Wheelchair as a Gamechanger - Semiofest 2016, Tallinn

WHEELCHAIR AS GAMECHANGER

Kateřina Ailová, Chief Innovation Officer, IdeaSense

Lucia Trézová, Independent Researcher and Brand Strategist

Czech Republic

Semiofest Tallinn 2016

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SEMIOTIC ANALYSIS IN INNOVATION?

WHY?

OUR DESIGN CHALLENGES

Can we help the handicapped people to feel better amongthe “healthy others” and do more sports activities?

Can we remove the stigma and negative connotations associated with current wheelchairs?

What kind of wheelchair design elements can accomplishthis?

STRUCTURAL SEMIOTICS

SOCIAL SEMIOTICS

STRUCTURAL SEMIOTICS

For structural semioticians: systems,

structures of signs and codes take

precedence over semiotic activity.

Meanings are governed by signs, codes,

these codes must be uncovered, signs

decoded – and meanings will emerge.

Structural semiotics sees relevant

meanings as fixed in the texts itself, to be

extracted and decoded by analyst.

Based od dyadic model of Saussure.

SOCIAL SEMIOTICSFor social semioticians, meanings are created in

social processes, and not determined by structure

only.

Meanings are always negotiated in the semiotic

process, never simply imposed through absolute

code. Meaning relies on use and practice.

Social semiotics is thus invariably social in nature –

meaning is negotiated, battled, won, temporarily.

The battleground is language, behavior, nonverbal

symbolism, taking place in many occasions,

simultaneously. Each actor has different motives,

goals, intentions.

Signs do not stand for something that is pre-given and

that transcends use.

Based on triadic model of Pearce,

Inspired by pragmatism and symbolic interactionism.

WHAT DID WE DO?

1. We identified different groups of social actors involved in the semiosis affecting given semiotic plane/domain

2. We mapped the whole semiotic plane/domain to identify all semiotic resources currently associated with wheelchair and handicapped people (sportsmen)

a. Social hegemonic discourses: medical, social-welfare discourse, popular-tabloid (vulgar) discourse

b. Group-related discourses/meanings present within handicapped sportsmen community

c. Idiosyncratic meanings of specific users

3. We decoded the current meanings associated with current wheelchairs and their impact on symbolic representations of handicapped people/sportsmen

4. We identified “the new, desired meanings” that can help creating new symbolic representations of handicapped people – enabling meanings transfer towards sports

5. We identified wheelchair design elements, which would manage/create/manipulate meaning transfer most effectively

MEDICAL DEVICE

CRIPPLED

DEPENDENCE

MISERY

LIMITED POSSIBILITIES

VICTIM TRAGEDY

PITY

BURDEN FOR FAMILIES BURDEN FOR SOCIETY

THE CURRENT WHEELCHAIR

SHAME

Wheelchair design must provide affordances enabling the ease in locomotion while ensuring users‘ self-servicing and independence

• Lightweight

• Easy to store

• Solid build and sturdy construction

• Stability

• Easy to control and move it

• Built to the body individual and handicap-specific

USER

OBSERVERSVISUAL/AESTHETICAL

FUNCTIONAL/TECHNICAL

Handicapped people refuse the

wheelchair to become the “core” that

defines their personal identity and

opinions of others. YET, IT DOES.

The handicapped refuse to be looked at

and judged primarily through their

handicap … and their wheelchair.

YET, THEY ARE.

THE HANDICAPPED WISH...

...to be taken as “ordinary people.“

BATTLEFIELD FOR MEANINGS

USER

OBSERVERS

TO MAKE AN EFFECTIVE CHANGE OF WHEELCHAIR‘S MEANING

WE HAVE TO TACKLE ITS APPEARANCE

VISUAL/AESTHETICAL

FUNCTIONAL/TECHNICAL

“Young people are interested in appearance of their wheelchair.”

“Having good-looking wheelchair is like having a luxury car.”

“Wheelchair is like my shoes, and I, as a woman I want to have nice shoes.”

“Women try to decorate it and adjust their wheelchair according to their taste and fashion – they paint it, for example.”

“If brands are important for you, then you have to invest in an expensive wheelchair which not only does its work, but also looks good.”

“Having shitty wheelchair – the other would make fun of you.”

BATTLEFIELD FOR MEANINGS

• Hand-bike

• Hall sports: floorbal, basketball, rugby

• Triathlon

• In-line skating

• Sledge hockey

• Tennis

• Mono-ski

• Cross-country ski

• Swimming

• Ping-Pong

• Badminton

• In-line

• Box

• Yachting

• Dancing

• Golf

• Racing on four-wheels

THE HANDICAPPED CAN DO A WIDE RANGE OF SPORTS

CAN WE CREATE A WHEELCHAIR THAT ENABLES PRACTICING SEVERAL OF THESE SPORTS?

SPORT EQUIPMENT

INDEPENDENCE

HEALTHSELF-ESTEEM

PRIDE

RESPECT

ACTIVITY

STRENGTH

FASHION

BELONGING

ACHIEVEMENT

FEELING GOOD

• Change symbolic meanings of the wheelchair through the change of design

• Offer wheelchair users new semiotic resources enabling them to create freshand more positive meanings/representations of themselves

• Offer “healthy others” the new semiotic resources enabling them to create fresh and more positive meanings/representations of handicapped people

• Offer wheelchair users new functional wheelchair benefits enabling them more pleasant and more diverse sport as well as daily activities

THE SOLUTION NEEDED TO:

• shift symbolic meanings of wheelchair from one domain = medical device to another domain = sport equipment.

• link wheelchair to the new attractive associations: expressing activity, status and speed.

• embed new meanings into the wheelchair, so people get new semiotic resources to produce new meanings.

HOW EXACTLY COULD WE ACHIEVE IT?

AND THE SOLUTION?

MEANING AS A GAMECHANGER

1. Focus at the semiotic level in innovation

2. It is crucial to analyse meanings, understand their implicit repercussions and opportunities

3. Bring meaning into design – not only aesthetics, not only functionalities, but meanings built into ALL aspects of design and usage

4. Design itself repositions current meanings – esp. in disruptive innovations

5. Meaningful design has impact on identity and on practice

6. Practice changes peoples lives