Reviewing Open-access Icons for Emergency: a case study testing meaning performance in Guemil

Abstract

Commonly called pictograms, symbols or icons, it is convened that these are normalized images designed to display a concrete meaning. As a system, icons function as a codified language to facilitate communication. These can also be efficient to manage messages on different media or information technologies. In the specific context of an emergency, different initiatives of icons have been developed, mainly considering context (i.e., a crisis) or specific actions (i.e., warning). Today, it is possible to find different icon collections, some presenting styling novelty, and open-access. However, usually, these are delivered as is, without any proof of their effectiveness. It these are designed for critical contexts such as emergency, evidence of performance might be provided. Evidence can be collected from testing, contributing to developing better tools for communication in crisis from local to global scale. This article presents definitions and a review of cases on icons for different types of emergency, selected by their open availability. Based in the literature review, a fundamental indicator to assess icons performance is Comprehension. As a case study, testing process and results conducted in the Guemil Project are explained. This is centered on 'Meaning' as a specific variable to measure performance. Finally, some reflections emphasize both open–access orientation and the importance of performance tests to establish effectiveness.