This skill should be used when the user asks about "Notion icons", "page icons", "emoji icons", "icon consistency", "visual organization", "icon meaning", "database icons", "icon color coding", "meaningful icons", or needs to apply consistent, meaningful iconography to Notion pages and databases.
/plugin marketplace add therealchrisrock/basho/plugin install km-notion@baThis skill inherits all available tools. When active, it can use any tool Claude has access to.
references/emoji-semantics.mdreferences/icon-automation.mdA comprehensive system for applying meaningful, consistent icons across a Notion workspace. Icons should communicate purpose at a glance while maintaining visual harmony.
Level 1: Structural (PARA sections) - Fixed, memorable
Level 2: Domain (Areas) - Distinctive per responsibility
Level 3: Type (Database items) - Consistent within collections
Level 4: Unique (One-off pages) - Descriptive of specific content
Notion supports four icon types:
// Standard Emoji
{ "type": "emoji", "emoji": "🏠" }
// External URL
{ "type": "external", "external": { "url": "https://..." } }
// Uploaded File
{ "type": "file_upload", "file_upload": { "id": "..." } }
// Workspace Custom Emoji
{ "type": "custom_emoji", "custom_emoji": { "id": "...", "name": "...", "url": "..." } }
Recommendation: Use standard emoji for maximum compatibility and minimal maintenance. Reserve custom/external icons for brand-specific needs.
Top-level PARA sections use fixed, instantly recognizable icons:
| Section | Icon | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Home | 🏠 | Universal "home base" recognition |
| Inbox | 📥 | Clearly "incoming/unprocessed" |
| Projects | 🚀 | Active, forward momentum |
| Areas | 🎯 | Ongoing focus/responsibility |
| Resources | 📚 | Knowledge library metaphor |
| Archives | 🗄️ | Storage/filing cabinet |
| Meta | ⚙️ | Configuration/system settings |
Rule: Never change these icons. They become navigation landmarks.
Each Area gets a distinctive icon reflecting its domain. Choose icons that are:
| Area | Primary | Alternatives | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product | 📦 | 🎯, 💎 | Core deliverable/output |
| Engineering | 💻 | 🔧, ⚙️ | Technical work |
| Marketing | 📣 | 🎨, 🎯 | Communication/outreach |
| Operations | ⚡ | 🔄, 🏭 | Execution/process |
| Finance | 📊 | 💰, 🧮 | Numbers/analysis |
| Design | 🎨 | ✨, 🖼️ | Visual/creative |
| Sales | 🤝 | 💼, 📈 | Relationships/growth |
| Support | 🛟 | 🆘, 💬 | Assistance/help |
| Legal | ⚖️ | 📜, 🔒 | Compliance/contracts |
| HR/People | 👥 | 🧑🤝🧑, 💼 | Team/personnel |
Items within databases should have consistent icons based on their type property. This creates instant visual recognition when scanning database views.
| Type | Icon | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Spec | 📋 | Formal specifications, requirements |
| Guide | 📖 | How-to documentation, tutorials |
| Playbook | 📒 | Step-by-step procedures, runbooks |
| Reference | 🏷️ | Quick lookup, glossaries, lists |
| Template | 📝 | Reusable formats and structures |
| Concept | 💡 | Explanatory content, principles |
| Process | 🔄 | Workflow documentation |
| Policy | 📜 | Rules, guidelines, standards |
| Report | 📈 | Analysis, metrics, summaries |
| Archive | 📦 | Historical/deprecated content |
Use colored circles for project status (visible in list/board views):
| Status | Icon | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Not Started | ⚪ | Planned but not begun |
| Active | 🟢 | Currently in progress |
| On Hold | 🟡 | Paused, waiting on dependency |
| Blocked | 🔴 | Cannot proceed, needs resolution |
| Complete | ✅ | Successfully finished |
Track knowledge maturity using SECI-based icons:
| Phase | Icon | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Socialization | 💬 | Tacit, needs discussion/experience |
| Externalization | 📝 | Being documented, draft state |
| Combination | 🔗 | Synthesized, connected to other knowledge |
| Internalization | 🎯 | Actionable, ready for application |
| Priority | Icon | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
| Critical | 🔥 | Must address immediately |
| High | ⬆️ | Important, do soon |
| Medium | ➡️ | Normal priority |
| Low | ⬇️ | Nice to have |
Pages that don't belong to a database should have unique icons describing their specific content. Match the icon to the page's primary purpose.
