圖形使用介面：本質與隱喻之映對

Abstract

本論文以符號系統的觀點與喻理論為出發，著手研究圖形使用者介面。研 究的目的是為了剖析圖形使用者介面的本質，並且瞭解隱喻在其中的運用 。希望藉由本論文的研究，使得介面的設計者能對這種介面的設計方式持 有一份自覺與反省。從符號系統的觀點來看，圖形使用者介面可以分為三 個層面來探討，分別是：符號的指涉，橫向組合，縱向聚合。圖形使用者 介面因為強調視覺化，所以如何透過視覺設計讓圖像更能指涉出意義，就 顯得相當重要。橫向組合上，圖形使用者介面配合直接操作與幾個語法的 基本結構，在分割性的基礎下，讓使用者有較為簡潔易記的使用過程。至 於縱向聚合上，圖形使用者介面建構出來的情境是以隱喻映對後的符號系 統為內在結構，並且儘量隱藏徵體，使得使用者可以類化對喻體的經驗與 知識來協助操作介面。隱喻映對即是隱喻建立的過程。圖形使用者介面的 隱喻映對是一種關係類比，而且過程進行時，很容易產生喻、徵交雜的現 象。由於這種現象會破壞介面情境的完整性，同時也妨礙使用者的認知， 所以，如何解決喻、徵交雜的困擾是介面設計者必須重視的課題；在本論 文裡，我們說明了「概念轉換生成」與「輔助說明」兩種方法。 In this thesis, we've analyzed the graphical user interface (GUI), based on semiology and the metaphor theory by Bipin Indurkhya. The purpose of the thesis is to explore e essential of GUI abd the effect of the metaphor. Through the research, we hope the GUI designers will be more conscious and reflected upon the way they design the interface. From the view-point of semilogy, we can divide GUI into three parts: signifying, syntagmatic, paradigmatic. Because of the emphasis of visualization, it is very important how to make the iconic singifier more capable to express the signified. In the syntagmatic, GUI offers the crisp procedures with direct manipulation and the syntactic elemental structures, and users will be easier to remember and learn. In the paradigmatic, the GUI designers construct the metaphoric context to help users to communicate with their familiar knowledge and experinces. At last, the metaphor-mapping of GUI unavoidably generates the situation of metaphoric confusion, the situation will destroy the consistency of the metaphoric context and mislead the users' cognition. It is worth to reduce the unintended influence from the metaphoric confusion to build a comfortable operating environment for users, in this thesis, concept transformation and help are referred.