Overview
ISO/IEC 13251:2019 - Information technology - Collection of graphical symbols for office equipment - is a curated collection of standardized graphical symbols used to aid user operation of office devices such as personal computers, printers, telephones and copying machines. The second edition (2019) consolidates relevant symbols from IEC 60417 and ISO 7000, adds 69 new symbols (IDs 380…448), and clarifies presentation to avoid repetition. These symbols are language‑independent visual cues for controls, indicators and connections on equipment and displays.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Scope and purpose: Provides a ready reference of graphical symbols typically used on office equipment to support safe, consistent user interaction.
- Source and provenance: Symbols are drawn from IEC 60417 and ISO 7000 databases - the authoritative repositories for equipment symbols.
- Creation and application principles: Users must follow the basic principles and rules in IEC/ISO 80416 series:
- Terminology and definitions: The standard cites definitions for “graphical symbol” and related terms, ensuring consistent interpretation.
- Examples included: Common equipment symbols such as power ON/OFF, standby, start/stop, pause, movement and rotation arrows, battery and fuse indicators, input/output, AC/DC markings, remote control and status indicators are documented with intended meanings.
Practical applications
ISO/IEC 13251:2019 is directly useful for:
- Product designers and industrial designers applying consistent equipment icons to hardware controls and labels.
- UX/UI designers and software developers implementing device-related screen icons and on‑screen controls.
- Technical writers and localization teams ensuring symbol meaning is consistent across languages.
- Manufacturers and compliance teams needing standardized symbols for safety, markings, and user manuals.
- Accessibility and usability specialists standardizing visual cues to reduce user errors.
Benefits include improved user comprehension, reduced localization cost, and alignment with international conformity expectations.
Related standards
- IEC 60417 - Graphical symbols for use on equipment (database)
- ISO 7000 - Graphical symbols for use on equipment (database via ISO OBP)
- IEC/ISO 80416 series - Basic principles for creation and application of graphical symbols
- ISO/IEC Directives - Process for registration and validation of new symbols
Keywords: ISO/IEC 13251:2019, graphical symbols, office equipment symbols, IEC 60417, ISO 7000, IEC 80416, power symbol, equipment icons, standard symbols for devices.