Event session icons

[modulist]

Here's a proposed system of icons to denote the different attributes associated with sessions.

Session type

While we have icons for all of the session types in the current data model, this system should allow users to add new types without necessarily associating icons and colors with them. In this example, the Business session type has been added without an icon, which is why you see the characters Bu instead of an icon.

Difficulty

We're planning on using 1-3 wrenches as a visual metaphor for the level of difficulty, much like you can see 1-3 peppers to denote the level of spiciness in a dish at a Thai restaurant.

View the latest design in Figma ›

[Solamsnake]

For the site building icon, I thought about a puzzle or a brick wall. The cursor is fine too, just giving some ideas.

[modulist]

Nice ideas! A single puzzle piece may work.

Let's see what @jeppy64 thinks about this as a metaphor for sitebuilding...

[jeppy64]

I love the single puzzle piece. That should work in nicely due to it being a natural for a no-shading kind of thing.

Thumb up!

[modulist]

Here is a revised set of icons with the update to site building:

[shaal]

@iribarne raised the concern of Design icon, being too similar to the various letters of (no icon). Maybe paint or brush of some sort to represent the design icon? https://thenounproject.com/search/?q=paint

[Solamsnake]

I like the wrenches for the difficulty but how can we know that the highest difficulty is 3 wrenches and not 4 or 5 or 10 for example ? Just sharing my opinion... So I did a quick edit of what I'm saying... (sorry as you can see @modulist my photoshop's skills are awesome haha)

[modulist]

@Solamsnake Nice Photoshop work! I see that there are three ways we can handle this icon:

Scheme 1 (still my favorite)

simplest and least cluttered, but doesn't let you know the extent of the scale that you're working on

Scheme 2

has a scale with one extra option, but there's the risk of the beginner icon being taken for three wrenches when seen out of context

Scheme 3

has a scale of three options, without a risk of being misunderstood.

[shaal]

Accessibility concern, the gray icons might be invisible to some people (which then discriminate people with vision disabilities) In the alternative text of the icon - we should add the difficulty level the icon represent.

I personally like Scheme 1 & 3, and I think we should avoid the "no rating" option.

[Solamsnake]

I really liked the scheme 1 also but the scheme 3, I mean, for me, is less confusing and it will let you know that a level 4 doesn't exist. So if you are a crazy developer and you are looking for hard stuffs to learn, you will select every events with 3 wrenches because you know that is the hardest level you can find.

[modulist]

@shaal I think we can't avoid having sessions with no rating... for example, I saw Pantheon Office Hours as a session for Badcamp.

[shaal]

As a beginner, I have no clue what is what, who is who. I want to be clear what session is for me and what not. I believe each session should have rating to help participants choose better. (maybe there should be a special icon for "applicable for all levels?) Pantheon Office Hours example - is not a regular session... maybe there should be a separate place for things like that? (Genius Bar, etc)