Susan Kare: How I Designed the Original Apple Mac Icons

Subject and Context: Susan Kerr, an iconographer and former Macintosh artist, recounts her design philosophy and experiences working on early computing interfaces, drawing parallels to modern AI development.

Design Philosophy:

• Kerr cites Paul Rand's advice that designers should "focus on making things meaningful and memorable" by prioritizing the core idea over the form.
• She advocates for "simple, salient details" in icon design to ensure universality, noting that minimalism allows users to project themselves onto the symbol.
• A specific design tenet she follows is using just enough detail to convey a metaphor without cluttering the visual field with product-specific imagery that ages poorly (e.g., specific floppy disk shapes).

Apple Macintosh History:

• Hiring: Kerr was hired by Andy Hertzfeld in the 1980s with a PhD in art history but no computer experience, using graph paper and typographical samples as her interview portfolio.
• The Job: Her initial task was to improve the display of fonts and round-rectangular floppy icons on a 5.25-inch screen, which later became the first icons and a functional GUI.
• Constraints: Designers worked within strict 16x16 or 32x32 pixel grids and a black-and-white color scheme, which Kerr argues can foster creativity rather than hinder it.
• Typography:
  • Kerr designed the "Chicago" font, the first proportionally spaced font for the Mac, using 45-degree angles to smooth jagged edges.
  • Initial font names were local Philadelphia suburb names (Paoli, Wynwood), but Steve Jobs mandated "world-class city" names (New York, Geneva) and renamed a ransom-note-style font "Chicago."
  • The "Chicago" font was later reused for the first iPod interface.
• Icon Design Decisions:
  • Happy Mac: A simple smiling face was chosen for the boot screen to convey reassurance; Kerr notes that simplicity aids recognition, drawing on Scott McCloud's theories on comics.
  • The Bomb: An "unhappy Mac" or bomb icon intended only for internal use during system failure was accidentally released to users, causing genuine panic when a customer called fearing an explosion.
  • The Command Key: The cloverleaf symbol for the Command key was chosen over a literal apple (forbidden by Jobs to protect brand equity) and the "Ten Commandments" pun; Kerr later discovered the symbol resembles the Borgholm Castle ruins from 1200 AD.
• Workflow:
  • Early tools were primitive; Kerr used an icon editor that toggled bits and generated hex code, allowing iteration without an eraser.
  • The design team included Bill Atkinson (MacPaint creator) and Steve Capps (who helped create a "black flag" to protest work-life balance goals set by the team).

Post-Apple Projects and Trends:

• Microsoft: Worked on Windows 3.0, experimenting with 16-color palettes and dithering to reduce "garish" visuals.
• General Magic: Designed a desktop metaphor involving "hallways with doors" and "jars of text," which failed to anticipate the rise of email.
• Facebook: Managed a digital gift shop program where users purchased $1 drawings; data showed that "cute" imagery (teddy bears, penguins) consistently outperformed expensive or artistic concepts.
• Pinterest: Collaborated with animators to add subtle motion to icons to prevent user irritation.
• Other Clients: Designed logos and assets for companies including Ledger (crypto wallet), StealthMill (trash management), Magic Puzzle, and VC firms focused on remote/outdoor work.

Key Quotes and Decisions:

• Steve Jobs on Branding: Explicitly forbade using multiple apples in the menu bar, calling it an "apple farm" and demanding respect for the logo's value.
• Alan Kay's Tenet: "Ease of use seems possible" is achieved by nesting information so elements appear gradually rather than overwhelming the user at once.
• Paul Rand's Approach: Advocated for limited font usage, specific color palettes (e.g., PMS 354 green), and integrating the name of the product directly into the logo rather than relying on abstract symbols.
• Design Iteration: Andrew Hertzfeld advised showing multiple concepts to executives like Steve Jobs to prevent total rejection of a single idea and encourage constructive selection.
• Logo Evolution: Kerr expresses hope that the modernized UPS logo will revert to its original, simpler design that clearly depicted a shield and package, noting that "cute" often trumps "expensive" in consumer design.