More icons...
Below I have removed the background and enlarged the icons proper to the same size:
The result is arguably more easily identifiable icons and it avoids the problem of choosing the color of the backgrounds:
What about plugin icons? How will they harmonize with the new icons of the core activities? Will they have to be redone?
etc.
I think that the first set of icons helps the principle of usability "I see it and I understand it". Border colors can set groups by activity or resources. In this sense, of all Dominique Bauer's proposals, it is the one that best fits the concept of "academic accessibility"
Moodle HQ, please reconsider the new Moodle 4+ icons. Dominique's icons are far more appealing than the ones Moodle HQ has created. There is little connection between the look of the Moodle 3.9 (and all previous version) icons and the new Moodle 4+ icons. Dominique's icons look updated, and also familiar. At the very least, please allow university Moodle Admins to choose their own icons.
If we cannot change the icons, I believe our users will be confused by the similarity between the various Moodle 4+ icons. The background colors don't provide enough differentiation, and having background colors in the first place reduces the size of the meaningful central portion of each icon. All blue icons look similar, all maroon icons look similar.
If we cannot change the icons, I believe our users will be confused by the similarity between the various Moodle 4+ icons. The background colors don't provide enough differentiation, and having background colors in the first place reduces the size of the meaningful central portion of each icon. All blue icons look similar, all maroon icons look similar.
Also, it is a big loss having all file resources now have the same icon, not a PowerPoint icon for PowerPoints, a PDF icon for PDFs, a Word icon for Word docs.
Please reconsider your icons and give us some choices.
Please reconsider your icons and give us some choices.
Hello,
Slightly off topic but related. If anybody has created or knows of an icon set for this that is completely free (i.e. commercial use with no link back etc.) with full traceability copyright wise, then I'd be willing (no charge for my time) to seriously include them in either the Adaptable and / or Foundation themes for Moodle 4.0, then they'd be released in the plugins DB with the theme and you could install and use on your installation. Then that could also prove a proof of concept here.
Slightly off topic but related. If anybody has created or knows of an icon set for this that is completely free (i.e. commercial use with no link back etc.) with full traceability copyright wise, then I'd be willing (no charge for my time) to seriously include them in either the Adaptable and / or Foundation themes for Moodle 4.0, then they'd be released in the plugins DB with the theme and you could install and use on your installation. Then that could also prove a proof of concept here.
And László, the file type can be shown with 'Show type' under 'Appearance' when editing the file module, just doesn't look great.
Gareth
Gareth
The concept of noticing is well documented in (learning) psychology. When it comes to visual perception, noticing is primarily based on shape, not on colour.
On this account, shoving all icons into a square-shaped enclosure is indeed counter-productive: They do in fact all look like buttons (as Dominique has already aptly remarked), as buttons too are recognised as such by their shape. Hence, these Moodle 4.0/1/2 “icons” will probably not be perceived as 'icons with an enclosure around them' but as ubiquitous, square 'buttons with signs on them.'
While the general idea of modernising the icons may not be wrong in itself, this does therefore call for some make-over. Dominique has already come up with a number of feasible and very thoughtfully designed suggestions. I would expect Moodle HQ to make a commitment to implement icons that are identifiable by their shape.
On this account, shoving all icons into a square-shaped enclosure is indeed counter-productive: They do in fact all look like buttons (as Dominique has already aptly remarked), as buttons too are recognised as such by their shape. Hence, these Moodle 4.0/1/2 “icons” will probably not be perceived as 'icons with an enclosure around them' but as ubiquitous, square 'buttons with signs on them.'
While the general idea of modernising the icons may not be wrong in itself, this does therefore call for some make-over. Dominique has already come up with a number of feasible and very thoughtfully designed suggestions. I would expect Moodle HQ to make a commitment to implement icons that are identifiable by their shape.
Hi Martin,
See what you think of the icons here, after clicking to add a new activity:
https://www.figma.com/proto/JLhsCElMlaxPlyhQOfJC97/%5BARCHIVED%5D-Activity-cards-redesign_v1?page-id=1%3A55&node-id=102-3531&viewport=-723%2C-876%2C0.26&scaling=scale-down&starting-point-node-id=102%3A3531
See what you think of the icons here, after clicking to add a new activity:
https://www.figma.com/proto/JLhsCElMlaxPlyhQOfJC97/%5BARCHIVED%5D-Activity-cards-redesign_v1?page-id=1%3A55&node-id=102-3531&viewport=-723%2C-876%2C0.26&scaling=scale-down&starting-point-node-id=102%3A3531
Hi Nathan,
Thanks a lot for the links & samples. The designs you suggest do indeed look like a step into the right direction!
At first blush, they do look like a nice solution to the problem, as they bring the identifying character of the shape of the icons back to the fore again — and I like that you’ve managed to do that without losing the new colour-coded-background feature.
