Guide: What Is the Icon with Three Lines Called?
You’ve probably seen the three horizontal lines icon a million times while browsing the web or a mobile app. However, you are probably in the dark regarding the name, as are most people. Did you know that this icon is called the hamburger menu? This burger menu does not go together with fries and soda; it is used to save space. It was invented long ago, but it remained inactive until the smartphone era. Website and app developers found it difficult to fit every option on the main screen, and this little delightful icon made all of that possible. Read on if you’re interested in the origins of the burger symbol, what apps use it, and the controversy surrounding it.
The origin of the hamburger icon
There is much disagreement about the invention of the hamburger. It is a sandwich with meat between two buns, invented more than 100 years ago. The icon with three horizontal lines looks similar, which is what it is popularly called today.
As for the invention of this icon, credit goes to Norm Cox who created it for Xerox Star. It was the very first GUI, created to give users easy access to a selection of choices. This was back in 1981. How come it only recently reappeared? Well it was due to the popularity of mobile phones. Smartphone screens weren’t that big at first, so app designers had to find a way to make the most of their space. The burger symbol was attractive as they could store many options behind the three little lines.
Why apps use hamburger icons
Some users find it difficult to navigate some apps or websites and there is a reason for that. Developers cannot possibly spell everything due to the lack of space. So instead of writing Menu, Preferences or Options they decided to use the hamburger symbol. On the other hand, not everyone is a native English language, so they should translate the option and fit small smartphone screens. That would be very difficult for languages like Dutch or German, which have been infamous for long time words. This icon breaks through the large text walls and makes the user focus on the main interface of a site or an app. Some prefer to think of it as a “More” icon than “Options, ” which turned out to be a better approach.
Good examples of how to use hamburger icons
The hamburger icon was famous by the most prominent apps, such as Google, YouTube and Facebook. However, due to a lack of transparency, Facebook decided to replace the hamburger icon with a tab bar.
YouTube also made this decision after a drop in user engagement. Maybe these big shots weren’t using the icon correctly, or it just didn’t fit their platforms. Here are some better examples of how to use burger symbols.
Uber
Uber has done great with the burger symbol because their app is about booking rides. The burger symbol is for secondary use, less important than finding a ride, eg Payment, ride history, freebies, etc.
Google Drive
Google does the same; Google Drive’s primary focus is on documents and other files. The hamburger menu is there for other options, such as backupup, sharing and settings.
My fitness buddy
A calorie tracking app had to include a burger menu, right? They added it in the top left of the screen, away from the calorie counter. More advanced things like diets, progression and recipes are set aside and readily available at the touch of a button.
The Cons of the Hamburger Menu
This three-line icon has been getting a lot of hate lately, and it’s clear why. The main reason is that it is not transparent enough. When you place items in a hamburger menu, they are less visible and therefore less prominent. This further leads to less user engagement i.e. fewer clicks on this particular icon. Some say it’s harder to get to because it’s usually located in the top left or right corner of the screen and the mobile phones grow in size every year.
Do you like burger icons?
How do you feel about this? Are these icons as appealing as the delicious food they are named after? Opinions on the matter vary widely, but when asked if burger symbol is here to stay, the inventor thought it was because of its practicality.
What Is the Icon with Three Lines Called?: benefits
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