profielfiguur

Profielfiguur is a Dutch term that literally means “profile figure” and is used to describe a simplified representation of a person used to depict an individual’s profile in images, icons, or diagrams. The concept is generic and can appear in various media, including digital interfaces, printed materials, and signage.

In digital contexts, a profielfiguur often serves as a placeholder avatar when no photograph is available, or as a scalable icon for user accounts and contact lists. In branding and marketing, profielfiguren may be employed to symbolize people or customer personas in illustrations, dashboards, or infographics. In signage and wayfinding, a profielfiguur can function as an easily recognizable human symbol.

Design characteristics of a profielfiguur typically emphasize simplicity and legibility. Figures are often abstract or stylistically reduced, sometimes as silhouettes or geometric shapes, and may depict a side profile or a minimal front view. The aim is to maintain recognizability at small sizes and across different media and color schemes.

Relation to related terms: a profielfoto refers to a profile photograph, whereas a profielfiguur is a non-photographic representation. A silhouette is one common form of profielfiguur, but the term can also cover more schematic or illustrated figures.

Usage notes: because the exact meaning depends on the discipline, a profielfiguur should be interpreted in its specific context. The core idea is a human-shaped visual representation used to stand for a person in visual media.