ISO 9186-3:2014

Overview

ISO 9186-3:2014 - Graphical symbols - Test methods - Part 3: Method for testing symbol referent association - specifies a standardized procedure to assess whether graphical symbols (especially for specialised referents) are correctly associated with their intended meaning by users who are familiar with those referents. The standard focuses on cases where the general public may not know the referent and therefore requires a controlled familiarity training stage before symbol testing.

Key topics and requirements

• Purpose: Measure the proportion of trained users who associate a symbol with its correct referent (the object, facility, control or display the symbol denotes).
• Familiarity training: Respondents must be trained and then demonstrate understanding of all relevant referents before taking the referent association test.
• Minimum respondents: At least 25 respondents who demonstrate familiarity are required for the referent association test.
• Test format: Use printed or computer-screen presentations (including internet). Screens should be at least 400 mm diagonal with resolution better than 800×600 pixels; images must not be distorted or show aliased lines that impair identification.
• Test design:
  • Present each symbol with a list of familiarized referents and ask which one the symbol indicates.
  • Include the response option “none of these” to avoid correct guessing by elimination.
  • Sets typically include seven or more symbols, often many more depending on context (e.g., equipment panels).
• Variants and design: Symbol variants should be black on white; colour may be used only if colour is a functional part of the symbol.
• Pre-test submission: Submitters must follow standards organization forms and ensure symbols meet relevant design principles and criteria before testing.
• Cross-country testing: Ensure consistent materials and equivalent legibility when testing in multiple countries.

Applications and who uses it

• Designers and human-factors specialists creating graphical symbols for specialized equipment, industrial controls, safety signage and user interfaces.
• Standards committees and manufacturers submitting symbols for ISO standardization.
• UX and technical communication teams validating symbol recognition among trained operator groups (e.g., medical, aerospace, industrial sectors).
• Regulators and procurement bodies requiring evidence of symbol recognizability among intended specialist users.

Related standards

• ISO 9186-1 - Method for testing comprehensibility (general public).
• ISO 9186-2 - Method for testing perceptual quality (element identification).
• Design and usability references: ISO 3864-3, ISO 22727, and relevant parts of ISO 9241.

Keywords: ISO 9186-3:2014, graphical symbols, referent association test, familiarity training, symbol recognition, symbol testing, ISO standard.