Religion

logo workflow guide

Yes

Create the perfect logo every time
with this johnson banks flowchart

OK, well be
prepared to
defend
it

No

No

Do you
care?

Time to
double-check,
I think

No

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

Yes

That’s great.
Be happy
Are you
sure that just
a logo is
all that’s
required?

What
doyou
mean?

No

No

OK. Are you
sure?

No

Does the
work reflect the
overall project
and ‘fit’ with
what’s planned?

Yes

Good.
Tick.

Yes

Did you design it?

But

Straightforward
can sometimes
equal dull, too

Yes

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

No

Oh, sorry.
Make sure
you’re not infringingon anyone’s copyright
– could get
messy later

No

No

Yes

Were you
briefed to do
something that
looked like
something
else?

Mmm

Er, so how come
it’s not unique?
C’mon, time to
pull your finger
out...

Yes

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

No

Yes

What
do you
mean?

Wow.
That was said
with some
certainty. You’re
sure it won’t go
out ofdate?

Has it
been done
in a style which
is very ‘now’
(and will look
very ‘then’)?

OK. I like
that. Your mind’s
made up

Not sure

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

Experiment more
with how the pieces
match together.
You’ll get there

No

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

Yes

No

Will it animate well?
No

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

No

Time to
experiment a bit
more then
Was
that on
purpose?

No

Does it work in
black and white?
Does it work at different
scales and sizes?
Yes

Yes

No

Is it an
interesting/
unusual
lock-up?

Yes

Yes

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

Yes

Well you
might need to
think harder
about this
then

Do the
two elements
balance well
together?

Is it a just a symbol?

Is it time-proof?

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

See, you wondering
now, aren’t you?

Yes

Is it unique?

Yes

No

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

Is it so
wrong, it’s
right?

GrEAt
loGo?

Is it clever?

Yes
No

That’s fine –
straightforward
can be good

No

START HERE!

Does
it need
to be?

No

Yes

Yes

Good work.
Go to the top of
the class

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

Will a symbol
work to explain/
suggest what
theclient does?

Is it part of a larger
branding/identity project?

Yes

Is it too
clever?

Well, time
to try harder,
don’tcha
think?

Is the
typeface
appropriate?

Yes

That’s fine
then

No

Er, good
point

Yes

Yes

Well you
might need to
do something
about
that

Can you
read it?

OK, double wrong
just means it’s
doubly wrong.
Sorry

No

Yes
No

Er,why not?

Good – it’s useful to
strike a good balance
between ‘smart’ and
‘smart-arse’

So, is
it a great
logo?

Fair enough
– a gamble but
it might just
pay off

Who’s
to say?

But...

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

No

Yes

Unreadable
logos are a tough
sell, generally

A readable
logotype isa
good start

Well, perhaps
it’s time to ring
and tell them

Yes

OK, just
asking. It’s just
useful to think
a bit wider

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

OK. Well this hasn’t
been very strategic,
has it?

No

Yes

What
do you
mean?

Yes

Dunno

Sort of

Maybe

Have you
cross-checked...