ICONIC REFERENCE - EVOLVING PERSPECTIVES AND AN ORGANIZING FRAMEWORK

Icons are now routinely used in human-computer interactions. Despite their widespread use, however, we argue that icons are far more diverse and complex than normally realized. This article examines some of the history behind the evolution of icons from simple pictures to much richer and more complex representational devices. Then we develop and present a new framework that distinguishes: (1) different kinds of sign relations; (2) different kinds of referent relations; and (3) differences between sign and referent relations. In addition, we highlight a fundamental symmetry between icons and symbols, and use this framework to raise a number of basic questions about the kinds of representational issues and challenges designers will need to consider as they create the next generation of icons for user interfaces. © 1993 Academic Press. All rights reserved.