Process
We'd begin any intake session with a roundtable discussion about the project proposal.
The Roles
For what I'd like to build—an indie design & dev studio—I see a few critical roles from multiple functions & perspectives:
- back-end developers (PHP preferred, for Kirby websites, but also: api development, testing, business logic, custom software);
- front-end developers (semantic HTML, modern CSS, performant/vanilla Javascript; animators; accessibility);
- UX developers ("full-stack"; typography; color; design systems; accessibility)
- writers (design; marketing; editors; content; brand; technical; architects);
- designers (typopgraphers; systems; graphics; experience; interface; visual; marketing, artistry; colorists);
- quality specialists (testing quality across all of the above, ppreferrably at least one per craft)
- project/product managers (keeping things in budget, on time, etc
The Brand
Would be fun, as I want it to be a relatively small studio to start, but I'd like each worker to have their own "font budget" when joining the team, as their own "brand" withini the team and marketing materials. There'd be a limit, but each person would have a budget for picking out their fonts.
They'd get the font registered in their private name, and the company would register it for internall use. They can then use it for their own brand identity too, if they'd like to use it for their networks'n'such.
The thing though, it has to have an interrobang in the font.
That's the logo after all!
Note: I do not actually have a logo yet for it. But, as its namesake is an alternative proposal of a name for the interrobang, it seems appropriate to use as the primary logo mark. However, in onomatopeaic comics style, each worker should have their own interrobang
One of my favorite brand designs has been MIT Media Labs' iterations over the years:
- In 2014, Pentagram introduced a redesign
- The 2011, Richard The's brand design, spotlights of algorithmic color:
The new visual identity of the MIT Media Lab is inspired by the community it comprises: Highly creative people from all kinds of backgrounds come together, inspire each other and collaboratively develop a vision of the future.
This unique offering of the MIT Media Lab is reflected in the logo design. Each of the three shapes stands for one individual's contribution, the resulting shape represents the outcome of this process: A constant redefinition of what media and technology means today.
The logo is based on a visual system, an algorithm that produces a unique logo for each person, for faculty, staff and students. Each person can claim and own an individual shape and can use it on their business card a personal website. The design encompasses all collateral, business cards, letterhead, website, animations, signage etc. A custom web interface was developed to allow each person at the Media Lab to choose and claim an own individual logo for his/her business card, as well as a custom animation software which allows to create custom animations for any video content the lab produces.
I want the interrobang of the studio's logo to be something like that. But, I like each choosing their own font because:
- it's a bit more personal;
- get to support type designers;
- is a fun way to introduce yourself;
- is easy content for a personal bio for the team page;
- builds the studio's font library for potential use in client work; and
- because it's personal to them, the studio can build a wide arrange of styles & fonts they wouldn't have discovered otherwise.
Ways of Working
Would like it to work as a cooperative of some sort.
But, in terms of culture:
- community of practices that generate energy (exclama-);
- always learning & moving forward—towards (-quest);
- seeking out the weird, strange, and different (interrobang‽);
- building good things for people, together (the studio bit).