One of the things I love most about designing logos is that these "simple" little symbols are so contextually complex!

On a business level, a logo designer has to ask, "What does your business do? What kind of customers are you looking to attract? What sort of relationship do you want to have with them, and what first impression do you want to make? "

On a cultural level, a good designer has to know what various symbols mean--both to the "dominant" culture and to any "subcultures" that the business wants to reach. What feelings and impressions do different colors, shapes, and images evoke?

And there's a highly personal aspect to logo design because the right design is the one the client will be proud of. He or she should get a little jolt of energy every time they see their logo--whether it's on a business card, on a product, or on the back of a truck.

The difference between good and great design is often in the consulting work that ideally precedes the design process. Customers almost always have some idea of what they're looking for ahead of time, but that doesn't mean they will know how to communicate it.

So a good designer asks a lot of questions about colors and symbols and feelings and about the customer's business concept. A great designer then helps the customer analyze that information to discover a good direction for the logo.

Being a great designer is as much about great consulting as it is about great design.

After all, the designer is essentially being hired to represent the client to his or her customers every single day, day in and day out, potentially for the life of the business. Designing is about more than just eye candy--it's about helping the client to take their business wherever they want it to go.