14th World Congress of the International Association for Semiotic Studies (IASS/AIS) · doi:10.24308/iass-2019-5-002
Simplicity as a Driver for Agile Innovation
Margaria, T., & Steffen, B. (2018) · doi:10.1002/9781119174240.ch2
Brito, R. S. B., Fernandes, M. S., Queiroz, W., et al. (2016) · doi:10.5753/sbqs.2016.15128
Signals as Symbols: Applying Normalization of Deviance to Improve User-Centered Design
Vanschaik, A. (2021) · Journal of International Crisis and Risk Communication Research
Challenges of interaction design for counter-hegemonic contexts
Peres, F. M. D. A., & Morais, D. (2021) · Brazilian Symposium on Human Factors in Computing Systems (IHC) · doi:10.1145/3472301.3484370
“Destacamos, nessa convergência, a Teoria da Atividade [8, 10, 16, 17], pela forma como as contradições marcam os sistemas de atividade, como forças motrizes de aprendizagem e desenvolvimento; e a Engenharia semiótica [14], pelo foco de investigação na comunicação entre designers, usuários e sistemas.”
BackgroundConflicts in Metacommunication Messages in Alternating User and Designer Roles
Muniz, I. M., & Matos, E. D. S. (2021) · doi:10.1145/3472301.3484368
Semiotic-based Conceptual Modelling of Hypermedia
Toppano, E., & Roberto, V. (2013) · Lecture notes in computer science · doi:10.1007/978-3-642-41184-7_67
“Earlier attempts to use Semiotics concern the design of multimedia interfaces, the so-called Semiotic Engineering [7]; a semiotic model of information artifacts is re-ported in [8].”
MethodCritérios para Identificação do Foco de Métodos de Avaliação para Sistemas Colaborativos
Santos, N. S., Ferreira, L. S., & Prates, R. O. (2013)
TOWARDS CUSTOMIZING SMELL DETECTION AND REFACTORINGS
OLIVEIRA, D. T. M. D. (2020) · doi:10.17771/pucrio.acad.56525
PROMOTING CONVERSATIONAL APIS: A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK AND A METHOD FOR API DESIGN
BASTOS, J. A. D. M. (2020) · doi:10.17771/pucrio.acad.49982
Reyes-García, E. (2017) · doi:10.1002/9781119474166.biblio
(2022) · Sciences du jeu · doi:10.4000/sdj.3878
de Souza, C. S., Cerqueira, R., Afonso, L. M., et al. (2016) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-42831-4_1
Self-citation(2016) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-802407-2.00019-8
Actability Criteria for Design and Evaluation
Goldkuhl, G. (2012) · IGI Global eBooks · doi:10.4018/978-1-4666-2922-6.ch010
al-Azzawi, A. (2013) · SpringerBriefs in computer science · doi:10.1007/978-1-4471-5397-9_3
LEVIALDI, S. (2009) · Encyclopedia of Database Systems · doi:10.1007/978-0-387-39940-9_193
Semiotics and Screen Based Interaction
(2008) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-1-84800-036-0_6
de Souza, C. S., Cerqueira, R., Afonso, L. M., Brandão, R., & Ferreira, J. S. J. (2016) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-42831-4_4
Self-citationUM OLHAR CRÍTICO SOBRE O PROJETO DE INTERFACES TANGÍVEIS BASEADO NA ENGENHARIA SEMIÓTICA
COSTA, D. M. C. C. D. (2014) · doi:10.17771/pucrio.acad.24035
LEVIALDI, S. (2018) · Encyclopedia of Database Systems · doi:10.1007/978-1-4614-8265-9_193
Salgado, L. C. D. C., Leitão, C. F., & de Souza, C. S. (2012) · Human-computer interaction series · doi:10.1007/978-1-4471-4114-3_5
Self-citationLEVIALDI, S. (2016) · Encyclopedia of Database Systems · doi:10.1007/978-1-4899-7993-3_193-2
Filho, J. C. D. S., Sampaio, A. L., Monteiro, I. T., et al. (2022) · Lecture notes in computer science · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-05897-4_26
Metadata
- Authors
- de Souza, C. S.
- Venue
- The MIT Press eBooks
- Publisher
- The MIT Press
- Published
- 2005-02-11
- OpenAlex
- W2117812870
- Cited by
- 757
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 19 · 2025: 25 · 2024: 19 · 2023: 33 · 2022: 30 · 2021: 29 · 2020: 30 · 2019: 33 · 2018: 39 · 2017: 45 · 2016: 58 · 2015: 61 · 2014: 36 · 2013: 67 · 2012: 39
- FWCI
- 22.30
- Type
- book
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- The MIT Press eBooks (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Human-Computer Interaction › Usability and User Interface Design
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Human-Computer Interaction › Innovative Human-Technology Interaction
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Human-Computer Interaction › Interactive and Immersive Displays
- Keywords
- semiotic engineering, human-computer interaction theory, semiotics, designer-user communication, user-centered design, interface design, online help systems, customization, end-user programming
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
