Iconography, Product Design
Preface
During my time at Shopify, I partnered with product design to develop an icon system for a new app experience. I focused on defining a scalable visual language that improved navigation and helped users quickly understand key actions.
Designing for clarity and emotional tone
The app targeted a younger audience, which shaped both functional and emotional goals. Icons needed to be immediately recognizable while feeling approachable and engaging.
I helped define a visual language using softer edges, rounded corners, and thicker strokes. These choices improved legibility at smaller sizes and created a more friendly, accessible tone aligned with the product.
Validating icon clarity
We tested icons in context across navigation, empty states, and key actions to ensure they communicated meaning without text. This surfaced unclear or overly abstract icons, helping us simplify interactions and improve recognition.
For example, a dice icon was used for “generate” to reflect the playful tone of our audience, but it was consistently misinterpreted as "gaming". We ultimately replaced it with a sparkle icon to better signal generate and create.
Through iteration, we established a system that balanced clarity and playfulness while staying consistent with the broader design system.
Final thoughts
Although the app didn’t launch, the project strengthened our approach to cross-functional design. We aligned more closely on how visual systems support usability, not just brand expression.
It reinforced an important principle for me: small interface elements like icons can significantly impact how users understand and navigate a product. Designing them intentionally is a usability decision, not just a visual one.