Re: Can you point me to some data?

Take a look at the literature on cross-modal matching.  I did an  
extensive search of that literature back in 2000-2001.  Essentially,  
the results of that research are that there are some reliable  
correspondences between attributes in different sensory modes, but  
only some.

I may be able to find the paper I wrote if you would like a copy.  Let  
me know at [email protected].

-- Louise

On Aug 12, 2008, at 12:42 PM, Mary Deaton wrote:

> I am working with a client who is creating a small application in  
> which a
> person can manipulate objects in order to show importance,  
> intensity, and
> relationships. The objects will be shapes or icons. The question has  
> arisen
> about whether people already assign meaning to objects based on  
> size, color,
> or opacity. We certainly see from tag clouds that there is an  
> assumption
> that a larger size indicates a greater value, but part of the  
> question is
> what value? Of particular contention is what meaning do people  
> associate
> with opacity?
>
> I have spent the past several hours doing a literature search about  
> visual
> rhetoric, interaction design, icons, visualization, and some other  
> choice
> words, but have yet to locate something that is not just opinion and
> indicates that there is a known, documented convention that we might  
> refer
> to. If I cannot resolve the issue via a literature search, I need to  
> do some
> user testing, fast.
>
> Does anyone have a pointer to the perfect article? Or book title?
>
> -- 
> Mary Deaton
> Deaton Interactive Design
>
>    --------------------------------------------------------------
>        Tip of the Day: Forward out-of-office replies to
>                    mailto:[email protected]
>     CHI-WEB: www.sigchi.org/web POSTINGS: mailto:[email protected]
>              MODERATORS: mailto:[email protected]
>       SUBSCRIPTION CHANGES & FAQ:  www.sigchi.org/web/faq.html
>    --------------------------------------------------------------
>

    --------------------------------------------------------------
           Tip of the Day: Postings must be in plain text
     CHI-WEB: www.sigchi.org/web POSTINGS: mailto:[email protected]
              MODERATORS: mailto:[email protected]
       SUBSCRIPTION CHANGES & FAQ:  www.sigchi.org/web/faq.html
    --------------------------------------------------------------