SUSAN KARE

In the early 1980s, Susan Kare joined Apple Computer as one of the original members of the Apple Macintosh design team. She was placed into the Macintosh software group and was assigned the job to design user interface graphics and fonts. Later, she was promoted to the role of Creative Director. For the Macintosh operating system, Kare designed many typefaces, original marketing material and icons. Although they have been modified since their creation, versions of her original designs are still present in many computer programs. For example, her icons such as the Lasso, the Grabber and the Paint Bucket are still used today.

Kare also helped to contribute to the creation of the Chicago typeface. It was the most prominent typeface for the user interface, applied not only in Classic Mac OS but also the first four generations of Apple iPod interface. She also created the original monospace Monaco typeface, Geneva typeface, the symbol on the Command key on Apple keyboards and the welcome screen icon the Happy Mac that greeted the users when the machine is turned on.

After working at Apple, Kare accepted a new role as a designer for NeXT. There, she served clients such as Microsoft and IBM. At Microsoft, Kare created the card deck for Windows 3.0’s solitaire game project. She also designed multiple icons for the Windows 3.0 such as Notepad and various Control Panel icons. Facebook requested her to design the ‘Gift’ icon for their site in 2007. Some of the icons displayed in ‘Gift’ section are also featured in Mac OS X.

​

According to Susan Kare, “good icons should be more efficient like road signs rather than mere illustrations. They should be easily comprehended and keep the users from getting confused by extraneous details.” She believes that colors should be used sparingly in a good design; that way once a well-crafted and meaningful icon is designed, it doesn’t need to be resigned frequently. Thanks to her clever designs, Kare's legacy lives on through her many icons that have integrated cultures across the globe that have made using computer interfaces easier and more understandable without using words.