Currently, we allow numeric badges on tab pages and menu items. This works well for counts (e.g. number of records, open tasks).
However, there are many situations where a number is not the right signal, but the user should still be visually alerted.
The limitation of numeric badges
Numeric badges implicitly communicate:
- Quantity
- Work to be done
- Backlog
But sometimes the intent is different:
- “Something needs attention”
- “There is uncertainty or missing information”
- “This section contains an exception or warning”
Using a number in those cases:
- Adds unnecessary cognitive load (“what does this number mean?”)
- Can be misleading (“do I really have 1 thing to do?”)
- Trains users to ignore badges if they are often not actionable
Proposal: Support symbolic / icon‑based indicators
Allow tab pages and menu items to display non‑numeric indicators, such as:
- ⚠️ Exclamation mark (attention required)
- ❓ Question mark (incomplete / unclear data)
- ⛔ Error icon (invalid or blocking state)
- ✅ Check icon (explicitly OK / completed)
- ● Dot indicator (something changed)
These indicators would be data‑driven, just like numeric badges today.
Why this is valuable
1. Better alignment with user intent
Icons communicate state, not quantity.
This matches many real‑world business scenarios better than numbers.
Examples:
- A tab contains inconsistent data → ⚠️
- Required fields are missing → ❓
- Validation failed → ⛔
- Approval completed → ✅
2. Faster visual scanning
Users don’t read numbers — they scan for patterns.
Icons:
- Are recognized instantly
- Reduce interpretation time
- Draw attention without demanding action
This is especially effective in:
- Complex screens with many tabs
- Role‑based applications where users need guidance
- Review or exception‑driven workflows
3. Prevents notification fatigue
Numeric badges can feel like “todo counters”. When everything shows a number, users start ignoring them.
Symbolic indicators:
- Feel lighter
- Communicate importance, not volume
- Are less stressful and more selective
4. Improves guidance without extra UI
This approach:
- Avoids adding extra columns, banners or messages
- Keeps the UI clean
- Uses existing UI real estate more effectively
It’s a low‑visual‑noise, high‑signal improvement.
5. Backward compatible and complementary
This would not replace numeric badges, but complement them:
- Numbers → “how many”
- Icons → “what kind of state”
Developers choose the most appropriate signal per use case.
Example use cases
-
Customer screen
- “Details” tab → ✅
- “Contracts” tab → ⚠️ (expired contract)
- “Documents” tab → ❓ (missing upload)
-
Workflow‑driven application
- Menu item “Review” → ● (new activity)
- Menu item “Errors” → ⛔ (blocking issues)
-
Master‑detail screens
- Child tab highlights issues without forcing users to open each tab
Optional implementation direction (high‑level)
- Allow badge type to be:
- Numeric
- Domain with elements and Icon
- Icon visibility driven by badge logic / domain value
- Optional tooltip to explain the meaning
