Developers: How to create the perfect application icon

It is unlikely that you will achieve success in the App Store, if your application is to scare people. The main characteristic of a quality product is really set of functionality and a pleasant appearance. The first visual impression of your application is built on its icon. If we talk about the application design in general, there may be strong variations depending on the task and the audience for which the product is designed. Invariant, only one - the application has to be an icon.

Purpose icons

Opinions on the matter of the meaning and objectives diverge icons. Some consider it an important element of marketing. In other words, the developer needs to create an icon to have when you look at it the user wanted to download / buy their product. It is worth repeating that the icon - is the first thing the user sees.

However, everything changes at a time when the icon passes from the App Store on the user's device. After downloading the application icon begins to perform a completely different function - immediate and unambiguous identification of the application. The user should always be able to instantly find your app icon.

It should be understood that focusing solely on the marketing component of the icon, you can not forget about the scenarios where your application will use. It makes more sense to do the icon is not focused on a single load, and on the everyday use of an ordinary user of the product.

Recognition - a key parameter for any brand. You unmistakable Mercedes distinguish from other cars on its icon. You will easily understand that in front of you on the shelf chocolate bar Nestle. In the end, the bitten apple in your brain creates only one association. You have to stand out from competitors and other products in general. Seeing your icon, the user should not confuse it with something else. Even easier: good icon should revive in human memory product name, even if he does not see this name under the icon.

strategy

Ideal icon should be reminded of the product each of its elements: color, texture, pattern, shape. For example, take the Phone icon. Since its release it has not changed. A solid green background, coupled with translucent oblique lines and simple image of the tube firmly entrenched in the user's head. We learn this application is literally on the machine. If you look at other Apple applications, there is observed a similar picture. Unique color, a further element for the background and a simple object that identifies the application function.

Personal identification function should talk more. It is the most obvious way to increase the likelihood of calling the association in the human mind when you look at the application and awareness of its function. For example, all of these applications use the carts, which we are so accustomed to use in supermarkets. Trolley -> Store -> buy. Everything is very simple. To uniquely identify the developer adds a logo of his store, while keeping the color scheme inherent in its brand.

However, if you look closely at these icons, you can see the difference as their icons and functions. Zappos and Amazon only exist in the form of online stores. They do not go with the cart. In the App Store, too, do not go with the cart. It turns out, the truck is clearly superfluous, it does not reflect the real processes, with which the user is dealing with. Here only saves the fact that many online retailers use the concept of e-trash inside their sites that reinforces the image of the trolley in the buyer's mind. Either way, these same three brands could well abandon superfluous element, put in charge of your logo and name.

Another important point concerns the preservation of the style of the icons to the application interface. In this case we are talking about Apple skeuomorph peculiar. The Find My Friends is dominated design in the form of a light skin with sutures. Accordingly, such a design is to be used in the icon. Maps, obviously, occupy a large part of the interface mapping application, and that the map displayed on the application icon. In iBooks user sees books and wooden shelves. It's the same thing he sees on the icon.

One of the most effective methods of increasing awareness is the transfer of the icon objects from the physical world. If a user sees an icon is something with which he often interacts in life, he will arise instant subconscious understanding of the purpose and functions of your application.

This is a very important point, and if you disappoint the user at this point (he did not see in the application that he was shown on the icon), then most likely you will lose that user.

Trailers - Apple's application. A combination of character inherent in "stellar" films, as well as a catchy background, which is associated with a red carpet, causing the user a clear understanding of: the application before him about the films.

Applications for different platforms

Do not forget about situations where a developer provides an application for OS X, and for iOS. These examples illustrate the excellent preservation of the overall concept and recognition applications with the introduction of some changes in the icons. They seem to be different, but very similar.

multiple applications

What if the brand is represented by multiple applications? Look at Nike. This unique icon recognizable everywhere, and additional elements in the design point to the specific functions of each application. An additional separator is a color.

Facebook went the other way: only preserved unique icons background and the subject clearly reflects the function of the application.

iLife uses a unique method of identification. At first glance, the icons are quite different, but if you look at the location of the object relative to the surface, then the analogy becomes apparent.

iWork uses the same method as that of Facebook: a single background, different objects.

Games

The most difficult task - the creation of icons for the games. Wonderful, if known sequel to the popular toy, the main character on the icon will be recognizable by all and always. But what if the characters are still not known to anyone? There is no answer, and the only reasonable way of portrait remains an icon of the hero of the game, coupled with a bright background.

We hope that these tips and observations to help you create the perfect icon for your application. Do not hesitate to share their design experiences in the comments.

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