Today was one of those days. We all have them, but since I’m doing the writing, I get to tell my story first. I was attempting to download files from one of the many file sharing sites available on the web, and I couldn’t for the life of me figure out how to actually download anything. Now you’d think that a site made for a specific purpose should have the process wired, but alas, I was dumbfounded. Across the top of the webpage were a series of overly-simplified symbols that were supposed to guide me through the process—except I had no clue what these symbols were supposed to represent. In ancient cave paintings, a stick figure with a spear chasing a bison meant “hunting,” and if I'm walking through a public space, a set of symbols showing a simple man or woman figure means “toilet,” but what does a dot followed by a dash mean? Or how about two dots? Two dashes, anyone? Now if we were speaking in Morse Code I could tell you that a dot followed by a dash is the letter A, two dots is an I, and two dashes represent the letter M (yes, I was a Boy Scout)—but they were definitely not using Morse Code here.
In 1974, the U.S. Department of Transportation commissioned the American Institute of Graphic Arts to develop a series of international symbols. Fifty symbols were adopted, including many of the icons we’re familiar with today in airports and other public spaces. Common symbol sets have been developed for other purposes as well, and get this—we all know what they mean. Looking at the illegible symbols in this file sharing program got me thinking, why reinvent the doorknob every time we need to speak in shorthand?
As graphic designers, our number one job in life is to communicate—efficiently, effectively, and in the simplest manner possible. So with tongue firmly planted in my cheek, I present to you a set of symbols that should solve all of these problems (at least for English-speakers).
Of course no set of symbols is perfect. We’ve already recognized that these are only good if you can speak the language, but my point is this—Keep it Simple Stupid, a.k.a. the KISS principle. Good design doesn’t need to be reinvented with every new problem, and it certainly should not be complex. Tell your story in a direct and straightforward manner and I guarantee you’ll be happier with the returns.
Lost? Need help finding your way? Want to see a few examples of art270-designed wayfinding systems and infographics? Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we'll send plenty to get you inspired.