UI icon design principles

Icon is one of the most important elements in GUI design, and it is also the most direct and vivid visual form in GUI design. With excellent graphic design, clear image and outstanding shape, the icon can be quickly understood and accepted by users, so as to improve the use efficiency of the software or program, and finally bring users a good use experience.

The design principles of graphical user interface icons mainly include the following: the unity principle of graphical user interface icons; the cognitive and recognition principle of icons; the simplicity and symbolism principle of icons; the dimensionality principle and text application principle of icons.

Principle of unity:

In a software or program system, the design style of icons needs to be unified. Because the unified icon has better quality than the single scattered icon, it is easier for users to understand and accept. The modeling design of the icon can use the relaxed and humorous painting style, or use the simple and bright plane silhouette effect or the cool and fashionable 3D effect.

Principles of user cognition and recognition:

The purpose of icon design is to convey information through symbolic graphics. Therefore, the principle of user's cognition and recognition is very important in icon design. In icon design, metaphor is a very important technique of expression. Through induction and association, the most direct association can be established by making the pattern shape of icon and the use function of icon. However, this kind of direct association depends on the cognitive level and cognitive habits of icon users. In contrast, the interface icon design with metaphorical expression can simplify the complexity, clarify the connotation of abstract things, and make it easier for users to understand and recognize, thus significantly improving the effectiveness and accuracy of the icon in human-computer interaction.

The principle of simplicity and symbolism

The realistic degree of visual pattern is directly proportional to the audience's attention to visual pattern. That is, the more realistic the design, the more likely to attract the attention of the audience. Therefore, when a designer designs an icon, the more lifelike the visual representation of the icon is, the more attention can be attracted to the user and the more interest can be aroused. However, the image realistic icon design, but also from another aspect affects the rapid communication of icon information.

Because when graphics transmit information, its simplicity is directly proportional to the recognition of the audience. That is, the more concise the pattern, the easier it is for people to recognize and remember, and the more efficient it is to convey information. But extremely realistic or adds too many decoration effect's icon, its information transmission rapidity, is also greatly discounted.

Principle of dimensionality

Because of the different use environment of GUI, the display environment of GUI is different. Therefore, the icon size of the graphical user interface is also different. Icon design is different from other visual design. The same icon, because of its size, display effect and production details are not the same. Therefore, icons in different display systems have their corresponding icon effects when they are designed.

Principles of text application

In icon design, in addition to graphic design, there is also an important component of text. Simple and clear text label and clear and accurate text description can better improve the working efficiency of graphical user interface. When setting the icon text, it is best to use simple and popular text as the description text of the icon. In the selection of icon text, it needs to have a high degree of generality. At the same time, icon text needs to have a high degree of information transmission