I was recently doing some research for a page I’m writing for our website about logo theory. I find some of the methods that people use to develop logos quite interesting, especially the logos of companies that many would consider American icons. Sometimes the process is the result of tons and tons of research a la the Cingular logo which was the outcome of a couple of years of testing and market research. Other times, the logo we know today is the product of a “nothing” being developed and refined over time… like the Ford emblem. Even more amazing is the success of some logos that were thrown together at the last minute and through some sort of ethereal magic came out great much like the Napster logo.

The truth is that consistent succesful logo design, like website design, requires someone who knows what they’re doing to apply appropriate amounts of science, art, and ingenuity. I believe consistency is the aim for all professional designers; yet only the rookies or ignorant believe you’re going to hit the bullseye every time. Add to this the fact that all of this is then subject to sometimes inexplicable personal opinion and well… it’s no wonder that I’m losing my hair…

(Although I should blame my Mom for that…)

We just closed on a house two weeks ago, and our lush landscaping is a haven for spiders and other non-human inhabitants. My daughter twice was stung by wasps, and my oldest daughter’s friend–in an attempt to prevent detection as we walked outside in the midst of his rolling our home in toilet paper–was greeted in his dive into the foliage by a snake who promptly bit him in the leg. He wasn’t hurt.

Several nights ago, as we played a family game at the dining room table, we watched a large spider feverishly work to build a web across the non-opening part of our sliding glass door. We were mesmerized by the industry of this little arachnid and frequently glanced over to watch the build process. When complete, the spider sat smack in the middle of her creation and awaited prey coming to the light of our brightly lit interior. The next day, the spider and all signs of its presence were gone.

Forward to the evening: much to our delight, our little friend reappeared and again laid plans for her project. Again, she sat in the middle when the trap was complete. The next morning, all traces of the spider and her home had vanished.

And again the next night.

During night four, I realized that this little spider was spending an awful lot of time working and reworking the same process with the same outcome. It reminded me about our work with clients on office automation.

By far, I enjoy working with clients on helping them automate tasks more than any other part of my work at TDS. We have wowed our clients with new ideas and processes that make daily drudge work a thing of the past. One day, we’ll share with you some of the projects we have completed and the effect they’ve had on a client’s bottom line.

But for now, I’m going to continue to watch our gal in the spiderweb building business and try to figure out if she’s changing up her designs at all. P’raps she’s a web designer!