Sometimes I feel like the Grinch, becoming increasingly annoyed at the cacophony coming from Whoville: “One thing I can’t stand is the noise, noise, noise.”
My aggravation: another mobile device stencil. And the Whoville culprit? For me it’s the Nokia S60 smartphone stencil (conveniently supplied by the manufacturer).
Oh sure, I realize I’m skipping stones in a glass house here, with my share of iPhone, Android, et al. stencils in my Omnigraffle folder. However, I think it’s time I say enough. There has to be a better way.
So, I’m proposing a moratorium on custom smartphone stencils. Call me a luddite, a heretic, but as an interaction designer, do I really need half dozen icons to illustrate “phone” or “contacts”? Well, I’m saying no, generic, reusable icons are just fine.
While I can appreciate the need for some IxD professionals to showcase their visual design chops by making stunning, high-fidelity wireframes and prototypes, I’m of a different mindset. I prefer to use the same amount of time thinking critically about the problem. And if a more generic icon gets the same thinking across, in less time, bonus.
What if I had to build custom stencils for every website wireframe or application prototype? It would be insanity, as well as incredibly costly to the client.
So, I’m sorry Nokia S60. While your stencils are pretty, I am taking a stand and will not be clicking the ‘download now’ button.