Documentation of a 2007 private logo project. Brief: express dynamic and human aspects of e-collaboration - and create something that looks different compared to common IT logos. Concept of dynamic/generative logo, overlay of warm, translucent colors. Programmed in Flash (animation not included in presentation).

1. How to visualize
collaboration?
Developing a logo for an academic e-collaboration platform.
,Collaborate‘ project, December 2007 - documentation.
Berlin, July 2012

2. Preface
I‘m a strategist, not a professional designer. Strategy without execution
or implementation is worthless. Magic happens, when you see your ideas
being executed, when they start to breathe and live in the real world.
There‘s just one thing that is even more exciting: to execute your ideas
yourself. To play with concepts, shapes, colors and fonts - to express your
very own ideas with your very own visual style.
From time to time, I find some time to go the distance - from strategy/
concept to visual execution. Moments of unlimited creativity, moments
of flow and joy. December 10th to 14th, 2007 was such a time ...
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3. Brief
A very good friend and former colleague asked me to develop a logo for his
online platform „collaborate“ (website no longer live). The platform served
as an discussion board and hub for the academic „e-collaboration“ community.
He was bored by all the blue-silver-white logos of the IT sector and asked for
something really different. Something that expresses the dynamics and
human aspect of e-collaboration, not the technical dimension.
The primary application of the logo was the website/online platform.
Nevertheless, the logo should be able to be printed on business cards,
conference posters, flyers, publications etc.
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4. Idea
Dynamic/liquid, generative logo
E-collaboration is dynamic, permanently changing constellations,
overlays of projects and people on projects, varying arrangements,
ever changing set-ups
Warm & translucent colors
Human factor of e-collaboration, mix of translucent colors symbolizes
mix of people and capabilities, unforeseen tones symbolize uncertainty
of collaborative projects (results cannot be determined beforehand)
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5. Concept
Create a basic shape that symbolizes a realistic network
(people = knots). A set of (seven) interconnected people, not everyone to
everyone, but max. by 2nd degree (seven people = seven knots).
Visualize different constellations/set-ups of network collaboration
by highlighting the active network members (min. = 2, max. = 7).
Color-code the different constellations (translucent).
Program a Flash movie (.swf) that mixes a set of shapes with each other.
Logotype stays static. Flash, as it was 2007 kind of a proper web-format -
and the only tool I was able to develop dynamic web graphics with ...
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6. Execution (step 1)
Basic shape and set of
different constellations
of network collaboration
Discarded constellations
(purely due to visual
considerations)
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7. Execution (allowed constellations)
(grey pixel on top left corner of shapes indicator for shape alignment)
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8. Dynamic configurations (2 shapes)
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9. Dynamic configurations (3 shapes)
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10. Disclaimer
It‘s fascinating to witness that dynamic/generative/liquid logos become more and more popular. The
availability of (realtime) data and the role of the Web as the core of service and brand experiences
creates fascinating opportunities for dynamic/generative logos.
This project was inspired a number of dynamic/generative/liquid logos. I would like to highlight, that I
never intended to copy a concept or logo. Stefan Sagmeisters ,Casa Da Musica‘ had a strong influence,
especially in terms of concept, rigor and execution (http://www.underconsideration.com/brandnew/
archives/the_17_sides_of_a_cultural_id.php).
The generative logo of the MIT Media Lab is a newer but still brilliant piece of art. (http://
www.fastcodesign.com/1663378/mit-media-labs-brilliant-new-logo-has-40000-permutations-video).
It displays a certain similarity to my ,collaborate‘ project. Therefore, I would like to point out, that
the ,collaborate‘ project started and ended December 2007, a few years before the MIT Media Lab
logo was launched. The friend who asked for the logo and former colleagues at The Brand Union
Hamburg would testify that this is true.
If somebody feels copied or robbed of his creative idea: I‘m sorry, it was really not my intention.
And ,collaborate‘ was never for commercial purposes, just explorative, experiential and academic.
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11. Contact
Carsten Totz (Ph.D., Dipl.-Kfm.)
Digital | Brand | Strategist
Berlin, Germany
www.totzi.com
twitter.com/totzitotz
me@totzi.com