Logos, Icons, and Metaphors

1. Logos, Icons, and Metaphors Anne Tarpey I385T February 27, 2003

2. Definitions: Icons • The word icon comes from the Greek word for image, and it can be defined as a pictorial representation of some object or process. • The origins of the iconic form can be traced back thousands of years to hieroglyphics. (Sassoon and Gaur, 1997, p. 12).

3. Definitions: Logos • Logos are a type of icon, and they are used to identify a company or organization. • Many logos are internationally recognized and can appear independently of text or other signifiers and still identify the organization to which it belongs. (Caplin, 2001, p. 18-19).

4. Definitions: Metaphors • Metaphors can be defined as the use of a physical object to represent an abstract idea or emotion. • Metaphors depend on a conventional link between the connotations of the object and those of the idea.

5. Development of Computer Icons • Early command line interfaces such as MS-DOS were difficult to use. • Apple implemented icons, to visually simplify a complex process. • Those early icons are still in use today.

6. Strengths of Icons • Icons can effectively communicate the most complex of ideas in a simple, elegant manner that transcends the boundaries of language and culture. • Icons on Web sites in North America or Europe are very similar to those that appear on interfaces in Central America or Asia.

8. Icons Across Cultures • Some icons have a particular cultural bias, but are often still used outside of that culture (Honeywill, 1999, p. 164).

9. Icons Across Cultures • Though uncommon, some icons have a particular cultural meaning.

10. Standardization of Icons • Not all icons are immediately intuitive, and many become comprehensible only after repeated exposure. • Standardization of icons increases the ability of users to recognize and understand icons.

11. Standardization of Icons

12. Icons as Metaphors • The use of icons and logos relies on metaphors which help users relate abstract ideas or representations to something that is familiar. • One of the most common metaphors of the Web is the idea of the Web as a physical place that is traversed.

13. Strengths of Metaphors • Metaphors are useful in the brainstorming stages of designing a site. • The metaphor does not necessarily have to be integrated into the final design of the Web site (Rosenfeld & Morville, 2002, p.91).

14. Limitations of Metaphors • In relating computer interfaces to more concrete objects and scenarios, the uniqueness and special capabilities of computers are sometimes obscured. • Once a metaphor is instituted, every related function has to become part of the metaphor and this can hinder design flexibility.

15. Using Icons and Metaphors Effectively • Select icons from the realm of established metaphors. • Icons may benefit from animation or sound. • Label icons to limit confusion.

16. References • Caplin, S. (2001). Icon design: Graphic icons in computer interface design. New York: Watson-Guptil. • Honeywill, P. (1999). Visual language for the Word Wide Web. Portland: Intellect Books. • Honeywill, P. (2001). w3icons.com. Retrieved February 19, from http://www.w3icons.com/. • Rosenfeld, L., & Morville, P. (2002). Information architecture for the world wide web. Sebastopol, CA: O'Reilly. • Sassoon, R., & Gaur, A. (1997). Signs, Symbols and Icons: Prehistory to the Computer Age. Exeter, UK: Intellect Books.