Visual Semiotics in Interface Design: How UX Elements Communicate Brand Trust to Users
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17509/ijac.v1i1.11Keywords:
Visual Semiotics, UX Design, Digital Trust, Fintech, Visual RhetoricAbstract
In the high-risk environment of the digital economy, the user interface (UI) serves not merely as a functional tool but as the primary communicative medium for establishing Brand Trust. This study investigates how visual UI elements function as semiotic signs to construct credibility in Indonesian fintech applications. Employing a Sequential Exploratory Mixed-Methods design, the research combines a qualitative semiotic analysis of GoPay using Charles Sanders Peirce’s triadic model with a quantitative user perception survey (N=107).The findings reveal two distinct visual rhetorics of trust: (1) Institutional Trust, characterized by authoritarian symbols (e.g., shields, padlocks) and rigid layout grids to signal stability; and (2) Relational Trust, which utilizes colloquial aesthetics and empathetic metaphors (e.g., illustrations of workers) to signal benevolence. Furthermore, quantitative validation confirms the existence of an "Aesthetic-Integrity Effect," where users subconsciously utilize visual consistency as a heuristic proxy for backend technical security. This study concludes that in the context of applied communication, UI design functions as a sophisticated rhetorical system that actively negotiates user anxiety and legitimized digital transactions.
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