The Applied Semiotics of Visual Modelling

This "Discipline hopping" project is funded by EPSRC and enables Dr James Burton to gain and enrich existing skills in semiotic and philosophical enquiry, supplementing his background in computer science.

Dr Burton is spending an academic year working with world leading semioticians and applying their techniques to gain a new perspective on diagrams and data visualisation.

The results will be used to design new graphical notations and create guidelines on the use of existing ones.The primary aim of this project is to provide an understanding of the semiotic perspective on logical diagrams and data visualisation through immersion in an outstanding semiotic research environment.

Dr Burton will develop skills in searching, interpreting and applying the archival and published work of a philosopher whose ideas have been seminal in computer science and are ripe for further exploitation. This will enable him to enrich his own practice and research direction and result in an ongoing and substantial collaborative project.