1. background
Hello!I'mOmarSosa-Tzec
Passionate about colors, forms, letters, and flavors
Researcher + designer: visual information and argumentation in UI/UX
Advisor: Martin A.Siegel
Mentor: Erik Stolterman
BS in
Computer
Science
Web-based
Simulation&
Hypermedia
Nonlinear
DigitalImage
Filtering
Semiotic
Engineering
&Visual
Rhetoric
InformationArchitecture
InformationDesign
WebDesign
InteractionDesign&HCI
Interfacesasarguments
PentadicInteractionCriticism
Rhetoric&HCI
MS in
Computer
Science
MA in
Information
Design
PhD in Informatics
(track: HCI)
NSF-funded
UX methods & practice
Erik Stolterman (PI)
Marty Siegel
I300
I400
Coordinator of Communication (UDLAP)
Lecturer (Information Design,UDLAP)
Lecturer (Interaction Design,Ibero Puebla)
freelance
Corporate Identity
Web Design
educational and professional background
2002 2004 2006 2012 2015
uady cimat udlap
udlap + ibero puebla
ra
indiana university
ai

2. problemstatement
We designers and researchers contribute
to the deployment of artifacts
that affect people's everyday lives,
beliefs,attitudes and desires without
being aware of their implications
Denotation & Connotation
Visual Argumetantion
Rhetoricity of UI/UX
PersuasiveTechnology
DesignIntent
We need to raise awareness in HCI

3. literaturesurvey
visual rhetoric
* The Rhetoric of Visual Arguments (Blair, in Hill & Helmers, 2004)
* Visual Rhetoric in a Digital World (Handa, 2004)
* Should Visual Arguments be Propositional in Order to be Arguments? (Roque, 2014)
* A rhetorical schema for evaluation of visual imagery (Foss, 1994)
rhetorical theory
* Contemporary Perspectives on Rhetoric (Foss et al., 2004)
* Contemporary Rhetorical Theory (Lucaites et al., 1998)
* Rhetoric in Popular Culture (Brummet, 1994)
foundations
* The Design Way (Nelson & Stolterman, 2012)
* The Semiotic Engineering of Human-Computer Interaction (de Souza, 2005)
* Interaction Criticism: an introduction to the practice (Bardzell, 2011)
inspirations
* Interface as Exordium: The Rhetoric of Interactivity (Carnegie, 2009)
* Visualization Rhetoric: Framing Effects in Narrative Visualization (Hullman & Diakopoulos, 2011)
* Design with Intent: Persuasive Technology in a Wider Context (Lockton et al., 2008)
* Image schemas and their metaphorical tensions (Hurtienne & Israel, 2014)
* Persuasive Technology: using computers to change what we think and do (Fogg, 2002)

4. explorations
Visual Argument
Graphic Design
UI Analysis
UI Analysis
Rhetorical Argument
(VisualEnthymeme)Influentialwork:Blair
Influentialwork:Ehses&Lupton
Evaluation
Influentialworks:Foss,Kaplan
Dialectical Argument
(Visualsyllogism)
Metaphorical tensions
Linguistic,Pragmatic
andHermeneutic
Gaza Everywhere
UP by Jawbone
Health by LG
Visions of Humanity
Diverse UIs
(desktop,web
and mobile UIs)
Rhetorical Handbook
by Ehses & Lupton
*Modesofappeal
*Rhetoricalopperations
*TropesandSchemes
Rhetorical Function UI Analysis
Full
(goal tracker app)
Visual Rhetoric

5. explorations(cont.)
Influentialwork:deSousa
Dramatism
Pentadic Rhetorical Criticism
Pentadic Interaction Criticism
Keyinfluence:Burke
*Rhetoric
ofMotives
*Theoreticaland proceduralsketch
Influentialwork:Foss
Influentialwork:Bardzell
Identification (as persuasion)
Consubstantiality
Terministic Screen
Contemporary Rhetoric
Interaction Criticism
Semiotic Engineering

6. outlineofauser-centeredexperience(roleofpersuasivetechnology)
user
thepossibilityof
software/systems
asarguments
Persuasive Technology
user
designer
i
j
k
user
user
UserExperience
Context of Use
Discourse
appl.software
(visualenthymeme)

7. preliminaryresults
Schema for rhetorical
evaluation of UIs
NordiCHI‘14
Rhetoric as an approach to
UI analysis placed between
structural and hermeneutic
approaches
Analysis of a system
working as an enthymeme
Aarhus Conference 2015 (tbp)
Outline of a“user-centered
experience”and research
agenda for exploring the
applicability of rhetoric in HCI
Exploration of rhetorical
appeals,operations,and
figures in UI/UX design
DRS LearnxDesign 2015 (tbp)
*Modes of appeal exist and
fluctuate during the UX
*Rhetorical figures relate to
user conceptual models
Sketch of Pentadic
Interaction Criticism
Workshop Aarhus 2015
(submitted)
*Design as 3 processes of
identification
*UX-oriented pentad
* 5 step procedure
act
ratio
agentscene
agencypurpose
designer client &
stakeholders
user
identification
coming-to-existenceof
thecomputersystem
identification
identification

8. questionsforthecommittee
1. What would be an appropriate scope for a dissertation?
2. Is it possible to transform these ideas into empirical studies?
3. Does it make sense to search for a “middle point”between
HCI/design research and practice through this work?
Thankyoufortheadvice!
http://tzec.com
omarsosa@indiana.edu
@omitzec