IEEE - Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

I was commissioned by IEEE to design a set of symbols and icons based on their Draft Standard for Transparent Human and Machine Agency Identification. This standard defines a system of audio and visual marks to identify whether communication is coming from a machine intelligence, a human, or a combination of entities. The goal of the project was to create iconography that facilitates trust, transparency, and understanding across online, telephone, robotic, and other digital interactions. The design challenge was to minimize cognitive and social barriers for both developers and users while ensuring that the symbols clearly communicate the identity of the controlling entity. My approach focused on six core design qualities: simplicity, familiarity, consistency, modernity, friendliness, and flexibility. To achieve this, I developed a clean and adaptable line iconography style, ensuring the icons could be applied seamlessly across multiple contexts. Each symbol was designed in three variations: outline, fill, and color. Friendliness was especially important, as these symbols are not only about identification but also about reassurance. The designs needed to feel approachable and trustworthy, reinforcing the values of clarity and transparency. To guarantee precision and scalability, each icon was drawn on a grid system, ensuring sharpness and legibility at any size. The result is a set of custom designed icons that balance technical rigor with visual clarity. By combining modern icon design principles with a consistent and human-centered approach, the project delivered a visual language that supports transparency, enhances user trust, and provides IEEE with a future-proof symbol system for a wide range of applications. Key work: Custom icon design