If a picture is truly worth a thousand words, then the art of iconography is one of the most important and under-respected elements to sound web usability and design.

Poor iconography leads quickly to brand reputation, confusion and a number of interface problems. All of these add up to a hinderance in the site’s utility, message and promotion.

On the other hand, great iconography provides simple, quick understanding for visitors on how to use the site. It’s one of the aspects of web design that separates the mediocre from the memorable, and supports the brand right away.

Denis Kortunov demonstrates well the most frequent issues with sound icon design:

http://turbomilk.com/blog/cookbook/criticism/10_mistakes_in_icon_design

[photo by Sonic Julez]