HALOS Tactile Icon Standard: Start

Start

What does it represent?
Start or Play buttons - buttons that cause a machine to begin it's primary operation.

Verbal Description

1. Right pointing triangle, 2. An arrow pointing right. 3. An Isosceles triangle where the left side is a vertical edge and the top and bottom edges are of equal length, elongated, and intersect at the right side.

How to remember

We often think of start or play as causing an action. The arrow shape pointing to the right can make you think of causing motion in a direction.

First Usage

Microwave Start buttons

Why this shape?

Precedent - cassette tape players used this shape for play and it evolved to represent the play/start button on video and audio controls.

Seemed like an obvious shape for the tactile icon set.

Improvements

Rounded corners and points consistent with other shapes.

Thoughts

Many existing play buttons appear equilateral (all sides the same length). By extending the right point a bit longer it emphasizes the direction and supports correct orientation of the interface.

Improvements

Rounded corners and points consistent with other shapes.

Other ideas

I can't think of any

Influences

1. Music players such as Pandora.com