A Study on Mobile APP Icon Design Based on the Hamilton’s Principle

Hamilton's principle, also known as the principle of least action, states that natural systems composed of moving particles, as studied in classical mechanics, move in a direction that minimizes their Kinetic Energy (KE) and Potential Energy (PE). In other words, natural systems move along the shortest path. Icon designs in mobile game APPs with a high degree of physical activity depict objects descriptively and disrupt the balance of vertical and horizontal lines to convey incomplete Kinetic Energy. Conversely, icon designs in social media APPs use simple shapes and colors to convey a company's symbolic energy while maintaining a precise balance of vertical and horizontal lines. This study aims to classify types of action-inducing icon designs based on Hamilton's principle, distinguishing them by Kinetic Energy (KE) and Potential Energy (PE), and deriving Symbolic Energy (SE) as a new axis, to propose a design strategy for application icons that trigger users’ optimized behavior. The study found that game APP icons more strongly represent incomplete Kinetic Energy elements compared to social media APP icons. As a result, game APP icons strongly express movement through the game player's appearance and incomplete Kinetic Energy, while social media APP icons strongly express the company's symbolism through logos, colors and shapes and complete Potential Energy as Symbolic Energy.