Look across the category.
Compare lock screens, home screens, settings, and controls to understand the patterns people already recognise.
← SELECTED WORK / 04ALCATEL / LAUNCHER · ICONS · UI GUIDELINESFamiliar Android.
Familiar Android.
A distinct
Alcatel character.
How much should a brand change the phone you already know how to use?
A selection from my Alcatel work: launcher experiences, icon redesign, and the visual rules connecting them.
A closer look
ANDROID EXPERIENCELAUNCHER & ICON DESIGNGUIDELINE ARCHIVE / 2015–2017
01 / THE DESIGN TENSIONCharacter, without
Character, without
the learning curve.
The direction balanced Alcatel’s identity with a familiar Android foundation. Before defining the details, the guidelines brought together competitor observations, Material Design principles, and the brand’s visual language.
Decide where to be distinct.
Bring Alcatel’s character into Android without making familiar interactions feel unfamiliar.
Turn direction into rules.
Connect icon construction, colour, typography, wallpaper, and motion in a shared reference.
THE CRAFT BEHIND THE FAMILYEqual size.
Equal size.
Different shapes.
Same visual weight.
The icon guidelines go beyond a common container: proportions, colour, lighting, and shadow help different symbols feel related.
One small example: inner shapes use different dimensions to appear balanced—not simply identical measurements.
A FEW PRINCIPLES BEHIND THE DETAIL
- Recognition first.Simple symbols with a clear purpose.
- Balance by eye.Consistent visual weight across different shapes.
- Colour with a role.Help apps remain distinct and recognisable.
- Readability in context.Consider icons and labels against varied wallpapers.
- Coherent surfaces.Use lighting and shadow as part of one visual language.
- Motion with meaning.Connect states and guide attention through transitions.
02 / THE EVERYDAY EXPERIENCEA home screen is
A home screen is
more than a layout.
Widgets, the app drawer, and icon placement belong to the same experience. The UX guidelines describe how those pieces behave together.
SELECTED WORK, NOT THE WHOLE MANUAL.
These excerpts offer a glimpse of the visual system. The deeper conversation is about the decisions, collaboration, and my contribution behind it.
03 / THE THINKING EXTENDED BEYOND ICONSOne direction.
One direction.
Many everyday moments.
The archive explores the phone as a connected experience. Here is a glimpse of the concepts—not the full specification.
- Personalisation
- Home-screen grids, icon sizing, themes, and wallpaper families.
- Colour Catcher
- Explore a personal theme inspired by colours in a photograph.
- Launcher behaviour
- Connect widgets, app discovery, folders, search, and icon placement.
- Lock-screen experiences
- Consider wallpaper changes, notifications, and quick access together.
- System controls
- Explore quick settings, volume, and feedback within familiar Android patterns.
- Useful extensions
- Guideline concepts for fingerprint gestures, private mode, and screenshot tools.
04 / A FEW MORE DETAILSSmall moments.
Small moments.
A shared language.
A few selected explorations from the team’s 2017 UI guidelines. Select a design to look closer.
The interesting
part is why.
These visuals sit on top of competitor comparisons, platform principles, and decisions about recognition, consistency, and personalisation. I’d be happy to walk you through my contribution, the alternatives, and the trade-offs behind the guidelines.
Explore the research with me ← BACK TO SELECTED WORK