Sound can be applied to interactions by linking an action, or a state change, to an audio cue. These sounds are called earcons, and they can represent information, actions, or events. Their sound can reinforce both the meaning of an interaction and a product’s aesthetic, emotion, and personality.

To suit an earcon to a particular context, it can be designed using either inspiration from real-world situations or invented specifically to express an abstract concept. Familiar sounds that are based on experiences in the real world are referred to as skeuomorphic.

• Skeuomorphic sounds
• Abstract sounds