Multimodal Semiotics and Collaborative Design

Synthesis of the findings on interpersonal meta-functions in the three
collaborative design cases
The analysis of the interpersonal meta-function focused on three central themes: the creation of a
visual design language that is supported by intertextual semiotic relations to other meaning
sytems, the signification of social presence and social affordances by the design of virtual places,
and the ways in which the transformative agency of the visitors may cause the co-designers to reconsider
the elements of semiotic cohesion. The analysis shows that the signification of
interpersonal meta-function is closely related to the co-designers’ individual and collective
interpretations of the visitors’ experiences, and their methods of engaging with the places in SL.
When the visual styles are analyzed, the Metrotopia and the workshop cases stand out with their
noticeable references to specific genre conventions about fiction, fantasy, and particularly
superheroes. On the other hand, the representation of what the co-designers describe as a ‘SL-like’
place brings forth a comparative situation, where the sign-makers derive their visual references
from the contrasting paradigm that is the so-called RL, instead of following a conventional genre
style. It was shown in Curiza’s comments that his intentions were not limited to creating a SL-like
place, but he imagined PAL as a ‘futuristic’ place. In all three cases, the construction of the
interpersonal meaning potentials was related to the organization of spatial elements to signify
certain activities that were also relevant to the design framework. In many cases, especially in
Metrotopia and PAL, some of these activity-oriented places primarily aim to build a sense of social
presence. According to the co-designers of Metrotopia, social presence in design can be achieved
by the proper organization of the elements in a place, such placing several seating elements
together, building stages for live events, or providing social places for the avatars to play, learn or
build together.
Therefore, the analysis of the interpersonal meta-function shows that the meaning potentials at
this level are also closely related to the ways in which the other two meta-functions are organized.
In other words, the meaning potentials of visual and metaphorical elements in design are
meaningful to the co-designers when they also afford certain types of social action, or evokes
certain feelings. It is also possible to relate the construction of interpersonal features to the textual
function, as the signification of social aspects is shaped by the internal and external organization of
places. The following section will analyze the textual meta-function in relation to these discussions.
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