If you have studied a foreign language, you spent a lot of time learning the words of the language and the rules of how to combine them. If the words were consistent in spelling and easy to pronounce and the rules of combining them were few and simple, you probably had a relatively easy time of it. Large, complex systems benefit most from a simple, consistent iconic language. Imagine that you are charged with developing an iconic language for a computer program used by draftsmen, engineers, architects, technical illustrators, and other design professionals to make precision engineering drawings. Icon showing object, action, and method Actions are what the user does to or with elements.
Objects are the geometric figures being created and manipulated.
Methods specify how an action is carried out. For example, we can make a slight variation on the initial example by changing just the method by which the circle is defined. Icon for defining a circle by points at its center and edge The icon for a different object using the same action and method can be created by simply changing the object part of the icon. Semiology of Graphics. University of Wisconsin, 1983.