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Nielsen Norman Group

Designing Icons

via Nielsen Norman Group

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Overview

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Design sharp, functional icons that align with brand systems and scale across interfaces. Design clear, readable icons that scale across devices.. Craft cohesive and brand-aligned icon sets. Deliver clean, developer-ready exports.

Syllabus

Course Curriculum

Course Overview (2 Lessons, 9 min)

  • Course Overview & Downloads
  • What Makes an Icon Different from All Other Visuals?

The Anatomy of an Icon (3 Lessons, 40 min)

  • Pixel-Perfect Icon Design
  • Icon Size and layout
  • Designing for Context: Desktop vs Mobile

The Four Pillars of Icon Design (6 Lessons, 50 min)

  • Your Icon-Design Vocabulary
  • Shape
  • Color
  • Outline and Fill
  • Style
  • Watch Me Design an Icon

Incorporating Icons into Your Design System (7 Lessons, 56 min)

  • Why Does an Icon Set Need to Feel Cohesive?
  • Applying Core Design Principles
  • Icons as Brand Elements
  • Figuring Out the Style of an Existing Icon Set
  • Audit Some Icons with Me
  • Balancing Uniqueness and Cohesion
  • AI and Icon Design

Saving and Exporting Icons (6 Lessons, 37 min)

  • What to Expect
  • Exporting Scalable Icons (SVGs & Artboards)
  • File Naming & Icon Organization
  • Functional Icons vs. Iconographic Graphics
  • Developer Handoff Best Practices
  • Conclusion

Taught by

Hayat Sheikh

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