Semiotics

Semiotics is "the study of signs, and the production of meaning." What viewers get from the signs of communications depends on the viewers personal experiences. There are multiple meanings to different signs. As designers, we must be careful about how we put these symbols, icons, and indexes together so that we can communicate our message clearly. The person or "sender" of a sign must be familiar with the targeted audience. They must understand how the audience thinks as well as their culture and language. This is important so that the audience understands what the sender is trying to portray. The context in which the sign is placed is also very important. A symbol can have multiple meanings just because of where it is located.