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Ann Waterhouse is <<... trying to create two graphics that will show
speed... Our software is used for dictation and transcription and its tool
bar allows you to increase and decrease the volume, go to the beginning of
dictation, go to the end of dictation, increase and decrease the speed of
the dictation and so on. The developer has come up with appropriate graphics
for all but increase and decrease speed. Does any one have any ideas?>>
Strictly speaking, it probably doesn't matter what icon you choose; all the
studies I've read on this topic suggest that users memorize the position of
buttons once they learn the functions represented by those buttons, and
thereafter rely on the position rather than trying to decipher our cryptic
attempts at graphics. But you still want something reasonably related to
speed, and it's got to fit on a standard toolbar, so how about the icon of a
highway road sign with different numbers: say, 30 mph* for the slow speed
and 65 mph for the high speed? To indicate the increase and decrease, add up
and down arrows respectively, beside the numbers. (The verbovisual mnemonic
<g> then becomes "down to 30 mph" and "up to 65 mph", respectively.)
* Better still, to avoid confusing everyone outside the U.S., use "wpm"
(words per minute) rather than mph. That's also more conceptually
consistent. You'll still have to change the icon if you export to
non-English countries, but that's a minor problem.
--Geoff Hart, FERIC, Pointe-Claire, Quebec
geoff-h -at- mtl -dot- feric -dot- ca
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