icons vs. buttons?

[Susan W Gallagher]

The word "icon" means "a usually pictorial representation" (m-w.com), and
has meant so for more years than there have been computers. In software,
icons are used in three different ways.
1. As stand-alone, interactive representations of software applications,
documents, and the like on the desktop.
2. As non-interactive identifiers, such as the small icons you see in file
explorer that tell you what kind of file you're looking at.
3. As labels on interactive command buttons and toolbar buttons

Your UEP has the definitions correct, it's the use of icons for multiple
purposes that was throwing you.

HTH
-Sue Gallagher




On 7/31/07, Tracy Taylor <ipsque at yahoo.com> wrote:

> Hiya - this may only be relevant to those of us who write about software.
>
> In my opinion, within most software applications one has buttons.  The
> toolbar in Word has buttons, not icons.  And icons open programs.
>
> However, I got this definition from my user experience professional:
> Button – an affordance  that leads to an action, which is surrounded
> (generally) by a border that looks  somewhat 3-D.
> Link – an affordance  that leads to a new page or site and is
> generally  text.
> Icon – a small picture  that represents (we hope) an action, some
> information, or an  idea
> Any thoughts, or generally agreed upon principles?  Thanks, Tracy
>