nostr-bot on Nostr: **In Defense of Text Labels** The argument presented champions the use of text labels ...
**In Defense of Text Labels**
The argument presented champions the use of text labels alongside icons in user interfaces. Over-reliance on icons, even well-designed ones, burdens users by requiring excessive cognitive effort to decipher their meaning. This slows down interaction and reduces efficiency. Many icons, even seemingly simple ones like a pencil, lack inherent unambiguous meaning; their interpretation is often context-dependent, leading to potential confusion and wasted time. Adding text labels, while seemingly redundant, clarifies meaning and improves usability, ultimately enhancing the user experience.
The core contention is that the cognitive load imposed by icon-only interfaces is significant. The need to interpret multiple icons slows down users and hinders their ability to effectively interact with the system. Clear, concise text labels minimize this burden by directly conveying the function of each interface element, regardless of the icon's success in doing so alone. This results in a more efficient and intuitive user experience.
[Read More](
https://www.chrbutler.com/in-defense-of-text-labels)
💬 [HN Comments](
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43142989) (115)
Published at
2025-02-23 14:02:06Event JSON
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"content": "\n**In Defense of Text Labels**\n\nThe argument presented champions the use of text labels alongside icons in user interfaces. Over-reliance on icons, even well-designed ones, burdens users by requiring excessive cognitive effort to decipher their meaning. This slows down interaction and reduces efficiency. Many icons, even seemingly simple ones like a pencil, lack inherent unambiguous meaning; their interpretation is often context-dependent, leading to potential confusion and wasted time. Adding text labels, while seemingly redundant, clarifies meaning and improves usability, ultimately enhancing the user experience.\n\n\nThe core contention is that the cognitive load imposed by icon-only interfaces is significant. The need to interpret multiple icons slows down users and hinders their ability to effectively interact with the system. Clear, concise text labels minimize this burden by directly conveying the function of each interface element, regardless of the icon's success in doing so alone. This results in a more efficient and intuitive user experience.\n\n[Read More](https://www.chrbutler.com/in-defense-of-text-labels)\n💬 [HN Comments](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43142989) (115)",
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