TALL App Icons
Client: Missionary Training Center
Status: User Testing ongoing

The TALL (Technology Assisted Language Learning) apps have been preparing for a rebrand, and I was tasked with creating a series of potential app icons reflecting themes of a journey, exploration, and adventure. This process started with brainstorming, ideation, and crazy eights exercises, followed by several iterations for each icon. Our team is currently involved in testing the selected icons with specific groups to check for object recognition, concept association, and good ol’ likeability.
Vocabulary App

Current Icon
Blue as app brand color. Known as “Drill.” Represents flashcards, the current main activity, and the idea of layering concepts and grammar principles.
App Description
Memorize words and grammar forms through repetition.
Brand Values
Flashcards, repetition, vocabulary, grammar, use pre-mission and at Missionary Training Center, spaced review form focused, master the pieces, customizable, granular, building blocks, beginning, atomistic, specific, preparation, study by topic.
Crazy Eights sketches

Redesigned Icon

We kept blue as the brand color. Decided on kayak because of repetition and progression expressed by motion of paddling, as well as low-level view of the basics.
Kayak Iterations

What didn’t work

A combo of train and bridge ideas. Loved the concept, but ended up being too complex visually.

Side view canoe. Not compelling, and didn’t fit with desired visual style.

When we showed this icon to random citizens, only half recognized it as a kayak. Many thought it was a tool of some sort, and other guesses ranged from bow and arrow to a stick in the eye. Definitely not the first impression we wanted to give our users…
Resources App

Current Icon
Orange as app brand color. Known as “Toolbox.” Literally refers to the name.
App Description
Explore a collection of grammar documents and videos.
Brand Values
Literal tools for language learning, content organized by language and by grammar principles, find what you need, variety, videos and PDFs, audio, library, Netflix, examples, options, collections, resources.
Crazy Eights sketches

Redesigned Icon

Kept orange as brand color. Traveling backpack communicates the idea of a container to store necessary supplies and helpful tools as you travel, always within easy reach. Can also be interpreted as luggage.
Backpack Iterations

What didn’t work

A literal tool, shines light on what was previously unseen. Interesting, but not our favorite.

Binoculars. It became really hard, really fast, to balance the illustration between too simple and too complex.

Most of the users we asked assumed this was an app associated with school or studying. While technically correct, we wanted the icon to have a stronger connection to the overall theme of adventure and exploring, not homework for dayzzzzz.
Language Games App

Current Icon
App under construction, so no icon designed. Known as “Scrimmage.”
App Description
Seen as a companion to the TALL vocabulary app. Gives the student the chance to put their developing language skills and comprehension into practice through games and challenges.
Brand Values
Activities, big picture, journey, comprehension, making connections, putting puzzle together, levels, use what you know, test on new content, listening, reading, writing, speaking, strength, competency, proficiency.
Crazy Eights sketches

Redesigned Icon

A rich purple was chosen for the brand color for excitement and in relation to vocabulary’s blue. The hot air balloon doesn’t just say “travel” and “adventure,” but also implies progression from a high-level, big-picture view.
What didn’t work

Inspired by the app’s original name, “Scrimmage.” Strong contender, but balloon won this duel.

Two connecting puzzle pieces. Too much white space and doesn’t add to adventure theme.

Though it isn’t super obvious, this balloon is slightly skewed in an effort to show more movement and the idea of a journey. In the end, we decided that though the concept was good, execution made it look like a mistake rather than intentional.
Course HQ App

Current Icon
App under limited use, but currently has no icon. Brand color is a bright teal. Known as “Arc,” though there’s no concept or theme behind that name.
App Description
The starting point for learning a new language. Find guidance and direction set goals, and monitor your progress.
Brand Values
Course HQ, hub, overarching, senior missionaries are the only current users, direction, big picture, process of learning a language, a starting point, goals, progress, current name has no meaning.
Crazy Eights sketches

Redesigned Icon

Continued with teal as the brand color. The flag represents a goal set and achieved, with the next higher mountain peak encouraging the user to continue reaching and progressing.
Mountain Iterations

What didn’t work

One version of the mountain concept. Too simple, not enough dimension.

Compass. Liked what it represents, but too similar to Safari browser. Also has competing circle elements.

At the beginning of our icon design process, the team was pretty set on centering each icon’s object within a white ring. It had come from previous icon designs, and added to the unity of the icons as a family (or so we thought). But as we tested this theory with users, there was no difference in whether they could identify the icons with or without the ring. Ultimately, we decided to remove the ring, simplifying the icon visually.
What I’ve Learned
- Process is important, important, important! There were several ideas we never would have considered without going through brainstorming, sketching, and iterations. Icon #3, the hot air balloon, was an idea drawn on a whim by a coworker who had reached his creative limit in Crazy Eights. But the more we thought about the balloon, the more we realized, Hey! This might just be perfect!
- Involve everyone on the team. Even developers and managers can create a simple napkin sketch. And though it might not have the perfect composition, they may just approach an idea from an angle you hadn’t thought of before.
- You don’t know until you try. Case in point is the Icon #2, the backpack. I’d decided on a backpack with the bedroll on top, but after trying a coworker’s suggestion to switch it to the bottom, I realized the composition was much more stable and appealing. Never would have known if I hadn’t tried!
