The document describes a process created by Scarlet Design International Ltd to design a new logo for an organization that supports people with disabilities. Two workshops and a one-on-one session used non-digital materials and activities to get input from service users on logo choices. Participants communicated preferences by decorating boards with images and designing logo options. The final logo was chosen via anonymous ballot and was well-received by both service users and staff. The process helped identify new ways for the organization to communicate with and get feedback from service users.

1. Include 2011
Creating a process to design a
logo: consultation methods to
discover a collective language and
new ways to communicate choices.
BY FRAN O’HARA
Scarlet Design International Ltd, UK
Abstract
The paper will present a process created to enable service-users to communicate
their choices on the new corporate identity of an organisation which supports people
with learning disabilities, physical disabilities, autism and mental health issues. Two
consultation workshops and a one-to-one session were undertaken to ensure the
logo was created by the service-users rather than the service-providers. A series of
activities using non-technology based materials was offered to all participants,
including the support team, to discover specific information. The process was
designed to encourage rapid prototyping, and dissolve existing power hierarchies
and role assumptions. The designer provided a framework, materials for expression
and drawing skills. This novel combination of service-provider and graphic
design/teaching expertise produced outcomes which enhanced the participant’s
quality of life. The paper will discuss the ways in which these outcomes embodied
collective thinking, the range of consultation methods the sessions and the
communication practices discovered. Each participant found a communication
method to express their choices and contributed to a mutual visual language which
defined the corporate identity and influenced future consultation sessions. The paper
will conclude by addressing the individual ways participants communicated, and
additional learnings from the process which have informed the organisation’s future
practice.
Keywords
Design, process, innovation, co-design, co-production, participatory design,
person-centred approach, visual language, graphic facilitation, learning disabilities.
Outline
Drive provides services which enable people with learning disabilities, physical
disabilities, autism and mental health issues to live full and valued lives. They
instigated a redesign of their corporate identity to create a logo which was more
accessible to their service-users, their staff, and their stakeholders and funders.
As part of their person-centred approach Drive commissioned a graphic designer/
facilitator to create a new consultation process, co-producing the design and
delivery of the sessions.
The project’s primary aim was to create a logo mark and visual language which their
service-users could associate with Drive, liked, and responded to positively. Drive

2. wanted to created a situation in which the service-users were listened to at all stages
of the process, and were able to actively contribute to creating the design of the logo.
Drive identified this project as an opportunity for them to be part of a valued
experience; one in which the service-users would be viewed as individuals who are
able to make choices and able to contribute ‘gifts, talents, passions, interests, ideas
and opinions to others in the community.’ [1] In addition to the logo creation this
project was used by Drive to identifying new communication methods, and to design
and trial a set of tools to support their service-users to express choices and make
changes in their lives. This would enable Drive to improve the ways they ask for
feedback and to deliver their services more effectively.
Introduction
The project was based on the notion that each participant should be able to
communicate in a way that enabled them to feel included, comfortable, and able to
contribute at a level that suited them. This participative approach ensured that the
service-users were at the centre of the process, informing the Drive team of their
views in a creative and safe environment. New consultation methods were devised
which were accessible within a workshop format. To dissolve the power hierarchy
and existing role assumptions, the facilitator was not provided with information about
the participants, removing any possibility of prejudice, diagnosis and labelling. [1]
Designing a staged consultation process
Three consultation sessions were undertaken, each using the same set of activities.
The first workshop was held with five people who were more able. The process was
then reviewed and the outcomes used to inform the plans for the second workshop
plan, which was held with six less able people, and also a one-to-one session with an
individual in their home. A staged consultation process during the workshops
gathered the information; participants were able to choose to undertake a series of
sequenced actions, at their own pace. The Drive team also completed the activities
to provide models, and in some cases were assisted by the service-users.
(1) Invitation to the consultation workshops: Fourteen people were asked if they
would like to be part of the project to help Drive. This invitation was offered in ‘Easy
Read’ letter form and also verbally by a Drive team member at a face-to-face
meeting.
(2) Session planning: Drive’s existing
consultation methods and the room
space were reviewed. This resulted
in the development of the notion of a
five hour ‘creative space’ session to
provide the service-users with the
opportunity of participating in all the
activities. Different options for each
activity were created, with specific
attention paid to removing any
potential barriers by creating a room
layout which retained each
participant’s personal space. Figure 1: Workshop room layout plan
Art Materials
Table
Snacks
and
Lunch
Table
Flip Chart for
‘Special Things’
and A1 Board
Presentations
Drive question
boards area
Chairs with magazine and book reference materials for people to look at
Door
Toilet
Person 3Person 2Person 1
Person 4 Person 5 Person 6

