Projects/Usability/HIG/Style/Icons

Purpose

Icon design should be consistent through the interface and match the visual design goals.

Guidelines

Monochrome Icons

• Used for application toolbar actions, menus, and status and notifications. Also used for small (16x16) devices and places icons (folders, usb drives, etc.)
• Rely on a distinct shapes instead of fine details to distinguish between them.
• Color can be used for distinction (change of state, destructive actions, etc.).

Application icons

• Unique and easily recognizable
• Respect trademarks by avoiding significant alterations to other application icons

Other icons

• Icons of a similar type use a consistent visual language (mimetypes, folders, devices, etc.)

General

• Avoid using text in icon designs; it may not scale well to smaller sizes