Multimodal Semiotics and Collaborative Design

In a multimodal and multi-method approach to data production in social contexts, it is important
to avoid forcing the findings into pre-conceived categories and to stay in touch with the sociotechnical
context in flux. Throughout the continuous analytical process, I have explored and
analyzed the data for insights within each case study to then return to the field of study for more
empirical observations thus to integrate new findings with the theoretical framework to fill the
conceptual gaps among finding and previously established codes. Such epistemological and
methodological explorations attempt to construct new frames for the understanding of the complex
nexus of practices; thus, it provides an informed point of view to describe the fluctuating semiotics
of social realities. The conclusions, which I will present at the end of this analysis aim to provide
new topics for further discussions, critical evaluations and developments of the analytical model,
which I will propose as my contributions to the field.
Outline of the thesis
As outlined throughout this chapter, the overall purpose of this analysis is to explore the sociosemiotic
nature of co-production activities in virtual worlds and generate further discussions on the
co-production of VWs by the co-design practices of their users. In order to do so, I will first discuss
the theoretical framework of the thesis, particularly focusing on relations between the multimodal
approach to social semiotic theory and the domain-specific knowledge of design research on
construction of meaning in built environments. In fact, the dissertation can be categorized in four
main sections: (1) the theoretical framework, (2) the analytical and methodological perspectives,
(3) the presentation and analysis of findings from the three case-studies, and (4) conclusions,
discussions and further directions for research.
The analysis aims to contribute to the VW research field by proposing a meaning-oriented
multimodal framework to the analysis of co-design activities. Therefore, the discussions on the
theoretical framework begins with a survey of VW research literature, and outlines the overall
theoretical framing of VWs as places in which collaborative design practices are experienced by
physically remote but virtually co-located designers (Gu et al. 2011).
Following these discussions, the third chapter focuses on social semiotics and multimodality, and
includes discussions on a number of key analytical terms, including such central notions in the
theory as semiotic resources, meaning potentials and context of situation. I argue that social
semiotics offer a promising new epistemological ground for analyzing construction of meaningful
discourses through design, mainly by the help of its poststructuralist critiques on co-construction
of meaning potentials in particular social contexts. I discuss the notions of sign and semiotization
by referring to key theorists of the classical semiotic approach, including linguistic theories of
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