Women’s health icons
A significant number of women lack education about their own bodies, with many unaware of basic anatomy and reproductive health. In fact, a recent survey found that 57% of women admitted they don’t know enough about their bodies. When a problem arises, the first instinct is often to seek medical help or prescription drugs, solutions that can act as a temporary fix but don’t address the root cause or empower women to understand their own health.
For this project, I designed an icon suite that highlights ten ways women can support and heal their bodies. My goal is to help close the gap in female health education and encourage more informed, holistic, and sustainable wellness practices.
The Process
For this project, I created an icon palette representing a topic that was personally important to me. The goal was to practice condensing complex ideas into clear, minimal visual forms while maintaining visual consistency across a set of ten icons.
I began by brainstorming major themes and subcategories using sticky notes, then created a Pinterest board to gather inspiration for form, style, and visual language.
At the midpoint review, I received constructive feedback on my icons. I used this feedback to refine and strengthen the set, improving clarity, consistency, and overall cohesion.
The final class presentation consisted of a simple slideshow displaying all ten icons alongside a brief explanation of each. To push the project beyond the classroom requirements, I explored how the icon set could function within an existing brand.
After researching brands with aligned goals and values, I chose Natural Cycles. I created a mockup webpage that closely followed their existing design system and adapted my icons to fit naturally within the brand’s visual language and UI.
Expanding
I incorporated the ten icons into a real-world context where they would be meaningfully applied. After researching brands with aligned goals and values, I chose Natural Cycles, a fertility tracking and birth control app that empowers women with the knowledge they need to take charge of their health. After researching and studying their website, I created a mock-up of a web page that could seamlessly integrate into their existing platform. This page demonstrates how the icons could be used to visually support and enhance educational content, making important health information more accessible and engaging.
Reflection
During this project, I learned that consistency is key. Even when designing a simple icon set, every icon must feel cohesive to ensure the company behind them appears trustworthy and professional. A great amount of detail goes into forming a design system, which not only improves efficiency for the designer but also enhances the overall user experience.
I also realized how beneficial it is to place your design in a real-world setting. Doing so helps clearly convey the concept to the client, making it easier to get them on board and excited to move forward with the idea.
If I could make one change to this project, I would adjust the spacing between elements in the screen mockups.