Icons aren't really about recall....they're more about recognition and
location.
Recognition: The question is not whether people remember what the icon
looks like, but can they recognize it when they see it in context?
(think of song lyrics...you probably can't tell us what they are right
now, but if the music came on [you were in context] you would likely
be able to sing along)
Location: Most people remember *where* functions are located much
better than what they look like. (think of driving... spacial
recognition is much more than simply what things look like...it's
directional & multi-dimensional)
The reason why icons + text works best is because that combination
provides the most information...which by sheer probability makes it
more likely that a user will recognize them when they need to.
Josh
Joshua Porter, Founder
Bokardo Design
Interface design & strategy for social web applications
phone: 508-954-1896
http://bokardo.com
[email protected]
twitter: bokardo
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