COLLABORATING to create INCLUSIVE EMOJI GUIDELINES

 

CHALLENGE

Design partners want to use emojis in email subject lines, but LinkedIn didn’t have guidelines to govern their use. I led the charge to develop the company’s content design guidelines for emojis.

What initially seemed simple because we all know and use emojis daily turned into a complex balancing process as competing concerns from LinkedIn’s Lines of Business and design teams became clear.

 
 

PROPOSAL

Workshop emoji use case consideration with the content design team, and collaborate with the accessibility, localization, and equity teams.

 
 

strategy

Emoji use is an extension of LinkedIn’s voice and tone guidelines. As content designers, we have a responsibility to make sure words, and emojis that function like words, reflect LinkedIn’s values.

 
 

Accessibility Guidelines

Place emojis at the end of text.

Placing an emoji after the words helps with comprehension. This is true for both sighted users and those who rely on screen readers and is also important when translating text into languages other than English. For example:

Use one emoji at a time.

It’s also best practice to limit emoji use. Multiple or repeated emojis also limit comprehension, especially for those who use screen readers.

 
 

Localization guidelines

Use popular, widely recognized emojis with no known alternative connotation.

Emoji meanings can change over time and may vary by locale and community. For example, mailboxes in much of the world do not look like the mailbox emoji. And hand symbols like the peace sign, thumbs up, and perfect are offensive in certain parts of the world.

 
 

Equity guidelines

Do not use emojis that include faces or skin tones.

There is no current equitable option for emoji use. Maintain equity for all users.

 
 

rESULTS

LinkedIn’s emoji use guidelines are now published and part of the company’s official Content Design Guidelines.

I wrote a LinkedIn article about developing these guidelines, which has been shared and commented on by equity and accessibility advocates across our industry.