DUBLIN, IRELAND - Decisions For Heroes had a draft logo by the end of last week and I loaded it as my phone background screen and headed off on a weekend break away in Roscommon. As I pulled my mobile out every time I saw it, showed other people to watch their reaction, and tried to get comfortable with it myself as something I would wear like clothing. After a slight tweak, I’m now comfortable with it and ready to present it here for criticism (and thank you to everyone who emailed me inspiration or resources!).
The inspiration is from a flow diagram decision block.
and a radio wave / communication data symbol as in “Digitally Communicating Decisions”.
What am I trying to achieve?
A brand/logo/symbol that can be used on multiple product lines under the name “decisions for…” as we roll out the same technology into different domains. This could be done by different symbols in the diamond or by colour changes.
As I outlined in the last post, I need the “Heroes” brand to have a real connection to rescue teams and their styling which tends to be in the form of a circular crest or patch. The ability to make a good sticker or physical fabric patch is also important.
So here’s where we’re now down to…
-Robin.
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DUBLIN, IRELAND - I’m on a campaign to find a look, a brand, an image. Something that says rescue, safety, rough, tough, outdoor. Something that gives software a look that appeals to rescue teams. That they can self-identify with. That feels different to Web2.0 logos, that feels different to Microsoft Logos, that feels outdoory.
So I’ve been going through all my test users and prospective users websites and finding their style. What do they identify with? How do they put their best foot forward? What brands do they want to stick on their 4×4’s? On their laptops? On their helmets? I’ve been creating screenshots for about 3 hours now - and have boiled down what the common look is:
Photoshop next.
-Robin.
(Apologies on the image of the list, I couldn’t get OmniOutliner to export to plaintext.)
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DUBLIN, IRELAND - I am in awe today, our service Decisions For Heroes has been featured on the front-page of O’Reilly Radar. Jesse Robbins (serves as co-chair of the Velocity Performance & Operations Conference and was responsible for Amazon.com’s website availability as “Master Of Disaster”) wrote some great words and is now ‘my hero’ ;-)
One of the most interesting DisasterTech projects I’ve been following is “Decisions for Heroes” led by developer and Irish Coast Guard volunteer Robin Blandford.
Decisions is like Basecamp for volunteer Search & Rescue teams. The focus is on providing “just enough” process to compliment the real-world workflow of a rescue team, without unnecessary complexity.
This is the winning approach for building systems that “serve those that serve others”, and is echoed by InSTEDD’s design philosophy and the Sahana disaster management system.
This is an innovative project with tremendous potential, and hopefully an early signal of coming changes in Emergency Management.
It feels unusual, it’s the first time emails have come in from around the world with congratulations for the coverage - before I even knew about it! Today, I spent the day on a mountain in Wicklow with the national Search & Rescue Dogs Association acting as an injured dog’s body. The discipline shown by the animals was awesome in this big game of hide & seek. I twittered photos live from my phone.
Read the full article on O’Reilly Radar.
-Robin.
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DUBLIN, IRELAND - Bernie linked to an archived post of mine this morning. I used to write a lot more, and I used to love it. As a combination of my brain not being used in work to its full, reading a tremendous amount, travelling a lot, and spending large amounts of time alone in Singapore having next to nil in shoulder rubbing… I would have all these ideas, thoughts and concepts.
Now my brain is overflowing with business, business, business - it’s constrained. It’s got a box now, and I’m thinking within it.
I promise to myself today, that once I’ve done the stuff that has to be done, I’ll step back from it all and start thinking again. For now, it’s back to the protocols and processes required to start something.
Doing this business stuff is fun. It’s not hard at all, it’s just a very long runway to get off the ground.
-Robin.
(Photo Credit: Walking over the River Liffey in Dublin yesterday en-route from Contrast to ByteSurgery, it was cold!)
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DUBLIN, IRELAND - OK, lots of missed news on here and I’m not sure where to begin. The biggest shift is a new office, the Hothouse have given us free office space in their incubation facility. Superb!
Along with it (as a commercialisation of research facility), for attending our 2 workshops a month and submitting business plans to the Dublin Institute of Technology, I receive a Postgrad Dip. in New Business Development. Brilliant!
Hothouse is a year-long programme that provides knowledge-intensive start-ups with the expertise, networks and tools they need to develop highly successful businesses capable of competing in global markets.
Helping launch over 300 companies during the past ten years, the PDC has a wealth of experience in delivering practical programmes for dynamic Irish businesses.
If you have an idea with commercial potential and the skills and experience to exploit that idea, the Hothouse programme offers the support you need to progress, including:
- a base in the entrepreneurial environment of a dedicated incubator
- workshops to improve your capabilities in key business areas
- access to a network of experts and entrepreneurs
- help in raising investment
Drop in for a coffee if you’re passing the Point Depot / The O2, we’re right next door…
ByteSurgery, Docklands Innovation Park, 128-130 East Wall Road, Dublin 3, Ireland.
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