Pictograms in Public Services: Pictures That Include Everyone

Imagine arriving at a busy train station in a country whose language you don't speak. A pictogram — a simple, standardised image that represents an idea or action — can guide you to the exit, the toilet, or the help desk without a single word. These small icons are one of the most powerful tools public services have for reaching everyone.

Pictograms are used in hospitals, transport hubs, government offices, schools, and town halls right across Europe. When they are well designed, they remove barriers for people with low literacy, those who are deaf or hard of hearing, tourists, migrants, and people with cognitive disabilities.

You probably recognise the green running figure that marks an emergency exit — that symbol is standardised across the EU and saves lives precisely because it needs no translation. In Portugal, health centres use pictogram sets on appointment letters so patients know whether to fast before a blood test. In Germany, many public libraries display pictogram guides that show borrowing steps without relying on text.

Spain's ARASAAC project, based in Zaragoza, has produced one of the world's largest free libraries of pictograms — over 12,000 images available in multiple languages. Schools, hospitals, and local councils across Europe download and print these to support people with autism, learning difficulties, or limited language skills.

A good pictogram is simple, unambiguous, and culturally neutral. It should communicate its meaning to someone who has never seen it before within two or three seconds. Colour can help — green for 'go' or 'safe', red for 'stop' or 'danger' — but a pictogram should also work in black and white, because some people experience colour blindness.

Size and placement matter too. A pictogram placed at adult eye level in good lighting is far more useful than a tiny icon tucked in a corner. The Netherlands has led the way in accessibility audits that check whether signage, including pictograms, genuinely works for people with a range of visual and cognitive needs.

The EU's European Accessibility Act, which member states must apply from 2025, requires that many public-facing digital and physical services be accessible to all. Clear, consistent pictograms are one practical way services can meet this standard. If you use or work in a public service, you have the right to expect communication that is understandable — and the right to ask for adjustments if it is not.

In Estonia, digital public services — which are used by almost everyone — increasingly combine short text with pictograms so that non-Estonian speakers and older adults can navigate e-government portals confidently. This shows that pictograms are not just for physical spaces; they belong in the digital world too.

“The best public service speaks to you in a language you already understand — even if that language has no words.”

Next time you walk into a public building or open a government website, notice the pictograms around you. Ask yourself: would these guide someone who cannot read the local language, or who finds too much text overwhelming? That simple question is the start of more inclusive design.