ABSTRACT

This chapter describes compositional structures for designing conceptual representations, that is, representations which represent what they represent in terms of more or less stable and timeless essences. Three major kinds of conceptual structure are introduced, each with various subtypes – classificational structures, which set up hyponymical (‘kind of’) relations between elements; analytical structures which set up meronymical (‘part of’) relations between elements and draw on the capacity of images to accurately map spatial structures and relations; and symbolic structures, which set up attributive relations between elements and are realized by visually emphasizing symbolic attributes or overall symbolic qualities. These structures apply not only to images, but also to abstract visualizations, chart and diagrams, where they may visually connect either verbal and/or visual elements.