Pictorial symbol creation procedure with focus on selection of content

Pictorial symbols are used in many places because they can be intuitive and easy-to-understand means of communication. Therefore, there are various basic research and applications. As a basic rule, the pictorial symbols preparation principle was established for supporting communication, and there is a standard JIS T 0103: 2005. However, there are issues when developing pictorial symbols suitable for specific facilities. For example, it is necessary to consider the selection of content, viewing angle, intuitive understanding, update and continuity, and so on. This paper proposes a method for defining specific content and what to select as a target in the process of pictogram creation. In this study, we implemented the proposed procedure for educational facility. We evaluated the selection of targeted content assuming the creation of pictograms of target equipment with characteristics such as whether it is for a specific purpose and whether it has a large capacity. Most of the content was valid, but it was suggested that each content category was affected by the type of content and the equipment of the relevant facility. This research will impact the pictogram production in countries around the world that is becoming more internationalized.