Metaphors, Signifiers, Affordances, and Modalities for Designing Mobile and Embodied Interactive Systems

Metaphor in human-computer interaction (HCI) can support users in understanding an unfamiliar system with references to familiar objects, and also can support designers in forming and exploring analogical concepts during the process of designing. We posit that new metaphors can assist in forming a common mental model for users and designers, and can support designers in creating novel interaction experiences. We present 3 metaphorical concepts as a basis for characterizing interactive designs: device, robot, and friend. We focus on identifying the signifiers, and affordances associated with these metaphors. We performed a study in which participants identify common design elements for the 3 metaphors and the factors that influence adopting the metaphors for new designs. The results show that people associate distinct signifiers and affordances for each of the 3 metaphors and associate different interaction modalities with each metaphor.