Design System Tactics.
Whether you're starting fresh or maintaining a mature system, this growing collection of tactics is designed to help you make progress at every stage.
Name That Icon
A fun, low-effort way to test how intuitive your icon names are — and how people naturally search for them. You’re testing your designs as well as mental models.
When to use it
When introducing a new icon set or reviewing an existing one where searchability or naming is a challenge.
Steps
- Select 5 icons you want feedback on (limit to 5 for focus).
- Number them and share the image in an internal channel — include everyone, it’s not just for designers.
- Ask: “What would you call each of these icons?” — no hints!
- Let the responses roll in — encourage emojis, jokes, honesty.
- Document the most common terms per icon, compare to your current naming and look for where icons might need a redesign.
Outcome
- Search terms grounded in how people think
- Clearer, more human icon names
- Language aligned with mental models
