SU Session 3 Part 2

8/13/2019 SU Session 3 Part 2

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The history of flowcharts

Flowcharts were first introduced in engineering in the 1920s to show the

workings of automated systems.

Today they are often used to represent the steps in a process in the form of

boxes connected by arrows.

The same format is used for descriptive and prescriptive processes.

The boxes may include decision point boxes (often diamond-shaped)

and/or action boxes (usually rectangular).


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The vagueness of arrows

Although there are context-specific classifications of types of flowchart withapproved vocabularies of participants and connections, flowchart stylediagrams come in many different guises and have many different functions.

In the social semiotic analysis of flowchart style diagrams and instructional

pictures we assume that arrows always mean does something to, but whatkind of doing is intended is often unclear

The arrows between whole clauses or their visual equivalents areconjunctive and may indicate temporal sequence or causality, but which of

these two applies.

This can be problematic as diagrams are meant to be precise andunambiguous, often thought to be universally comprehensible.


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The layout of diagrams

Not all flowchart style diagrams are designed to be read from top to

bottom.

In centre-margin diagrams, participants are arranged around a

central element, and thereby represented as, in some sense,subservient or dependent on, or complementary to, the central

element.

In horizontally oriented flowchart style diagrams, the rightmostelement will have special emphasis as the New.


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The colour of diagrams

Colour is used in many diagrams, often according to a consistent colour

code, or legend.

But sometimes it is not clear how we are to interpret the colours and we

must assume that the effect is meant to be aesthetic and emotive


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Hypoglycaemia text

Text Diagram

Linear

Material and relational processes

Explicit processes (increase, decrease,

reduce etc.)

Are risk and tendency the same thing?

Risk and protection are Goal

Idea of balance expressed

Centre-margin layout visually indicates

the central concern

Narrative processes

Differently coloured processes but no

code provided

Colour code classifies participants

Risk and protection are Goal andActor

causal chain

Idea of balance not expressed


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Hydrological text

Text Diagram

Only three material processes (soak,

reach, use)

(Passivized) naming action of scientists

included (verbal and mental processes)

Rainfall nominalized

Some relational processes but imprecise:

long, deep, well below, large amounts

Additional processes: evaporation, rain,

flow of water along surface

No representation of naming or other

scientific work

Rain as the action of clouds:

transactional model of interpretation

Accuracy of scale and differential

thickness of water arrows.

Labelling within picture selective and not

fully corresponding with participants and

processes in the text


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Food web text

Text Diagram

Generalization realized by usuality (many,

usually)and genericity (decomposers)

Classification: decomposers, first-order

consumers etc)

Material as well as relational clauses

Selective examples of feeding and feeding

often passivized.

(Passivized) action of scientist included (in

describing how the web is designed)

Appraisal (important) and ideological

interpretation (natural recycling of materials)

No generalization

Some classification through vertical ordering,

but not explicitly labelled

Exclusively narrative

Web appears to be complete, but there are

inconsistencies (Mosquitoes and larva not fed;

duck, turtle and snake not eaten; plants andfungi do nothing)

No representation of the work of the scientist

No appraisal or interpretation

Documents

SU Session 3 Part 2