Avoid Ambiguous Symbols

This is easier said than done, but there are some symbols and iconography that are often used and misused across products.

This principle aims to encourage you to think about two things; “Am I using symbols that the user will be familiar with?” and “Do these meanings conflict with other parts of their experience?”

Here are just a couple of examples from products on the web and mobile, but there are hundreds more:

• @: The “at” symbol is a repeat offender in the context of the control. Does it mean email, a web link, to mention a user, or something else?
• : Does this mean “share” or “new window” or “open additional menu options”? I’ve seen it used to represent all of the above, as well as upside down to mean “go back.”

Some things to think about when picking iconography:

• Is there a well-used existing icon for this...