Master's thesis
Do you know what this symbol means? How about this? What does this represent? I like visual symbols. Icons, logos, signs - each shape is designed to have meaning, and subtle variations in shape, size, color, context, and other factors can change the message the image conveys. I elected to do a study on the intricacies and applications of visual symbols, surveying participants and analyzing their responses to common and original shapes. This research took close to a year and a half to complete, and included original research, a scientific experiment, novel concepts in data interpretation, a custom built online survey, and a defense.To complete my Master's Degree in Information Technology (User Interaction Design), I was required to complete a capstone. This could have been a project, where the student creates something, or a thesis, which is similar but requires extensive research. I chose the latter, electing to develop a project based on heavy research. It was unlike the typical projects which were required in prior courses and was more complex than a common essay. Since I valued education and thought I might pursue a professorship or Ph.D., I elected to develop a thesis.
Title:
"Interpreting Visual Symbols of Varied Colors across Demographic Profiles"
Abstract:
Visual symbols are often ambiguous. An icon is meant to convey a particular meaning, but viewers may interpret the image differently. This thesis shows how a viewer`s demographic background and icon color can affect their interpretation of a symbol. A website survey, featuring a library of icons, asked users of varied demographic profiles to interpret each figure presented randomly in one of five colors: black, blue, red, green, and orange. The qualitative text data from the participants` interpretations were compared to the quantitative data from icon and demographic information by means of multinomial logit analysis. The experiment found numerous noteworthy correlations, showing that the color of an icon and person`s background can have a significant and oftentimes predictable influence on interpretation. Icon designers can use this approach to see which icon would be best used to serve certain purposes.