Considerations for Emoji and Icon Usage in Product Interfaces and Documentation

Track: Content Strategy | CS8 |
Friday, October 28, 2016, 3:45pm – 4:30pm
Held in: Mont-Royal/Hampstead/Côte St-Luc
Presenter:
Wendy Wang - IBM
Host: Scott Abel

Emojis are ideograms used most often in electronic messages and notifications. The characters, which are similar to ASCII emoticons, exist in various forms, from facial expressions to places and things. While emojis can provide an alternative way of communicating some types of information, there are things to consider before using them. For example, the meaning of an emoji can be misinterpreted for a variety of reasons, including cultural differences that might skew the interpretation. What might result from translating content using emojis and icons? Also, what should be considered when making the decision of whether or not an emoji or an icon should be used?

Takeaways: How cultural differences impact emoji interpretation; why emojis display differently on different device types and how these differences can impact interpretation; whether emojis and icons should be translated or tagged as “non-translatable”; and about emoticons and analytics.