Everyone knows how much I love icons because I use them in almost everything I make. The other day I read this article by Ellen Lupton that changed my perception. She says that while icons work amazing in the print world because of their universal nature, they are actually not as effective as type. The digital world is amazing because it can change based on who you are. Meaning, that if you speak a different language, type can change to fit your understanding. Icons can not. Icons also are not as universal as one might think. All icons, no matter how clear, take some cultural understanding. Type is also searchable and icons are not.
She had a lot to say about the user but I thought that was the most interesting.
