cuessign

Cuessign is a neologism used in discussions of semiotics and human–computer interaction to describe the signal produced by a sign that guides interpretation or action. The term blends cue and sign and emphasizes the functional role of a sign in prompting a response rather than merely conveying descriptive content.

Origins of the term are informal; cuessign has appeared in a limited range of academic and design-oriented writing since the early 21st century. It is not a standardized entry in major dictionaries or glossaries, and its precise definition can vary by author. In practice, cuessign refers to any visual, auditory, or tactile feature that cues a user toward a particular interpretation or behavior when encountering a sign, interface element, or piece of signage.

Examples include a highlighted button that suggests clicking, an animated progress indicator that cues completion, or a color change that signals a critical warning. The concept overlaps with related ideas such as affordances, cues in experimental psychology, and signifiers in semiotics. Some scholars view cuessign as a useful shorthand for discussing the interplay between form and function in signaling, while others prefer to analyze cues and signs using established terminology to avoid ambiguity. As with many neologisms, its usage and acceptance may evolve over time.