32 Flexible Systems

Effective identity programs require enough consistency to be identifiable, but enough variation to keep things fresh and human.

Programs should be designed to not only accommodate variation, but also to carefully orchestrate where variations take place. Whether they highlight certain features or information, variations are an integral part of the program, not an anomaly outside of it. Too often organizations scrap identity programs because they don’t include enough built-in variation.

On the other hand, identity programs that accommodate too much variation create their own problems. If you highlight every line of every page in a book, you haven’t actually created a single highlight. In fact, if you skipped highlighting one line of one page, that would be a highlight.

Consistency will always set the standard, but the variations of any program typically will become its standout features.

Institut Parfumeur Flores
Bunch

Some programs strive to support system-wide flexibility while holding together as a cohesive whole. The Institut Parfumeur Flores program maintains a generally clean, modern aesthetic while offering a variety of variations on the visual theme of flowers.