Logo workflow guide

Yes

Create the perfect logo every time with this johnson banks owchart

OK, well be prepared to defend it

Yes

OK, well good luck with that

No

Use this ow chart to help you decide...

A lot of logos twist letters this may be OK (see clever/unique)

Sort of

Some logos work because theyre tough to read they make the viewer try harder

But

Well, without knowing what the project is meant to do, how can you design it?

No

Have you cross-checked the design against this work?

Maybe

Time to double-check, I think OK, just asking. Its just useful to think a bit wider

No

Doyou care?

What do you mean?

Yes

No

OK. Are you sure? Can you read it?

Yes

Well, perhaps its time to ring and tell them

No

A readable logotype is a good start

Yes

Unreadable logos are a tough sell, generally

No

Fairenough a gamble but itmight just pay off

Er, good point

Yes

OK, double wrong just means its doubly wrong. Sorry

No

Thats ne then

Yes

Remember, even the most famous ones (eg. Shell and the Nike tick) started with their nameattached

But...

Whos to say?
Is the typeface appropriate?

OK. Well this hasnt been very strategic, has it?

Dunno

Well, have you/the client worked on the mission, vision and values, and then developed abrief?

Thatsgreat. Be happy

Yes

Good its useful to strike a good balance between smart and smart-arse

No

Er, why not? Doesthe work reect the overall project and t with whats planned?

No

What do you mean?

Are you sure that just a logo is allthats required?

Doesthe client, your peers, your mum and anyone else important admire it?

So, is it a great logo?

Yes

No

Isit so wrong, its right?

Willasymbol work to explain/ suggest what the client does?

You might need to see what it looks like with type nearby

No

Goodwork. Go to the top of the class

Yes

Yes No

Yes

Dothe two elements balance well together?

Yes

Isitan interesting/ unusual lock-up?

Yes No

Experiment more with how the pieces match together. Youll get there

No

Did you design it?

Is it based on a piece of type (a logotype)?

No

Is it a just a symbol?

Yes

This bit is tricky sometimes getting a great lock-up can take longer than you think

No

Good. Tick. Well you might need to do something about that Does it need to be?

Yes

Yes

Is it part of a larger branding/identity project? Is it clever? Is it unique? Is it time-proof?

No

Yes

Isittoo clever?

Yes No

Well, time to try harder, dontcha think?

Yes

Yes
Areyou sure? Have you checked in hundreds of books and the web?

GReaT LOgO?
Will it animate well?
No
Doesit need an animated form, either now or in the future?

START HERE!

Is it a combination of a word and a symbol? Are the colours appropriate?

No
Was that on purpose?

Time to experiment a bit more then

No

Well, some brands have broken through with unusual colours: More Th>n is green; Orange is, er, orange

Yes

Straightforward cansometimes equal dull, too

But

Thats ne straightforward can be good

No

Yes

No Yes What do you mean?

No

Does it work in black and white? Does it work at different scales and sizes?
Yes
Haveyou tested it at all sizes from 50 pixels to two metres wide?

No

Isthe sector colour coded?

No

Thats good. Colour choice is now up to you and your client

Good. Before you go much further, it might be an idea to start doing some trademark checks

Yes

You need to. Quick. Show it to people with long memories and grey hair

No

Wereyou briefed to do something that looked like something else?

Wow. That was said with some certainty. Youre sure it wont go out of date?

Doesit matter? Does it need to last at least ve years?

Yes

No

See, you wondering now, arent you?

Mmm

Hasit been done in a style which is very now (and will look very then)?

Well you might need to think harder about this then

Yes

Good idea a moving, animated mark is pretty much mandatory now

Yes

Yes

Oh, sorry. Make sure youre not infringing on anyones copyright could get messy later

Yes

Er, so how come its not unique? Cmon, time to pull your nger out...

No

OK ne. Go with that whole club yer aesthetic then

No

OK. I like that. Your minds made up

Yes

Well, ask other people. Take advice. Read some books. Look at some design classics and think a bit harder...

Notsure

It might be an idea to start thinking about this soon...

Yes

OK, fair enough. Maybe its a small project and its not important. But check, all the same

No

Haveyou developed large and small-use versions in all le formats?

Well, you might need to, unless one particular size is all you need

No

Have you got time to develop/ investigate different versions?

Good work. Always useful

Yes

Isthat an issue? Will the client need versions that work in one colour?

Yes
Have you avoided the sector colours? Good youll stand out more

Yes

Er, sorry?

No

OK, time todo some work

Yes

You might need to. Eventually theyll want to do pencils

No

Brilliant. Im impressed. Want a job?

Yes

Great, time to get experimenting...

Yes

Areyousure? Eventually someone will want to embroider a baseball cap orapolo shirt

Arethere colours that keep cropping up with competitors, eg. banking blue, charity red, etc

Well, theres a danger youll look like the others. Are you sure about the colour choice?

No

Ok, we could have a problem here...

No

Thats good. Colour choice is now up to you and your client

No

Ok, now you have to decide if you want to lead, or to follow...

Yes

This flowchart comes free with issue 148 of Computer Arts Projects magazine Words Michael Johnson (www.johnsonbanks.co.uk) Inspired by Should I work for free? by Jessica Hische (www.shouldiworkforfree.com)

CAP148.chart 1

3/4/11 5:30:13 PM