Spotify Iconset
- the author states that when he starts an icon project (which he calls the 'discovery phase'), he picks just a few icons to focus on
- he states that one of the challenges was trying to represent something that didn't actually have a physical form
- there are 4 main sizes for each icon 16, 24, 32, and 64px
- as the size increases, the stroke widths needs to be scaled to a lesser degree so the icons don't look too chunky when shown in a larger scale
- opt for the simplest metaphor in each case
- rounded corners seem to work better than sharp edges
- they tried using busts for the mood section but decided it was too obscure
An Icon is Worth 1,000 Words
- UX designer James Foster conducted a test and found that the hamburger icon is less clear than the simple word "menu"
- icons take up less space
- Google states that, "an icon is a quick, intuitive representation of an action, a status, or an app"
- use vector images and design the image on a larger art board
- icons are intuitive and they are small
- icons are best used for the following situations:
- companies with time to train employees on icon meanings
- international applications where language barriers preclude the use of text
- the very young and not yet literate, which are becoming a common tablet audience
- small screen spaces requiring multiple and complex buttons
- one issue with icons is the speed with which new features are being developed
- this can cause popular icons to go out of style or the image's meaning may change over time
- icons can also be recognized as different meanings in different countries
- the use of text AND icons is best used in these situations:
- applications used by multiple cultures with different meanings for iconography
- older or less technically savvy audiences
- applications with a few very important actions or buttons
- applications needing a very fast learning curve
- icons can make or break the usability of an interface
- icons use is context-specific
No comments:
Post a Comment