Even so, the icons themselves are more a kind of line drawing than typical icon symbols and they are in that regard similar to Rafael's initial design. Such line drawings are quite sparse and less readily identifiable than a full image that also contains the representation of surfaces. The difference is the same as between a drawing and a painting …
In that way, I would give the designs provided by Dominique the edge, as they have the advantage of being solid; I understand that you tried to stay close to Rafael’s version, confining yourself to one single colour for each icon, but at least gave them variety by giving them different colours— which is a huge improvement over Rafael’s original suggestion. I wonder, though, if your activity icons could be developed further by making them more solid, i.e. adding some filled areas?
Or could these very basic designs Dominique provided do the trick, if you were to stick them into your delicate-shade colour backgrounds?
I personally like your idea of giving the background a round shape. Even so, you might also make it e.g. square-shape with rounded edges, provided that it does not appear to be the actual icon/shape itself but really stays in the “background”, which would be the case due to the blotting paper effect — a very nice idea too, I find.
In my opinion, this is actually the most important improvement in you design: keeping the background in the background while still retaining the colour-coding idea.
Thanks a lot for the links & samples. The designs you suggest do indeed look like a step into the right direction!
At first blush, they do look like a nice solution to the problem, as they bring the identifying character of the shape of the icons back to the fore again — and I like that you’ve managed to do that without losing the new colour-coded-background feature.
Even so, the icons themselves are more a kind of line drawing than typical icon symbols and they are in that regard similar to Rafael's initial design. Such line drawings are quite sparse and less readily identifiable than a full image that also contains the representation of surfaces. The difference is the same as between a drawing and a painting …
In that way, I would give the designs provided by Dominique the edge, as they have the advantage of being solid; I understand that you tried to stay close to Rafael’s version, confining yourself to one single colour for each icon, but at least gave them variety by giving them different colours— which is a huge improvement over Rafael’s original suggestion. I wonder, though, if your activity icons could be developed further by making them more solid, i.e. adding some filled areas?
Or could these very basic designs Dominique provided do the trick, if you were to stick them into your delicate-shade colour backgrounds?
I personally like your idea of giving the background a round shape. Even so, you might also make it e.g. square-shape with rounded edges, provided that it does not appear to be the actual icon/shape itself but really stays in the “background”, which would be the case due to the blotting paper effect — a very nice idea too, I find.
In my opinion, this is actually the most important improvement in you design: keeping the background in the background while still retaining the colour-coding idea.
Thanks again for all the hard work you've put into this!
Hi Martin!
I am sorry I caused a little confusion. When I sent you that figma prototype, I should have clarified that those new potential activity/resource icons were actually designed by Sabina Abellan at Moodle HQ. I was just sharing their prototype page. This is the Tracker item where I saw that prototype link:
https://tracker.moodle.org/browse/MDL-76884
Those icons now seem to have unique exterior shapes (yay!!!!).
I am sorry I caused a little confusion. When I sent you that figma prototype, I should have clarified that those new potential activity/resource icons were actually designed by Sabina Abellan at Moodle HQ. I was just sharing their prototype page. This is the Tracker item where I saw that prototype link:
https://tracker.moodle.org/browse/MDL-76884
Those icons now seem to have unique exterior shapes (yay!!!!).
Hi Nathan,
Thanks for the clarification (so I should have sent my feedback to Sabina Abellan 😅). I've had a look at the page & yes, all seems to be going into the right direction, as according to Sabina: "Our aim is to reduce cognitive load and enhance the discoverability of activities and resources." Glad about the progress!
Thanks for the clarification (so I should have sent my feedback to Sabina Abellan 😅). I've had a look at the page & yes, all seems to be going into the right direction, as according to Sabina: "Our aim is to reduce cognitive load and enhance the discoverability of activities and resources." Glad about the progress!
Indeed, Martin! I too am so grateful to Sabina, Marie, and many others at Moodle HQ for addressing concerns and making so many improvements (and planning many more in the coming months)!!!
Nathan
Nathan
Hi everyone,
I'm sharing this post here because I believe many of you who have actively contributed to the discussion about activity icons would be interested in helping us to enhance the current experience of the activity chooser.
We’re conducting a round of usability testing sessions to understand how well our design proposals meets your needs as a user, and we're looking for Educators and Content creator users.
The session will be an online test of 15-20 minutes maximum, and will consist of some general tasks and questions, and exploration of two different design options.
Feedback from our Community members and active users would be extremely valuable to this project, so we hope we can count on your participation.
If you or someone you know would be interested in participating, please send them the below link so they can perform the testing exercise.
Activity chooser · Usability test link
Many thanks in advance for your help,
Kind regards
Sabina
I'm sharing this post here because I believe many of you who have actively contributed to the discussion about activity icons would be interested in helping us to enhance the current experience of the activity chooser.
We’re conducting a round of usability testing sessions to understand how well our design proposals meets your needs as a user, and we're looking for Educators and Content creator users.
The session will be an online test of 15-20 minutes maximum, and will consist of some general tasks and questions, and exploration of two different design options.
Feedback from our Community members and active users would be extremely valuable to this project, so we hope we can count on your participation.
If you or someone you know would be interested in participating, please send them the below link so they can perform the testing exercise.
Activity chooser · Usability test link
Many thanks in advance for your help,
Kind regards
Sabina