Cashier

Synonyms / Other Terms Used

Cash Register, Cash Point, Cash Desk, Check-Out, Billing

Category

Commercial Facilities, Services

Message / Function

To indicate the location of a cashier or cash register

	Source	Description
	Modley	Side view of vintage cash register
	SIS	Cash register
	Erco	Display portion of cash register plus some keys below
	CSS	Side view of standing human figure next to cash register with $-sign
	Hablamos Juntos	Two human figures standing at desk, filled circle with $-sign inside
	CNIS	Hand holding banknote with currency symbol
	AIGA	Dollar sign inside fat circle
	Eco-Mo Foundation	Yen sign inside filled circle
	O'72	Hand carrying bag

Discussion

The collection above reveals the lack of a visual stereotype for the message Cashier. Also due to changes in technology regarding cash registers the AIGA committee recommended establishing a new symbol concept: 'Since a person looking for the cashier is looking for the place to make a monetary transaction, the dollar sign itself would be an appropriate and understandable concept, especially within the context of a shop, customs area, etc., where it would be used' (AIGA Symbol Signs, 1993, page 29). Furthermore it was proposed to adopt this concept in other countries by using the local currency symbol.

Data from research is sparse, as only a single pictogram was examined for comprehensibility:

In a Japanese study to propose domestically unified graphical symbols based on scientific methods, the corresponding variant labeled as Eco-Mo Foundation in the table above reached an insufficient comprehension score of 40.4 (Eco-Mo Foundation, 2001), indicating that this symbol is of limited use if the relevant context information is missing.

Recommendations

We suggest to conduct studies comparing more concepts than the one tested in the paper available. Such a study should include a Comprehension Test also providing some context information to get realistic results. This method is also relevant to identify possible misinterpretations and to improve designs. Only on such a basis a clear decision concerning a specific recommendation can be reached.

Tests of pictograms of referent Cashier

Eco-Mo Foundation (2001): Test data of public information symbols in Japan - Procedure for the testing of public information symbols by the Study Committee. ISO: ISO/TC 145/SC 1 N 329.