Logo entry for 2010 Victorian Autism Conference

I was invited to enter a logo into the Victorian Autism Conference this year, organised by Autism Victoria. It was not the winning entry but I truly enjoyed the process of entering it.

The Victorian Autism Conference will be held in August this year to help raise awareness of Autism Spectrum Disorders and to teach the people affected by this condition along with their parents, teachers and professionals about the strategies and services available that can assist them with this complex disorder. Autism is a life-long neurological condition that includes a wide spectrum of disorders (from mild to severe) and affects them in many ways. They often have particular difficulties with sensory overload, processing information, fine and gross motor skills, high anxiety levels and social skills.

It was quite a process to think of a logo concept for this website that worked, as Autism Spectrum Disorders are a concept that cannot be grasped in physical terms. I observed however that many existing logos for organisations providing services for people with Autism, their families and professionals include a jigsaw symbol to symbolise the mystery behind this order. So the jigsaw pieces are incorporated into the design, along with other elements representing the different life stages of having an Autism Spectrum Disorder and the ongoing nature of this disorder.

I am reflecting now, however, whether the jigsaw pieces empower the people with Autism. In one sense, it evokes thoughts of people with Autism being difficult to deal with or the fact that they’re just vegetables locked into their own world. In another sense, however, it can be used to symbolise a challenge that can be overcome and perhaps a symbol for the person with Autism to be able to rise above their own difficulties.

As this conference is being run by Autism Victoria, I used the colour scheme of the Autism Victoria website. I believed it would create a clean, contemporary feel. You can view the website by clicking here (link opens in new window or tab, depending on your web browser and its settings).

To view more information about the concept behind the logo, along with the elements included and how it is to be used, click here to view the style guide (link opens in new window or tab, depending on your web browser and its settings). Please note that this link is to a PDF file and requires Adobe Reader to view it. Click here to download this software (link opens in new window or tab, depending on your web browser and its settings).