Why use more icons and less text designing apps.

Universally, icons play a vital role in app design. Apps can be simplified, modernized and can be more intuitive with proper use of icons or graphical representations of each functions. We need more graphical interpretations of our apps because unlike language, graphics do not have a language barrier and has a broader universal appeal to it. Text on the other hand depends on different language for its size in length and also its understanding without a proper translation to it.

Once it happened while designing a CAD/CAM application that I realized that it needs a whole department of translators to take care of these issues while making an app with a global audience. That is where I started replacing more and more functions with icons which can be understood by a machinist easily no matter in which corner of the globe he is using it.

Let’s find out some key factors where Icon can score above text.

• Icons do not need translations like text with language packs.
• Icons or graphics are more intuitive than text or language. (a picture speaks a thousand words)
• Icons need lesser space than text in the user interface.
• With Icons We can make it much more interactive than with only text.

Ponder on the above points and try if you can replace more elements in your app with icons and graphics making it smart and more intuitive.