Some projects take a while to get from conception to completion. But you know what they say, whoever they is, which is something I've often wondered;“Be patient because good things take time.”Or, as Theodore Roosevelt put it;“Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain and difficulty.”
一些项目从设想到实现需要一定的时间。不管对于任何人、任何事，都是这样。“耐心点，好事多磨。”或者，就像西奥多▪罗斯福所说的，“这个世界上没有什么值得拥有，除了努力、主动付出和应对困难”。
I don't know about you, but I find my experiences from the past 25 years in the sign, graphics and branding business to align closely with both of these statements. On one hand, many of my projects, especially the larger, complicated or sophisticated ones, have indeed involved a great amount of effort and caused a lot of headaches and heartburn. But, again, as they say, I've also found that being patient and persistent through the process has often lead to great and rewarding results—for me and my clients.
我不了解各位的情况，但我过去的25年里，在标识、图形和品牌贸易行业 ，与上面两个描述密切相关。一方面，我的许多项目，特别是大型复杂的项目，确实让我付出了大量的努力，造成头痛心伤。但同样的，就像他们所说，我也发现只要有耐心和恒心，结果就会给我和我的客户带来巨大的收益。
An example of this is a multi-location, city-wide"welcome to"gateway signage program that I developed for the city and county of Elkhart, Indiana.The signs were recently installed by a collaboration between my sign division and another sign company, with both of us providing parts of the overall project for the city and county.
举个例子，我为美国印第安纳州埃尔克哈特市开发的一个项目：全方位城市“欢迎”标识。这个标识现在是我们与另一家标识公司在一起合作安装。我们两家提供了整个项目标识系统的所有组成部分。
Making and installing the signs, though very custom, was the easy part. They involved the standard processes of approvals, permits, design specs, marking, utility locates, foundations, masonry, fabrication and installation, all within a very typical sign shop's timeline.
制作和安装标识，即使是定制的，也是很容易的部分。他们不过是遵循以下的过程，获得批准、许可证、设计规格参数，做记录和标记，确定实际位置、基础、主体结构，制作然后安装。以上就是典型的标识商店工作时间轴。
The hard part was conducting all the due diligence then designing, developing and directing through the activities and requirements that a project like this takes in order to become an actual order on the backlog.In this case, the timeline took over a year.Talk about the need for patience.
最难的部分是进行深入调查，然后设计开发，通过实际操作开展和指导，由于这样的项目需求时间长，就会形成一个实际的订单上的积压。在这种情况下，所需时间要超过一年。这里就是所说的需要耐心。
The project itself came about as a result of an overall master plan of signage that I was contracted to create for the city. The master plan was to address wayfinding signs, parking signs, informational kiosks, some specific destination signage, signs for their river walk and a variety of visual solutions to create fun, provide a unique visual experience, and promote activation, engagement and interaction in the heart of their downtown districts.
该项目本身是一个标识的总体规划，是我签约然后承诺要为城市创造的。总体规划是提出导向标识、停车标识、信息亭、某些特定目的地标识、河滨人行道标识等各种标识的视觉解决方案，要求既要能创造乐趣，提供一个独特的视觉体验，又要能促进激活与市中心区域的交叉互动。
Out of all of that, the discussion then grew to include new gateway signs to welcome drivers entering the city at all the major entry points. As soon as the county found out what we were working on, they decided they wanted in on the action and joined the conversation. They wanted gateway signs as well.
基于以上所有，讨论的结果包括，在城市所有主要通道入口设置新的标识，欢迎进入城市的人们。当区县发现我们正在做的事情，他们决定加入行动和讨论。他们也想要做这种通道标识。
As it turns out, many communities are in the mood to address their look, their impression, their brand. They all have and need signs. A master plan is a good place to start and you have the expertise to offer them those services if you're willing to put in the time. I'm working on similar master plans for several cities, municipalities, schools and other organizations at this moment.
结果，许多社区都兴致勃勃地提出他们的外观、他们的印象、他们的品牌。他们都拥有且需要标识。如果你愿意投入时间，一个总体规划是一个好的开始，你有专业的知识来为他们提供这些服务。这段时间，我也在做类似的总体规划，为别的几个城市、自治市、学校和其他组织。
Out of all the items I designed for Elkhart, the"welcome to"gateway signs became the wild animal, with me as the only one to figure out how to tame it. Here's a rundown of some of the things I had to do in order to make this project successful ... a sort of laundry list of what I encountered and had to deal with and overcome.
我为埃尔克哈特设计的所有项目中，“欢迎”通道入口标识就像野生动物，而我是唯一一个要找出如何驯服它的人。这里有一份纲要，记录着为了使这个项目成功我必须要做的事......一种类似洗衣单的列表，列出了我遇到的问题和必须克服解决的难题。
In the beginning stages, there were meetings. Lots of meetings. When designing branding solutions for a city you can bet there will be many stakeholders and participants who will want to be involved. With the signs that would welcome folks to Elkhart, these partnering parties with ideas and opinions, or at least with some input, included the mayor, the city engineer, the city planner, the city's director of economic development, the staff of the convention and tourism bureau and public hearings to present and attain favorable votes (and use of funds).
