Icons from my LG remote control
Reflection point writing assignment for UX Academy at DesignLab
For this assignment, I chose to analyze my LG remote. This remote control activates my LG Smart TV and is something that I use on a daily basis. The remote is small and curved, with buttons that show icons and labels for over 10 functions. I will go over several of these icons and their functions and how they are used.
Power icon
The power symbol is a universal symbol indicating that the remote control can activate or deactivate a device. In this case, the remote control power symbol is a button that when pushed, will turn on or off the TV. The symbol, a line partially within a broken circle, is also known as a standby symbol, which means that the switch does not fully disconnect its source of power.
Home icon
The home icon, represented by a simplified house with a door, mainly refers to a homepage of a website or screen device. The TV I use is an LG smart TV, so when pressing the home button, I am taken to the TV’s main navigational menu.
Back icon
The back icon is symbolized by an arrow pointing to the left. In the LG remote control, this icon helps the user navigate to the last page they visited on the TV.
Plus / Minus icons
The volume controls are indicated by two icons, the plus and minus symbol. To raise the volume of the sound, the user can press the plus (+) symbol, and to lower the volume, the user can press the minus (-) button.
Mute icon
Another quick option for volume control is the mute icon. This symbol looks like a side view of a speaker horn with an X on it. The X symbol is universal for “No”, and the speaker indicates “sound,” therefore this symbol means “No sound”.
Channel icons
On the TV remote, there are two additional arrows to indicate the user has the control to change channels on the TV. The top arrow points upward to navigate to the next higher channel, and the bottom arrow that points downward will do the opposite, navigating to the next lower channel.
3D icon
While I have never actually used this functionality on my TV, there is an option to view the TV in 3-dimensional mode. This icon is pretty literal with the “3D” displayed on the button in a slightly perspective angled view.
My apps / Quick Menu icon
The symbol of 3x3 squares together represents the menu or apps button. This icon label was a little confusing at first, as I did not know what “Q. Menu” was until I clicked on it. The LG smart TV has a screen that displays the apps you have and also a “Quick Menu” that helps the user navigate to the menu quickly. I do not actually use this function at all.
