Icons: The Universal Language

The Assignment

I was tasked with a research assignment to document and understand the icons and symbols I see everyday. Despite seeing icons and symbols in my everyday life, it’s not something I think about very often. Rather, it is something that has become second nature to me, such as tying my shoes or eating with utensils.

To complete the assignment, I went outside to observe and document the various signs and symbols around me with a new perspective (see sketches below). The first thing I noticed was the importance of color. When it comes to road signs, red is a high visibility color and often used to stop or forbid behavior. Examples include: red lights, no parking signs, stop signs. The second observation I made was the lack of text in most signs. Many road signs are so effective that they need no explanation. These pictorial signs have become standardized to overcome language barriers and enhance traffic safety.

Learnings

From this assignment, I learned about the power of symbols as a form of communication. Symbols can convey a message that is universally understood, all while being very space efficient. This becomes especially apparently when you go through an airport. With so many international travelers, it is important to be able to communicate with everyone, regardless of language. In this way, icons have become a universal language shared by all.