Reflection Point: Icons
There are two things I loved growing up as a kid; Music and Sports. Within music and sports, there are artists and athletes who grabs your attention and leaves a long lasting impression, Icons.
A kid from South Korea living over 6000 miles away from Chicago, knew a man by the name of Michael Jeffery Jordan. Mike. Air Jordan. I honestly don’t know how I was introduced to basketball when all my friends at the time were playing soccer.
You might be asking why? Why did you bring up Michael Jordan to this conversation regarding Icons in UX. Whether you like, dislike, or don’t know about him, you know his name. Globally.
I’m beginning to understand by reading other articles why Icons are so important to this industry. In the world of branding, the icon allows the company to represent for itself without the use of words and still be understandable to the vast majority.
Here are some Icons I found around the house to use as examples:
- Apple
Love it or hate it. This is a global icon. An icon worth over $2 Trillion. At one point, it moved the needle in the tech industry however it wanted to. They were able to put premium prices on their products knowing it was going to sell (Also my mentors favorite company. I got you Mark haha).
2. Battery Indicators
An indicator we visually see everyday. A good visual to let the user know how much time is left before the tech turns off.
*Note*
Don’t forget to charge your own batteries time to time.
3. Recycle
Most adults that take out the trash and the recycling know this icon. The recycle logos are everywhere from bottles to cardboard boxes. There was a period of time where this icon wasn’t all that clear to understand. This article helps in detail to understand what type of recycling is possible for different types of materials.
4. WiFi (Wireless Fidelity)
In a designers mind, one has to ask themselves, “how can I represent radio waves into an icon?” At the time of inception, radios were still relevant. This icon is more of a friendly representation of radio waves. Now this is a common icon used in most households and businesses.
5. Nike
Saved this one for last.
The Swoosh. Is there more I can say about it? A small company that started out as a tennis shoe company into a global icon, no pun intended. This company has created almost a country behind their movement. They move the needle.
To sum this article up, there are icons to represent so many things we use everyday. As a UX designer, I am trying to take in what it takes to make a great icon. There are few things I’ve noticed during my research and personal usage of icons.
- Simple and Clean
- Universal usability
- Consistency
All great brands and icons use these 3 methods. As I continue to grow as a designer, my goal is to keep these 3 things in mind.