What we are facing now is a time of complexity and a big amount of information. Communication is changing: new ways of working and management are being developed. In this huge amount of information we implement visual metaphors and signs to help us to navigate and communicate. Using signs and visual metaphors is an effective way to make information understandable. By linking abstract form to a concrete thought it help us to understand unfamiliar content. Therefore, visual metaphors create a sense of familiarity, attract attention and trigger emotions. Most importantly, visual metaphors can motivate user in action. This is especially important using Web and smart phones, because nowadays a big part of the communication is performed using new technologies.
These changes also have impact on our basic communication. Due to an influence of the computer systems and communication media the new form of communication is formed. New technologies give us ability to communicate in other way. Therefore, we can communicate today the way we write (“type”). The text is a form of the communication, where people are being absent. Consequently, new technologies give us a possibility to communicate with each other at the same time, while being in different locations.
However, technology is not the only aspect that is changing our communication. People who use an alphabet as a main basic for the verbal and non-verbal communication have also influence on that. A code used by people to communicate can be taken as a system of signs. The communication process can be defined as a process of culture. One can conclude that - communication is the culture and culture is the communication. Therefore, we are the ones who form codes that generate signs and define the cultural image. As we are changing, the code of communication is also changing. The present language that I call “figurative language”, is a suitable example to picture changes in language. You can state that the language is becoming universal and not individually expressed. Even so, from the examples listed before, we can see that language by its graphical form can be expressive. New media gives us ability to design dialectic alphabets to small groups of people. From Susan Kare’s example proves that visual metaphor’s basic form can be adapted to other programs with a little change. The spoken language is different from the written language, because it is less reflective. Implication of emoticons and signs by its graphical form gives ability to make it more reflective.
To conclude, in this development of the communication we can see a rising need of semiotics, especially for people in the design field who are forming the communication. Designers are the ones who establish the link between all disciplines. They are interested in the problem of meaning and communication. Finally, a rising impact of programing code towards graphic design, questions the new process for the future of graphic design methods.