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Signs, symbols and icons

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Signs, symbols and icons is a module in visual thinking school, a course designed to help you learn how to think and communicate better using the visual part of your brain.

Signs and symbols rapidly communicate meaning. They are a visual shorthand for communicating universal concepts with much more richness than words alone.

Research has demonstrated that pictures and words, when tightly linked, result in more knowledge transfer than traditional page layouts. Signs, symbols and icons are ways to represent a complete thought in a simple way.

Because they are simple and can be quickly understood, they can be used in a modular way. Signs, symbols and icons can be combined to create maps and diagrams, just like words can be formed into sentences.

Sign delicacies 

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Symbols 

Like a sign, a symbol stands for something. But a symbol tends to be richer in meaning. A symbol is usually an image or physical object that represents something intangible, hard to define, or rich in meaning.

no left turn by TheTruthAboutMortgage.com

no left turn

Eliminando al Rey by Daquella manera

Eliminando al Rey

Why watermelons? by Torley

Why watermelons?

Celtic Triskelion by mtkopone

Celtic Triskelion

recycle logo by TheTruthAboutMortgage.com

recycle logo

The Liberty Bell by It's Our City

The Liberty Bell

[untld:5] by Fox O'Rian

[untld:5]

white rose by suchitraprints

white rose

branding by heliosphan

branding

Symbol delicacies 

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Icons 

Most people today think of an icon as a small sign or symbol on a computer desktop. An image or symbol that has sacred significance can also be called an icon.

Run to the restroom by hypertypos

Run to the restroom

↓馬事公苑・用賀駅↑のレンガ  - ways to equestrian park and subway station by karitsu

↓馬事公苑・...

E.T. by Zigar

E.T.

SG101633 by egg™

SG101633

SG101634 by egg™

SG101634

mall yer feet by D.C.Atty

mall yer feet

Jefferson square Needle Case by D.C.Atty

Jefferson square Nee...

Tickets by raketen_tim

Tickets

how to handle the mail by D.C.Atty

how to handle the ma...

Icon delicacies 

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Iconglobe 

Iconglobe is a blog that publishes photographs of icons shot from signs around the globe.

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Visual thinking practice 

Icons
This exercise improve your ability to distill ideas down into simple visual icons.

Icon links 

How to draw a computer icon
A tutorial explaining how to draw a computer desktop icon in seven steps.

Good books about signs, symbols and icons 

Signs and Symbols: Their Design and Meaning

Amazon Price: (as of 07/20/2008)

Symbol Sourcebook: An Authoritative Guide to International Graphic Symbols

Amazon Price: $36.46 (as of 07/20/2008)

The Icon Book: Visual Symbols for Computer Systems and Documentation

Amazon Price: (as of 07/20/2008)

Man and His Symbols

Amazon Price: $7.99 (as of 07/20/2008)

A Dictionary of Symbols

Amazon Price: $14.93 (as of 07/20/2008)

Next mini-course module 

Information design
Information design is the discipline of developing structures which allow people to find information that's relevant to them, and use it to make decisions which enhance their lives.
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dgray

About dgray

Dave Gray is the founder and CEO of XPLANE, the visual thinking company. The company's vision was formed and continues to be driven by Dave's passion for rich, clear and engaging communication. He believes that pictures have the power to transform the world, because they can convey rich information to anyone, regardless of culture, language or educational background.

XPLANE's customers include some of the world's leading companies, including British Petroleum, Microsoft, Credit Suisse and Cisco. XPLANE helps them use pictures and visual thinking methods to create new opportunities and solve complex business and communication problems.

Dave regularly publishes his thoughts on communication and visual thinking at http://communicationnation.blogspot.com, and has recently published a book, Selling to the VP of NO; a visual book on sales, change management and communication.

Prior to founding XPLANE, Dave worked as a visual journalist for several major metropolitan newspapers, including the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, LA Daily News, LA Herald-Examiner, and Seattle Post-Intelligencer. He has also taught business and visual communications at Washington University in St. Louis.

Dave's formal training was in visual communication at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California, USA.

His work has been recognized by Print Magazine, Forbes, the Associated Press and the Society of Newspaper Design.

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