icons used in transmogrified

[kaigou]

Title:
icons used in transmogrified

Area:
icons, usability

Summary:
The icon used for "filtered post" in transmog style is identical to the icon traditionally used to indicate "protected from viruses": a shield.

Description:
Could we possibly get that "filtered" icon* changed to something more intuitive? Or at least to something less misleading?

I know the notion of "filter" is a hard one to create an intuitive icon for, but honestly, the one being used doesn't make me think "filter"; it's too much like the MacAfee and DiskWarrior styled shield icon/badges. Every time I see a post with that on it, my first reaction is, "how the hell did a virus get into my post?" as though the icon is trying to alert me that my post has been cleaned. I see the icon nearly daily, yet it's still losing its uphill battle against nearly a decade of "shield = VIRUS!!" reinforcement. 

ETA: icon in question is

Other applications using a variation on the shield-shape: Norton Antivirus, Windows Network Security, eScan Virus Check, Windows Anti-Virus Software, Hotspot Shield, Symantec Antivirus, A-Squared Anti-Malware, Spy Sweeper, Windows Updater (tray icon), Ewido Anti-Spyware, AVG Anti-Spyware, Anti-Malware 2009, Sophos Anti-Virus, USB Disk Security, Orbasoft ApS [...and more but I got tired of typing.]

UPDATE 8/21: proposed icon on the boards (see comments) is by Turlough, using two silk icons together:

From a usability perspective, "filter" is one of the hardest concepts to iconify, because it's not a concrete thing. (I've even seen "flour sifter" used as "filter"-icon, and how many people still know what that is?) The difficulty is perfectly illustrated by the fact that DW's "filter" icon isn't even "filter"-like, but instead is trying to riff off the idea of "shielded".

In a new application, we can and do learn new icon-meanings, which may complicate the learning curve but afterwards we're savvy. In this case, though, DW is trying to pre-empt an icon that has a well-established meaning. That makes for some major cognitive dissonance. I'd say I'm pretty savvy usually, but I keep stumbling when I check the settings after posting. If it's late, or my eyes are tired, a few times I've even automatically clicked on the little shield, nervously expecting a message to pop up from DW about how I just got stopped from sending the I-love-you-virus to everyone on my flist. Or something equally horrendous.

Either come up with an icon that does relate to the concept of "filter" (good luck, because it is hard) OR shift the semantics to a word that can be illustrated more easily (much as 'shielded' -> 'protected' does) and transition in a new/unfamiliar icon to go with it.

* I have no idea whether the icon is consistent in all styles; I'm only familiar with transmog to any degree.

Poll #1056 icons used in transmogrified

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 50

View Respondents

This suggestion:

View Answers

Should be implemented as-is.
19 (38.0%)

Should be implemented with changes. (please comment)
12 (24.0%)

Shouldn't be implemented.
10 (20.0%)

(I have no opinion)
9 (18.0%)

(Other: please comment)
0 (0.0%)

Comments

[turlough]

I don't have an opinion on this because I use my own selection of icons from the Silk set. There isn't really one that really fits the concept of filtered entries in this set though so I ended up making a custom made one that looked pretty much like LJ's filter icon:

[kaigou]

oh, but it's a nice mix, because it's saying it's a tagged kind of locked, which does work for what a filter does (instead of illustrating filter, that is). That definitely works for me!

Regardless of what DW chooses to do, would you mind if I used your icon-adaptation, myself?

[turlough]

Thank you! I kind of like the one LJ uses (if it wasn't so ugly-looking :-) and this was the best combination I could come up with. Also, of course you can use it. I only combined two pre-existing icons after all so go ahead!

[kate_nepveu]

Oh I like that a _lot_.

*votes*

[turlough]

Thank you! I kind of like it a lot myself :-)

[triadruid]

I like that tagged padlock quite a bit - it's similar to LJ's without being repetitive of theirs. And I agree with whoever said the bell is a bit...wtf...

[musyc]

I like this one. The shield says virus to me, too.

[kaigou]

I edited post to include, because your icon-idea seems to be a winner, so far.

...I wonder if I should ask to close this suggestion & redo the suggestion with your icon as a specific replacement..?

[zvi]

I am changing my vote to be in favor of turlough's proposed icon.