Designing Adobe Illustrator's Rich Tooltips

Background: Tooltips have evolved over the years and are now used for a variety of functions in many different applications. As a visual content designer for Adobe Illustrator, Gabriela Iancu-Mihai creates playful onboarding experiences that help users get started with the app.

Focus on the most basic function of the tool: Gabriela emphasizes the importance of focusing on the most basic function of the tool when creating rich tooltips. Storyboarding the workflow from start to finish and paying attention to details in the UI can help create a clear and digestible experience.

Take inspiration from the everyday: Gabriela draws inspiration from everyday objects and experiences to create relatable visual metaphors in her rich tooltips. By using common objects like pretzels and envelopes, she anchors her designs in the real world and makes the experience more approachable for users.

Collaborate with others: Finally, Gabriela emphasizes the importance of collaborating with others, including subject matter experts and the Illustrator product team. By sharing progress and receiving feedback early and often, she can fine-tune her approach and create truly delightful tooltips that unlock Illustrator's value and motivate users to learn to use it.