Q. What is a pictogram? 

A. Pictograms are pictures that are used to convey information in a concise visual format (for example, think of the small airplane symbol that is used to indicate an airport is near or the male and female figures that guide you to the restroom). As described by Dona M. Wong in the Wall Street Journal Guide to Information Graphics, “simple icons, free of detail, that remain crisp and coherent when reduced to a small size” actually communicate a great deal, as the pictograms above demonstrate.