References as advice, Seth Godin has pointed out, we may not even want it.
Reference cannot reassure the pathfinder, reassurance is futile. A guideline of different spec that can solve a what it's for and who's it for, design thinking-wise of visual flavor. It can be taken and added to the visual palate and taxonomy, or not.
Reference that becomes remixed, recurring with rhyming, intuitively pleasant design. That's the way forward.