D3 Technologies is a consulting company that works with manufacturers to create applications that help them work faster and more efficiently. They came with the task of naming a new piece of software they developed.

It was obviously very capable technology, but it would take a full crash course in engineering to fully understand what the application did for their end users. I did understand the base deliverable of the product: it models and exports configurations for pressurized vessels used in a variety of industries.

Challenge

The problem was tricky; to develop a name for a complex application that I couldn’t fully grasp the abilities of. They also wanted to name the underlying architecture that powered the application, which they would use to build other applications.

Fortunately, with my web development and coding background, I could grasp the points that they were making, which helped me give my teammates a layman’s overview of the application and what D3 needed.

Approach

We utilized group brainstorms and SWOT analyses to generate ideas and names that we thought would fit this product and represent D3 well. We came up with a few options and developed example brand graphics that could be used in context with their product.

For the Captain logo, the epaulettes of Merchant Navy uniforms were my primary source of inspiration. High-end electronics were an inspiration for the Ruler logo.

The lettering in the Captain logo is hand-drawn. Several of the typeface options I considered didn’t have the proper balance and sharpness.

Solution

After some time to review, D3 accepted two of the logos: Captain for the primary pressurized vessel configurator, and Ruler for the database and rendering backend that powered it. They understood and appreciated the overall feel that I was going for with my sources of inspiration.

What I Learned

• Weird projects are refreshing.
  This project was unique and a little obscure, but it was really fun, so I will always suggest that my designer friends take the weird jobs.
• Clichéd Design 101 techniques actually work.
  Using the ideation techniques that I learned in college (like mind mapping and noun/adjective pairing) worked; they can seem tedious or outdated or boring, but they yield results.
• Don’t lean too far into one idea.
  While preparing the concepts, I had to resist the urge to put all of my time into my favorite. They didn’t pick my favorite, but the other ideas were just as developed and polished.