Designing your badge can be one of the most exciting parts of launching your credentials program – you get to showcase your creative skills while representing the unique skillset your learners are earning. Creating a good badge goes far beyond just finding something that’s aesthetically pleasing, though. The visual design of your badge should communicate the deeper meaning of your badge, symbolizing the achievement of the learner. Before you start designing your badge, it’s important to consider which elements you need to include in your design.
Not sure what to add to your badge? Consider these key design elements:
1. Icon
For each credential, you may consider adding an icon that visually represents the skill attained by receiving the credential. This allows for a quick visual understanding of the learner’s gained knowledge. In this example, we provided a lightbulb as an icon, but you could provide any image – maybe a podium icon for a leadership presentation badge?
2: Logo. 
By adding your brand logo to the badge, external institutions can easily determine the source of a credential, which can add to a credential’s significance. This also helps you to easily identify and keep track of all badges issued by your institution.
3: Title.
Adding the title is a vital piece of badge design, as it indicates the key accomplishment completed by the learner. Ensure that badge names are both short enough to fit comfortably on a badge, but descriptive enough to clearly explain the accomplishment.
4: Leveling.
If there are levels to a badge (Levels 1, 2 ,3; Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, etc.) a visual depiction of the leveling via stars or another design element may help to quickly identify a learner’s level of accomplishment. In this design example, we included stars on the right side of the badge to indicate levels completed.
5: Shape and Color.
The shape and color of a badge can speak to its value as well - for example, the color band surrounding this badge might connect to a specific branch of the company. Badge shapes can communicate the importance of a badge as well. A simple circle may fit for a smaller achievement, while a shield may show off completion of a badging pathway. Consider how you plan to use the badge shapes and colors to add meaning.
Need some help getting started? We're giving away a free copy of this badge with all 5 key elements of badge design so you can customize it for your badging needs!