3. (3) Recording information for the workshops: Each participant was given a digital
camera two - three weeks prior to the workshop and asked to photograph their five
‘favourite things’, and to choose a special object to bring to the session. Everyone
recorded their images, at their own pace; Drive collated and printed the images.
(4) The workshop session: A range of materials was placed on each table, including
felt pens and pencils in several sizes, metallic pens and crayons, colourful shaped
stickers, bright coloured card with safety scissors and fun shaped post-its. To
establish an environment of creativity the workshop started with the production of
large A1 size individual image boards of the participant’s world. Each board had one
black and one white side with a masking tape centreline. Everyone then attached
their ‘favourite things’ images, added captions and decorated the board, most people
filled the top section above the tape but some used the whole space.
Figure 2: Service-user ‘Communicating Choices’ boards and Drive question boards.
Participants were then asked to cover the
remaining board space with random images
sourced from the magazines and books area, in
addition to asking for hand-rendered illustrations
produced by the facilitator. Those that wished
could also participate in creating the Drive
question boards, and present the boards and
objects to the group at the end of the session.
Video and digital cameras operated by the
service-users and Drive team were used
throughout the workshops to record the
learnings and outcomes.
Figure 3: Participant presenting their board

4. (5) Creating a visual
language: The service-
users were enjoying
the session and had
already undertaken
several activities using
the materials, with a
collective visual
language becoming
evident. All participants,
apart from one, chose
to contribute to the logo
activity. Lexia (a font
created for the British
Dyslexia Society) was
chosen for the Drive
word template, due
to its high level of
accessibility. Figure 4: Decorating the logo choices
Sheets with eight different A4 sized logo designs in
black and white keyline format were placed on a
wall area, to ensure that those participants with
low confidence made individual choices and did
not simply mirror others. Everyone chose the
version they preferred and decorated the logo,
with several participants completing multiple
designs. Non-digital methods were used to
encourage free expression and rapid prototyping. Figure 5: Eight logo designs
Figure 6: Selection of the final logo designs created by Drive’s service-users
drive
drive
DRIVEDrive
Drive
DriveDrivedrive

5. (6) Choosing a logo: The three final logo designs were created using elements from
the service-user’s logo images. An anonymous ballot was held at the Drive AGM to
vote for the final logo, with Drive staff and AGM attendees using red tokens and the
service-users using yellow tokens. The winning design proved to be universally
popular, receiving a similar number of yellow and red votes.
Figure 7: Ballot boxes with logos Figure 8: Final Drive logo
Building on what was learnt - what next?
Drive have launched their new identity and continue to trial and refine the processes,
particularly sourcing more ways to ask open questions. They have also undertaken a
review of how their service-users, individually, prefer to give and receive information.
The project’s outcomes has informed their practice in several areas, Drive has
sourced toolkits to further aid communication for service users, and has added it
to their Inclusive Communication workshops for all staff. Learning Disability Wales
published an article in their magazine ‘Llais’ to highlight the project as example of
an innovative consultation process and best practice.
Conclusion
The level and quality of the service-users’ contributions challenges existing social
discrimination and changes the perception of skills. The workshops provided a
enjoyable experience for all participants, resulting in positive quality of life outcomes
which included more, and a wider range of, participation and increased self esteem.
The co-production partnership of the DRIVE team’s specialist knowledge, combined
with the designer/ facilitator/teacher visual-led approach, Disney experience and
accessibility specialism resulted in hybrid methods being created ‘on the spot’ as
direct responses to participant’s needs. Whilst these methods might not suit all
service-users, the process was successful with participants with differing capabilities
and is a model for an approach to discovering new methods - something to build on
in the future. These sessions focussed primarily on visual-led methods with some
aural and written elements. Sessions incorporating tactile, sound-based and other
sensory processes could be conducted to create additional inclusive consultation
formats and expand the knowledge further. This project provides a model for cross-
sector collaboration, illustrating that transferring knowledge from business and
education sectors to the independent sector has real value, can bring new
perspectives and create innovative people-centred processes.
References
[1] Hunter, S, Richie, P (2007). Co-production and personalisation in social care:
changing relationships in the provision of social care. London: Jessica Kingsley
Publishers