Tools of Brand Design and Works of Art
Lists help us stay sane, organized, and get projects done – yet they don’t get much honor in the end. However, from November, 7, 2009 to February 8, 2010, lists are basking in the limelight at the Louvre, thanks to Umberto Eco and his exhibition “Mille e tre” (the Infinity of Lists). Including ancient and contemporary graphic works, and multidisciplinary events, the exhibition traces the evolution of the list through history. “From its ancient use in funerary traditions to its present-day use in everyday life, via the creative processes of contemporary artists, the list is a vehicle for cultural codes and the bearer of different messages.” (Louvre)
I recently read an interview with Umberto Eco, published by Der Spiegel, a weekly German magazine and recommended by The 99%, fanatics of the list themselves. Eco talked about his exhibit, his affinity for lists, and why they are so important. According to Eco:
“The list is the origin of culture. It’s part of the history of art and literature. What does culture want? To make infinity comprehensible. It also wants to create order — not always, but often. And how, as a human being, does one face infinity? How does one attempt to grasp the incomprehensible? Through lists, through catalogs, through collections in museums and through encyclopedias and dictionaries… The list doesn’t destroy culture; it creates it.”
As a project manager, I depend on lists to bring order to our workflow. There are to-do lists, milestone lists, calendar lists, supplies lists, billed time lists, invoice lists, and the “list” goes on. Lists don’t stop at project management, though. They are weaved throughout our branding and experience design process. Lists assist us to break down problems and make them comprehensible; break down goals and make them achievable; and organize a product architecture that is intuitive and simple. Lists help us drive to the essence of what is true about a company or product.
“Look, ever since the days of Aristotle, we have been trying to define things based on their essence. The definition of man? An animal that acts in a deliberate way. Now, it took naturalists 80 years to come up with a definition of a platypus. They found it endlessly difficult to describe the essence of this animal. It lives underwater and on land; it lays eggs, and yet it’s a mammal. So what did that definition look like? It was a list, a list of characteristics.”
When developing brands, we spend a lot of time trying to define what the particular company wants to be when it grows up. Sometimes it’s not just looking at what you do, but also at what you do not do. Our goal is to take each product, service, and value that a company provides and boil that down to the essential truth. A truth that is supported by an equally true, and pared down list of services and products that your company provides.
For example, when we worked with Bigger Africa to develop their brand and social network, we began with a list of all the interactions that can occur:
After identifying key relationships, tasks, and qualities, we could define Bigger Africa.
“Bigger Africa is a social and educational network that drives a better informed and more competitive workforce, as well as foreign and domestic investment on the continent of Africa. The result is powerful connections that provide growth opportunities for individuals, businesses, and Africa as a whole.”
We could have said Bigger Africa is a social network in Africa, but that doesn’t describe what kind of network it is. By listing out what type of network (social and educational), what it does (drives a better informed and more competitive workforce), and who it impacts (individuals, businesses, and Africa) – we are able to comprehensibly communicate the brand.
“The list is the mark of a highly advanced, cultivated society because a list allows us to question the essential definitions. The essential definition is primitive compared with the list.”
Lists are a foundation of our culture, our habits, our work, and our way of life. Let’s hear if for the lists that are more than just a tool, but a work of art.
