Talk given at the BOBCATSSS 2015 conference - http://www.bobcatsss2015.com/. The purpose of this paper was to point out the role of pictograms in online world because they are getting more and more used by web designers. We conducted research in which we compared packages of icons and their most important characteristics. It will be discussed whether so many different icons with the same meaning which differ from each other only in small proportions should be used, or should they be universal.

1. The Role of Pictograms in Online
Communication
Nikolina Begović
Katarina Blažević
Ivana Jakić

2. Pictograms
 Communication in an universal language by using universal
images that allow easier managing in online space
 According to English encyclopedia, pictogram is a symbol or a
picture that represents an object or a concept; for example, a
picture of an envelope used to represent an e-mail message
 Pictograms must be clear and understandable, represent
warnings, prohibitions, rules and allow users to quickly access the
informations
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3. Pictograms vs. Icon
What is the diference?
 Pictogram  Represents an object or a concept
 Icon  Meaning in a graphical user interface
 Are there too many packages of icons?
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4. Research
 Sample has been selected by browsing and viewing
various websites with different pictogram packages
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Other packages;
2653
Microsoft
package; 625
Google package;
404

5. Packages are compared by seven
different categories
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6. Comparison of packages
 For second part of research there have been chosen
seven recognizable pictograms from every package for
comparison, so we could determine their differences and
similarities
 Pictograms that we have chosen for further comparison
are: home, facebook, wifi, download, lock, search and e-
mail
 Icons were chosen by criterion of representation in online
environment, i.e. their popularity
 Similarities and differences: colour, common form, design,
resolution 5

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14.  Pictures are remembered better than words
 They can be used in numerous situations where verbal
message is not possible or appropriate
 Each symbol should have a fixed meaning, otherwise there is
a risk that too many interpretations are given, and sometimes
the wrong interpretation
 Their effectiveness should be measured by ability of people to
understand them
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15. Conclusion
 Pictograms have become part of everyday communication, it
is imposible to imagine the world without them
 Global usage  their meaning tries to adjust so it can
communicate the same information in countries around the
world
 They enable faster information flow  the time needed for
recieveing information out of online environment has been
decreased
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16.  Icon packages need to satisfy needs of users  More
and more people use pictograms in order to
interchange informations
 Assumed hypothesis of this paper has been proved
correct  It would be quite enough if there were several
packages with different purpose, i.e. for different
operating systems
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