Symbol Comprehension in Different Countries: Experience Gained from Medical Device Area

Abstract

Due to the characteristic of “language-independence”, graphical symbols are regarded as one effective way to convey information across countries. This paper present the study results to evaluate 16 symbols used on the ICU (intensive care unit) devices, regarding their comprehensibility in two countries: Germany and China. 20 German and 13 Chinese experienced nurses and doctors working in the ICU area participated in the test. The comprehension test method recommended in ISO 9186 was applied. The test results revealed that the comprehension of the symbols in both countries is generally poor and there is no significant difference between these two countries. The application experience of the users, however, significantly influences the target users’ comprehension. It seems that training would be the indispensable way to ensure effectiveness of symbol application on device user interfaces.