Graphical symbols for consumer products in an international context

Fred Brigham | Philips Design

Graphical symbols are widely used on consumer and professional products. This paper discusses some of the practical issues involved in the design and application of graphical symbols, taking into account activities in the field of international standardisation and industrial practice. Special emphasis is given to the importance of understanding the role of graphical symbols in the communication process. The need to view the comprehension of graphical symbols as a usability issue is also stressed. Any meaningful statement about the comprehensibility of a graphical symbol must take users, tasks and context of use into account. The paper concludes with summary of guiding principles for designers based on the issues discussed.

Keywords: international standardisation, consumer products, graphical symbol, icon, pictogram

Published online: 17 January 2003
https://doi.org/10.1075/idj.10.2.06bri

Cited by

Cited by 2 other publications

Farias, Priscila & João Queiroz

2006. Images, diagrams, and metaphors: Hypoicons in the context of Peirce's sixty-six-fold classification of signs. Semiotica 2006:162

Liao, H., R. W. Proctor & G. Salvendy

2008. Content preparation for cross-cultural e-commerce: a review and a model. Behaviour & Information Technology 27:1 ► pp. 43 ff.

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