Humane Interface, The: New Directions for Designing Interactive Systems

6-3. Icons

Icons, those familiar little pictures used to identify buttons and other objects, are a shibboleth of modern interface design. Apple Computer, which is well known for its leadership in this field, advised us that “icons can contribute greatly to the clarity and attractiveness of an application. The use of icons also makes it much easier to translate programs into other languages. Wherever an explanation or label is needed, consider using an icon instead of text” (Apple Computer 1985, p. I-32). Later versions of the manual were not so dogmatic about using icons, but the damage had already been done.

Icons contribute to visual attractiveness of an interface and, under the appropriate circumstances, can contribute to clarity; however, ...