Signification
Definition
When signifier successfully communicates the appropriate behavior to the customer/user of the product.
Why-Add-Signification
This distinction highlights the fact that when we add signifiers to products, not all of them will be able to successfully communicate the appropriate behavior to ALL users. For example, if a designer puts a PUSH sign on a door, while it is a clear signifier for English-speaking, non-visually impaired users of the door, it won't provide signification (communication of appropriate behavior) to non-English speakers or visually impaired users.
Hence, adding this distinction is envisioned to make us think more about which customers are going to get dropped off in the transition from signifier (what we envisioned/aimed to communicate) to signification (what was actually communicated).
For example, if we use colors to communicate something in the design as a signifier, the signification addition in the framework aims to highlight that color-blind users are not going to see the colors nearly as well as hoped. Hence, while the signfifier of colors is added, the signification (communication) is not actaully going to happen.
Relationship to Perceived Affordance
With the introduction of signification, the question comes up: what is the difference between signification and perceived-affordance?
The difference lies in the appropriate. While perceived affordance can be dangerously incorrect (a glass window giving perceived affordance of allowing one to walk through it), signification covers signals that show only the appropriate behaviors to the user.
Note on Addition of This Term
I reached out to Don-Norman about adding signification into his framework. He replied and agreed with the analysis of signifier usage around the concept of signification, but he thought adding it into the framework would cause more confusion for book readers than it would help.
Backlinks