Date:
2024
Iconography At the Post
The Washington Post's inconsistent iconography created a confusing user experience. To address this, we leveraged our design system to create a comprehensive, unified icon set. The resulting Washington Post Asset Library now powers all our experiences, replacing the previous mix of disparate icon styles.
Role:
Design Lead
I helped establish the visual guidelines for The Post's icons, partnering with another design lead to build the initial set. I then led a team of four designers, ensuring the visual integrity and consistent usage of our icons.
Result:
The result: complete elimination of disparate icon sets. We expanded the library from 45 to over 200 icons, powering numerous product features and achieving a unified visual language.
Project Highlights
Eliminating Fragmentation
The Washington Post Asset Library replaced all previous icon sets, growing from 45 to over 200 icons, and brought clarity and cohesion to the user experience across platforms.
Guidance and Collaboration
Partnered with another design lead to establish rules for iconography and led a team of four designers to create a unified, scalable icon system aligned with the design system's goals.
Impactful Transformation
The unified icon set not only enhanced visual consistency but also became a cornerstone of The Post’s design system, enabling seamless collaboration and future scalability.
Dive Deeper
The Challenge of Fragmented Iconography
The Washington Post faced a critical challenge: the lack of a unified visual direction and guidance for iconography. Across the product, a mix of weights, sizes, and styles—ranging from off-the-shelf Material Icons to Font Awesome—created a fragmented and inconsistent user experience. This lack of cohesion not only disrupted the visual flow but also confused users and hindered the product’s overall usability.
With the adoption of the design system, it became clear that addressing this issue was a priority. The goal was to establish a comprehensive icon set that provided clear rules for design and scalability, ensuring a consistent and polished experience across all platforms. This would involve replacing the disparate icon variants and creating a library that met the needs of diverse product features while aligning with The Post’s visual identity.
Building a Unified Icon System
To tackle this challenge, I partnered with another design lead to lay the groundwork for The Washington Post’s first comprehensive icon set. Together, we established the guidance and rules necessary to ensure a cohesive visual language for our icons. These guidelines addressed key aspects such as sizing, weight, style, and usage, creating a strong foundation for the project.
I led and collaborated with a dedicated team of four designers to create the initial set of icons. This collaborative effort involved rigorous testing and iteration to ensure that each icon met the functional and aesthetic requirements of the product. By maintaining a focus on consistency and usability, we ensured that every icon aligned with the overarching goals of the design system.
The result was transformative. The Washington Post Asset Library replaced all previous icon sets, eliminating the visual inconsistencies that once plagued the product. What began as an initial set of 45 icons grew into a robust library of over 200 icons, powering countless features across The Post’s platforms. The unified iconography brought clarity and cohesion to the user experience, enhancing both functionality and aesthetics.
This new icon library not only addressed the immediate need for consistency but also established a scalable system for future growth. It has become an integral part of The Post’s design system, enabling designers and engineers to work with a shared visual language. By achieving its initial goals, the icon library now serves as a lasting example of the impact a unified design approach can have on a product’s usability and identity.
A Unified Vision for the Future
The creation of The Washington Post Asset Library exemplifies the power of collaboration, leadership, and design systems in solving complex challenges. By unifying iconography, we not only enhanced the visual integrity of the product but also laid the groundwork for future innovation. This project highlights the importance of aligning design efforts with organizational goals to create scalable, impactful solutions.
As the icon library continues to evolve, it remains a cornerstone of The Post’s commitment to delivering a seamless and visually cohesive user experience. The success of this project serves as an inspiration to continue refining and expanding design practices that shape the future of digital storytelling.