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congeriesPro forma arrangements: the visual availability of textual artefacts
Andrew P. Carlin
Department of Library and Information Studies
University College Dublin
Visual Studies Volume 18, Number 1 / April 2003 Pages: 6 - 20
Abstract:
In this paper I discuss "at-a-glance" properties of textual materials in a series of work environments, including hospitals, libraries and ticket offices.
I describe how members visually orient to mundane textual materials ("pro formas") as constituents of courses of action. From the analysis of texts-in-action, I suggest that the organization of administrative texts, including blood-test requests and missing-item reports, is amenable to formal descriptions ("apostolic function", "career"); and situated descriptions (sequencing of activities and use of membership categories).
Information is rendered visually available through (a) the spatial arrangements of textual artefacts in social settings; (b) the spatial arrangements or layout of specific documents. These "visibility arrangements" of textual materials are reflexively related to the recognition and retrieval of particular documents.
Andrew P. Carlin
Department of Library and Information Studies
University College Dublin
Visual Studies Volume 18, Number 1 / April 2003 Pages: 6 - 20
Abstract:
In this paper I discuss "at-a-glance" properties of textual materials in a series of work environments, including hospitals, libraries and ticket offices.
I describe how members visually orient to mundane textual materials ("pro formas") as constituents of courses of action. From the analysis of texts-in-action, I suggest that the organization of administrative texts, including blood-test requests and missing-item reports, is amenable to formal descriptions ("apostolic function", "career"); and situated descriptions (sequencing of activities and use of membership categories).
Information is rendered visually available through (a) the spatial arrangements of textual artefacts in social settings; (b) the spatial arrangements or layout of specific documents. These "visibility arrangements" of textual materials are reflexively related to the recognition and retrieval of particular documents.
