433: Making a Case for Icons

433: Making a Case for Icons

Author: Brian Lovin, Marshall Bock March 23, 2022 Duration: 25:16

This week, we make the case for designing product icons and discuss what to do if your team doesn’t want to invest in great iconography. In the Sidebar, we talk about how to incorporate default typefaces into your design system.

The Sidebar:

The Sidebar is an exclusive weekly segment for our Patreon supporters. You can subscribe starting at $1 per month for access to bonus content going forward! Sign up at patreon.com/designdetails.

Latest VIP Patrons:

  • Christian Rotzoll
  • Zack Meredith
  • JS
  • Zach Geist
  • Kates Hartman
  • mike kenny
  • Wilson
  • Andre Diniz
  • Mattias Kronberg

Follow up:

Main Topic:

This week, we make the case for designing product icons and discuss what to do if your team doesn’t want to invest in great iconography.

The Lead Developer at my work requested to remove some of the icons, because they slow down development time when having to wait for one to be created, grappling with SVGs, etc. Unfortunately, he is right as they are time-consuming to make (especially good ones) and since I'm the only UX/UI designer in the company, it slows me down and I become the bottleneck.

That said, I feel that icons give character, polish and professionalism to an otherwise extremely utilitarian UI. Icons can also be functional in that they help make certain elements stand out from an otherwise huge sea of text, but they are still seen as "fluff". I've asked for another designer to be hired, or request our graphic designer to create icons when he has time, but these suggestions didn't get any support. How would you make a case for icons when they are seen as mere decoration?

Cool Things:

  • Brian shared the Opal C1, a professional webcam that claims DSLR-quality images in a $300 chassis. So far: it’s definitely a beta product, but depending on your needs it might be a worthwhile upgrade!
  • Marshall shared the ohsnap! Snapmount 2.0, an accessory that helps you mount your phone to a wall (with MagSafe!), making it ideal for turning your phone into a mounted shower speaker.

Design Details on the Web:

Byeee!


Every week, Brian Lovin and Marshall Bock settle in for a thoughtful, often meandering chat that pulls back the curtain on how things are made. Their Design Details podcast lives in the rich space where technology and the arts intersect, focusing less on polished case studies and more on the real, sometimes messy, work of design. You’ll hear them dissect the nuances of product decisions, debate the evolving culture of creative teams, and share personal stories from their own experiences in the industry. It feels less like a lecture and more like eavesdropping on a conversation between two deeply knowledgeable friends. The discussions regularly venture into the philosophical side of craft, examining why certain choices resonate and how design shapes our daily interactions with the world. For anyone curious about the thinking behind the pixels and interfaces, this show offers a consistent, grounded perspective. Tuning in provides a sense of community and a candid look at the process, making it a staple for designers and creators who appreciate substance over flash.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Design Details
Podcast Episodes
454: Is UI Design Actually That Important? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:48
This week, we answer a crucial question: is UI design actually that important? Our answer may shock you 🫢The Sidebar:The Sidebar is an exclusive weekly segment for our Patreon supporters. You can subscribe starting at $1…
453: Building a Type Stack [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:25
This week, we discuss strategies for building an excellent type stack in your designs.The Sidebar:The Sidebar is an exclusive weekly segment for our Patreon supporters. You can subscribe starting at $1 per month for acce…
452: Design Trends for 2023 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:51
This week, we discuss current visual design trends and how the web will look in 2023.The Sidebar:The Sidebar is an exclusive weekly segment for our Patreon supporters. You can subscribe starting at $1 per month for acces…
451: The Whole Twitter Thing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:49
This week, we talk about the whole Twitter thing, and how we'd handle the verified badge design debacle.The Sidebar:The Sidebar is an exclusive weekly segment for our Patreon supporters. You can subscribe starting at $1…
450: Designing Hefty Interfaces [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:18
This week, we talk about what gives software the feeling of heft and the effect of that feeling on how customers perceive the value of a tool.The Sidebar:The Sidebar is an exclusive weekly segment for our Patreon support…
449: Google Pixel 7 Event [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:54
This week, we recap Google's Pixel 7 Event and dig into our favorite design details of the new Pixel phone, tablet, and watch.The Sidebar:The Sidebar is an exclusive weekly segment for our Patreon supporters. You can sub…
448: News Desk, Vol. 5 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:03
This week, we break down new Figma features, dissect the Live Activities HIG, and share our cool-takes on the Adobe + Figma acquisition.The Sidebar:The Sidebar is an exclusive weekly segment for our Patreon supporters. Y…
447: Stranded on Dynamic Island [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:46
This week, we share our hot takes and first impressions of the new Dynamic Island on the iPhone 14 Pro.The Sidebar:The Sidebar is an exclusive weekly segment for our Patreon supporters. You can subscribe starting at $1 p…
446: Grab Bag, Vol. 3 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:44
This week, we share our preferred naming convention for design files and react to the new Gmail redesign.The Sidebar:The Sidebar is an exclusive weekly segment for our Patreon supporters. You can subscribe starting at $1…
445: Designing the Perfect Desk [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:27
This week, we talk about a surprising new "smart desk" being shared online, and we talk about what our dream desk would look like. In the Sidebar, Marshall shares his tips and tricks for keeping his Figma files squeaky c…