Friday, April 18, 2008

So THAT'S what that means...

After reading "How Fluent is Your Interface?" I began searching the web for more information about the importance of creating recognizable symbols. I came across the article "Icons may mean confusion by the dashboard light" on USATODAY.com. The article is a few years old but it is still applicable today.

It talks about how the symbols and indicator lights on car dashboards can be confusing for drivers. A few weeks ago, I encountered this problem with my car. After some independent research in the form of my car's drivers manual -- I learned I had low tire pressure. I will tell you something -- the symbol did not resemble the problem.

While this particular article tackles usability in automobiles, it just goes to show how important it is to design icons and symbols that are easily understandable in all walks of life.

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