The app I decided to choose with many icons is Snapchat. The icons and buttons I find interesting featured in the app include: map, camera, friends, and texting. These buttons take after the sumerian alphabet’s approach of simple yet explanatory. The sumerian alphabet is best compared to the app I chose because of its simplistic nature in trying to convey what the function is. For many millennia, humans have used icons as a source to tell stories and make communication easier. The goal of the icons used in the app is to send the user to their desired designation. Each one of these icons are singular meanings and do not confused the user and make them think about what tab they are able to enter. When you click the camera button, you know you are going to be taking pictures. If you instead decided to click the texting button, you would be directed to a list of all your conversations with friends of yours.
I appreciate you focusing on few icons of this wild social media app, and I agree on your point of “humans use icons to tell stories and make communication easier”, but there are cases where icons can mean multiple things, in some circumstances . It would be interesting to explore that and understand the use cases!:D
Don’t hesitate to include images when talking about visual material. It’s hard to understand everything in your analysis without some visual reference.
I agree with you that The sumerian alphabet simplistic nature in trying to convey what the function is.The sumerian alphabet can show the meaning of words in simple and clear way, this is what I am looking for.
I like how you already discuss the user experience in terms of what they are expecting to happen when they press a button or see an icon.
I agree with you about how our modern icons usually have singular meanings to avoid confusion. In my opinion, designer want to simplicity but that’s not necessary the same goal of many ancient civilizations