初期阶段有许许多多的会议。为一个城市设计标识解决方案，可想而知，有很多利益相关者和参与者都想要加入进来。对于“欢迎来到埃尔克哈特”标识，这些合作各方都有自己的想法和观点，或至少有一些意见，包括市长、城市工程师、城市规划师、城市经济发展主任、工会和旅游局和公众听证会的职员等，他们投票，现场能获得有利的选票（以及资金）。
The goal is to gain the confidence and buy-in of all these people who all have some authority or influence to help or hinder the momentum of a project like this. It took months. But I eventually did just that. Design played the biggest factor. If people can't see something, you'll have a hard time selling it.
有些人有一定的权力和影响力，可以帮助或者阻碍项目的发展，我的目标是获得这些人的信任和支持。这件事花了好几个月。但我最终做到了。设计发挥了最大的作用。如果人们看不到任何创意，你将很难将它推销出去。
With the ideas finally "sold," I had to go to work on all the aspects that become related by association. Have you ever worked with the DOT or a highway authority at the state and national level? If so, you know. If not, pay attention.
为了最后的想法最终“被采纳”，我必须去做所有有关部门的工作。你有没有与DOT或国家公路管理局一起工作过？如果有，你懂的。如果没有，请注意。
When it comes to custom signage that you want to place in places where roads are governed by state or federal entities and departments you better be well prepared, professional and present yourself as an expert. They won't or don't like to dance with small "contractors" as they tend to see sign people. I'm one of you. I'm a sign guy. But I had to be someone they prefer—a consultant. And they want to see your documents executed in the ways they like or want, or need.
地方道路是由州或联邦实体和部门管理的，想在道路旁设立定制标识指示牌，你要做好充分的准备，要足够专业、表现得像个专家。他们不会或不喜欢与小“承包商”合作，因为他们都喜欢看人标签。我是你们中的一员，是一个标识制作者。但我必须做他们更喜欢的另一种人——咨询顾问。他们希望看到你的工作以他们喜欢或想要或需要的方式来开展。
There is homework involved. Meetings via web, phone and in person. Basically, it is like dating and at the end you hope for a really positive relationship. Otherwise your project can be doomed.
有工作需要参与时，各种会议通过网络、电话和面对面进行开展。基本上就像是约会，最终结束时你希望确定一个真正积极的关系。否则你的项目就难逃被否决的命运。
The most frustrating part of this project for Elkhart came when after going through all this, and thinking I had been working with all the right people, in came the attorneys that were not even located in the same state, and more names up the ladder who I had to approach and explain things all over again with none of them having any history leading up to me having to contact them for their blessing. To help me seal the deal, I enlisted the friend of the friend of the enemy.
在埃尔克哈特这个项目中，最令人沮丧的部分是，为了搞定这个项目，我发现自己已经和所有可能的人进行了合作，哪怕是不在同一个州的律师，还有更多曾经接触过，但在此之前没有任何必要再联系的人，并再次向他们解释一遍所有的事情。
Through good investigative efforts, I was able to identify a friend of mine who had the clout to help me. He's a commercial developer with a big network and a good reputation. He also just happened to sit on a committee that was connected to the toll road highway. Bingo. I turned him into a lobbyist (an ambassador sounds nicer) on behalf of the city and its ability to welcome people with these beautifully unique signs that would build impressions for years to come.
通过深入努力的调查，我确定了我的一个朋友有助于我。他是一个商业开发者，拥有一个很大的网络平台和良好的声誉。碰巧他还刚成为高速公路收费委员会的一员。你猜对了，我把他变成了一个说客（一个大使听起来更好一些）。在未来的许多年里，用这些美丽独特的标识，代表一座城市的地标，热烈欢迎来自各地的人们。
But there would be another cold bucket of water thrown on the project even after securing every necessary approval to allow these gateway signs. The dollar amount of all the signs had exceeded the city's legal ability to work with one design-build contract. They would have to split the project into two parts and allow two companies to make the signs. Oh well. Better to have some than none.
确保每一个必要的步骤获得批准之后，这些标识被允许制作了，但项目又被泼了另一桶冷水。全部标识所需的资金总额超过了本市法律规定的设计建造合同价。所以，他们将这项工程分为2个部分，需要两家公司做这个标志。好吧，做一半总比没得做强一些。
Why did I go through all this? For one thing, these projects pay. There is value to providing design, development and consulting. In the process you earn the expert reputation in a niche area of branding. You gain great insights and make relationships that help you with future projects. And, if you end up making the signs as well as designing them, well, you make money—again. Plus you get to finally put all that hard work into works of art that identify a community. That is truly rewarding.
我为什么要承受这一切？一方面，是因为这些项目的薪酬。值得去提供设计、开发和咨询。另外，在这个过程中，你在标牌领域赢得了专家的声誉，增加了广阔的视野，获得了未来项目中能帮助到你的关系。而且，如果标识最终制作出的效果和设计的一样好，那么，你又再次赚钱了。再加上你付出所有的努力，制作出自己设计的艺术品标识。这是真正的奖励。
The signs for Elkhart are simple, yet elegant. Clean, with uniqueness of character. The curves, shapes, materials, lighting and use of their brand logo come together tastefully to represent a city and county that has pride. These signs are building impressions as they welcome and serve as gateways for the community.
埃尔克哈特的标志简单，优雅，干净，具有独特的个性。曲线、形状、材料、照明和品牌标志的使用极具品味，代表了一个城市骄傲。这些标识使用在通道入口，欢迎和服务来往的车辆行人，并给人们留下深刻的印象。
