Custom Icon System

The challenge

Abbott creates breakthrough products — in diagnostics, medical devices, nutrition and branded generic pharmaceuticals. They have a workforce of 113,000 employees in more than 160 countries.

The goal

The client needed a set of icons with a unique aesthetic to draw attention to particular activities on their custom software interface. The Starlims platform users needed these icons to be distinctive and semantically clear.

The Concept

The customer recommended using a 3D appearance to represent the icons, but we went one step further and developed outlined designs to visually transfer to a more tridimensional feel.

The Process

The Abbott custom icon system was a big challenge. We had to fulfill the client's request for 20 icons for a lab software interface. Each icon represented a concept inside the lab chain of the approval process, which is somehow a very particular case of this platform. To begin with, the client requested a new semantic concept and a new 3D-like visual treatment for the system. We came up with a glass-like appearance in a tridimensional space. For making the process more fluid, we started with a line version of each icon until the representation of the concept satisfied the client. After that, we translated the line icon to a 3D grid to maintain unity throughout the system. The final result was an innovative icon system with a Glassmorphism look backed by a line icon pair.

Conclusion

The result of this project was a comprehensive custom iconography set that successfully fulfilled the client's objectives. The outlined symbols combined with tridimensional design elements created a visually striking and intuitive interface for the lab software. The vibrant colors and semi-transparent overlays added depth and visual interest, enhancing the overall user experience.

Creating custom iconography for a lab software interface required a thoughtful and iterative design process. Through research, sketching, digital outlining, tridimensional design, and client collaboration, we achieved a visually appealing icon set that effectively communicates the software's functions while maintaining consistency and cohesiveness.

This case study demonstrates our ability to create engaging and functional iconography, showcasing our skills in graphic design, user interface design, and attention to detail.