| Content | Icon | Use For |
|---|---|---|
| Meeting Notes | 🗓️ | Scheduled discussions |
| Standup | 🧍 | Daily syncs |
| Retrospective | 🔍 | Review sessions |
| Workshop | 🛠️ | Collaborative work sessions |
| Interview | 🎤 | Candidate/user interviews |
| Announcement | 📢 | Team communications |
| Content | Icon | Use For |
|---|---|---|
| Decision Record | ⚖️ | ADRs, documented decisions |
| Proposal | 💡 | Ideas for consideration |
| Roadmap | 🗺️ | Future planning |
| Strategy | 🎯 | High-level direction |
| OKRs | 🎪 | Objectives and key results |
| Post-mortem | 🔬 | Incident analysis |
| Content | Icon | Use For |
|---|---|---|
| Brainstorm | 💭 | Ideation sessions |
| Sketch | ✏️ | Early designs |
| Prototype | 🧪 | Experimental work |
| Research | 🔎 | Discovery findings |
| Inspiration | ✨ | Reference collection |
| Content | Icon | Use For |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | 🏗️ | System design |
| Diagram | 📊 | Visual documentation |
| API Docs | 🔌 | Integration reference |
| Schema | 🗃️ | Data structure |
| Changelog | 📋 | Version history |
| Troubleshooting | 🔧 | Debug guides |
| Content | Icon | Use For |
|---|---|---|
| Checklist | ✓ | Task lists |
| SOP | 📑 | Standard procedures |
| Escalation | 🚨 | Emergency contacts |
| On-Call | 📞 | Support rotation |
| Runbook | 📒 | Operational procedures |
| Audit | 🔍 | Compliance checks |
While Notion doesn't support icon colors directly, you can achieve color coding through careful emoji selection:
🔴 🟠 🟡 🔥 ⚠️ 🚨 - Alerts, blockers, urgent items
🔵 🟢 💚 🩵 - Active, healthy, stable items
⚪ ⚙️ 🔧 ⬜ - Configuration, settings, meta pages
Status Traffic Lights:
🔴 Blocked/Critical
🟡 Warning/On Hold
🟢 Active/Healthy
Progress Indicators:
⬜ Not started
🔲 In progress
✅ Complete
Quality/Health:
💚 Excellent
💛 Good
🧡 Needs attention
❤️ Critical
❌ Using 🎉 for a meeting note just because you like it
✅ Using 🗓️ consistently for all meeting notes
❌ Some projects have 🚀, others have 📁, others have no icon
✅ All projects have status-based icons (🟢, 🟡, etc.)
❌ 🔴🔥⚠️🚨 on one page (redundant urgency)
✅ 🔴 for blocked status (single clear signal)
❌ Major area dashboard with no icon
✅ Every navigational page has an appropriate icon
PARA Structure:
🏠 Home 📥 Inbox 🚀 Projects 🎯 Areas 📚 Resources 🗄️ Archives ⚙️ Meta
Resource Types:
📋 Spec 📖 Guide 📒 Playbook 🏷️ Reference 📝 Template 💡 Concept
Status:
⚪ Not Started 🟢 Active 🟡 On Hold 🔴 Blocked ✅ Complete
Priority:
🔥 Critical ⬆️ High ➡️ Medium ⬇️ Low
SECI Phases:
💬 Socialization 📝 Externalization 🔗 Combination 🎯 Internalization
references/emoji-semantics.md - Complete emoji meaning guidereferences/icon-automation.md - Automating icons via templates/formulasCreating algorithmic art using p5.js with seeded randomness and interactive parameter exploration. Use this when users request creating art using code, generative art, algorithmic art, flow fields, or particle systems. Create original algorithmic art rather than copying existing artists' work to avoid copyright violations.
Applies Anthropic's official brand colors and typography to any sort of artifact that may benefit from having Anthropic's look-and-feel. Use it when brand colors or style guidelines, visual formatting, or company design standards apply.
Create beautiful visual art in .png and .pdf documents using design philosophy. You should use this skill when the user asks to create a poster, piece of art, design, or other static piece. Create original visual designs, never copying existing artists' work to avoid copyright violations.