The evolution of the elevator pictogram: Pointing out trends for the future

What is it about?

This study draws attention to the challenging perception of two public information pictograms, ‘elevator’ and ‘toilet’. Both indicate the location of a destination. Although the semantic information is completely different, both pictograms partly depict the same: front view of standing human figures. In certain contexts (e.g., at airports or train stations), with people in a hurry and with users from different cultures, this can lead to confusion.

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Why is it important?

There is a need for new and revised pictograms given the growing number of new requirements in complex buildings like airports, not to mention current issues, such as accessibility, gender equality, etc. They are being developed to meet the needs of today. This study offers five pointers for consideration when designing the elevator pictogram in the future.