A Semiotic Model of User-Interface Metaphor

User-interface metaphor is an extremely popular technique for creating usable user-interfaces. Although there has been considerable research into its application in practical settings, there has been little investigation into the concept itself. This paper applies Peircean semiotics to user-interface metaphor in order to provide a structured model of the concept. As an end result, a far more detailed understanding of the technique and a useful vocabulary are made available to user-interface designers and researchers.

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