Handbook

Communication design: multimodality, meaning, and media

Communication tends to be thought of and analysed in terms of specific modes such as 'writing', 'image', or 'sound', and these are very often analysed in isolation from each other. But communication is never as clear-cut as that. Something as seemingly-straightforward as 'writing' in fact has a visual component (how it looks), and a material component (what it is produced on and with). And we also communicate through many other modes - such as through the design of objects and buildings, the sorts of networks we create through digital media, or the actions we undertake in daily life. In this course, you will extend your understanding of communication by investigating underlying principles of communication design, the range of modes we communicate with, and the complex nature of all forms of communication. We will investigate particular modes in depth, and explore how they work together. You will develop research skills which allow you to critique and evaluate the design of multimodal communication, especially in terms of its contribution to contemporary society.