1. “The symbol is the essence of the expression...”
Social anthropologist Edward T. Hall claims that 60 percent of all communication is non-verbal.

2. The first graphic images that evolved in our Western system of writing were pictograms. Pictograms were generally simple shapes which represented a basic vocabulary of objects and ideas.
Some basic pictogram images included those to man, woman, fire, food, tree, and shelter.

3. PICTOGRAMS PICTOGRAMS are simple symbols which universally
represent objects, actions, processes or concepts

6. Successful pictograms are judged on their
- Legibility (Is the design easy to understand)
- Internationally Recognized (Could anyone worldwide understand it)
- Simplicity (Is the image unmistakable)

7. CASE STUDY Take a good look at each of these five pictograms.
Determine what they represent.
Determine which you feel is the best representation & why.

8. First, what does it represent?
An Elevator
Which one was determined to the be the most specific?
The bearing of the person displayed is completely different than in any toilet symbol.
The vertical layout of the push buttons with the person selecting one of them supports the associations with elevator.
The presentation of the cabin within a shaft enhances the definition.
The size of the arrows and their placement indicate directions of cabin movement without giving rise to misinterpretations.

9. What’s Wrong With These?
Symbols including standard representations for man and woman as they are used for toilets without any modifications are in danger of being misinterpreted as symbols for toilet (one of the primary misinterpretations).
Large size arrows, used to indicate the direction of movement of the cabin, frequently are misinterpreted as directional arrows within a guidance system.
Abstract variants (such as the third one) are rated as incomprehensible.

10. Some Other Visual Languages SIGN LANGUAGE
Take 1 minute to think of as many kinds of visual languages
as possible.
SIGN LANGUAGE
A language which uses manual communication instead of sound to convey meaning

11. Some Other Visual Languages
BODY LANGUAGE
Posture, facial expressions, gestures and eye contact.

13. Some Other Visual Languages
WEB DINGS
A True Type Dingbat Font Developed in 1997 and included in all versions of Microsoft Windows

14. Some Other Visual Languages
WING DINGS
A typographical symbol or ornament

15. Some Other Visual Languages
EMOTICONS
A sequence of printable characters such as :), ^-^, or :-) that is intended to represent a human expressions and convey an emotion.