Symbolic vs. iconic: How to support argumentative design discourse with 3D product representations

This paper presents three technical design representation cases along with a real design case, in order to discuss how annotations should be used in 3D representations to support argumentative design communication. We distinguish between two modes of representations: iconic, where the signifier is perceived as resembling or imitating the signified, and symbolic, where the relationship between representation and target object is fundamentally arbitrary or purely conventional, so that the relationship must be learnt. The design cases are discussed according to this approach, in order to show how mode of representation of design artefacts has evolved according to the different sharing contexts, and the advantages that their modes offer respectively in their context of use. This analysis shows how iconic 3D representations must be enhanced by symbolic annotations, in order to support asynchronous argumentative design communication.