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Facts and data on pictograms Literature

Surveillance

Synonyms / Other Terms Used

Surveillance Camera, Video Surveillance, Under Video Surveillance, CCTV Surveillance, CCTV in Operation, CCTV, Camera Monitored, Photo Enforced

Category

Behaviour of the Public, General, Miscellaneous

Message / Function

To indicate the location of surveillance camera

 

Source Description
Postbus Pictogram: Video Surveillance Postbus Side view of top mounted surveillance camera with cable, text 'Video'
Hora page 115: Amsterdam Schiphol Airport Pictogram: CCTV Surveillance1) Schiphol Side view of top mounted surveillance camera with cable
ISO 7001 Public Information Symbol PI BP 008: Surveillance Camera ISO 7001 Side view of top mounted surveillance camera
Hora page 154, CNIS: Pictogram Video CNIS Side view of top mounted surveillance camera
Pictogram: Video Surveillance from https://www.ueberwachungskamera-berater.de/ UKB Side view of top mounted surveillance camera with ventilation slots
CCTV in Operation (China CRRC)2) CRRC Side view of top mounted surveillance camera with some details
UF 29111: Video Surveillance (Videoüberwachung) Forster Side view of top mounted surveillance camera
Pictogram Surveillance from Otth AG for Arborium, Baar, Switzerland Otth Side view of top mounted surveillance camera in outline
Hodson page 230, Museu Blau: Pictogram Video Surveillance Zone (Zona video vigilancia) Museu Blau Side view of top mounted surveillance camera in outline
Icon Surveillance, Überwachung (Vienna) from Handbuch wien.gv.at Handbuch wien.gv.at Side view of surveillance camera on mount in outline
Sign Surveillance used by Metro AG in Austria Metro AG Side view of surveillance camera on mount
Pictogram: Video Surveillance recommended by TÜV Rheinland ISM TR Side view of surveillance camera on wall mount
DB Pictogram No 02 030: Camera Monitored DB 2017 Side view of surveillance camera with several details, on wall mount
Transport for London: Pictogram CCTV (UK) Transport for
London
Side view of surveillance camera on wall mount
Icon No 6068963: Camera, CCTV, Surveillance by IconPai (Iconfinder) IconPai Side view of surveillance camera with cover, on wall mount
U.S. National Park Service Map Symbol: Video Surveillance U.S. National
Park Service
Surveillance camera with cover, on wall mount
Icon No 3329276: Camera, External, Security Icon by Aleksandr Reva (Iconfinder) Aleksandr Reva Surveillance camera with cover, on wall mount
Road Sign: Video Surveillance from Norway W-RSN Side view of base mounted surveillance camera
Pictogram Video Surveillance (ÖBB 2007) ÖBB 2007 Frontal view of stylized eye

Note: Some of the examples shown above were mirrored horizontally to contrast differences.

Discussion

The collection above suggests that something like a visual stereotype exists for indicating the location of a surveillance camera: the side view of a surveillance camera on some kind of mount. Variations of renderings focus on a few details and the way the camera is mounted.

Data from research is sparse, as only two pictograms were examined:

Zwaga & Poppinga examined the pictogram variant labeled 1) for the message Video Surveillance in their undated study Identification and Legibility of Graphic Symbols. In the comprehension task according to ISO 9186:1999 this variant from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport reached a comprehension score of 81.5 . Even regarding that the respondents in this study were mostly persons with higher education, this pictogram seems to be sufficiently comprehensible.

In more recent research by Hung & Tan (2024) the pictogram labeled CRRC and marked with 2) was part of the material used to study factors of sign comprehension. Since 93.85 % of the answers could be classified as correct regarding the message CCTV in Operation, this variant proved to be well comprehensible among the sixty-five students who participated in this study.

Recommendations

ISO 7001 Public Information Symbol PI BP 008: Surveillance Camera

Due to the fact that a side view of a surveillance camera seems to be a visual stereotype for Surveillance, and based on research results available, we recommend using ISO 7001 Public Information Symbol PI BP 008: Surveillance Camera to indicate the location of surveillance camera.

Furthermore we advocate to conduct a study including a Comprehension Test comparing several concepts shown above to determine the image content working best. Relevant context information should be provided to the respondents of that project. Detailed information about the most frequent responses given in each of the response categories must be supplied for each pictogram variant tested to correctly judge comprehensibility and improve designs, if necessary.

Tests of pictograms of referent Surveillance

Zwaga, H.J.G. & Poppinga, J.: Identification and Legibility of Graphic Symbols; Towards a standard for public information symbols. Internal Report, Psychological Laboratory, University of Utrecht

Hung Y-H & Tan Y. (2024): How symbol and text combine to promote sign comprehension: Evidence from eye-tracking. Displays. 83, 102709. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.displa.2024.102709

See also

Information, No Entry

 

Updated 2024-12-06 by Ch.Brugger