Operational Ecosystem Diagram

I received a brief to interpret an NGO’s Operational Ecosystem Diagram as a Theme Park. Oh Great! What fun!

I had made this bright and colourful background and was about to create the people who were to inhabit this space, when the client thought better of the direction we were going in. In our haste we had overlooked a vital issue:

SOMETIMES FUN ARTWORK ISN’T WHAT IS REQUIRED. THE SUBJECT MATTER DOESN’T CALL FOR IT.

It seems the client was in the serious business of helping the homeless and addicted. They needed a more serious Operational Ecosystem Diagram that reflected the actual area that they operate in. Vulnerable people in need of help require support as well as shelter. They are often on foot and have children with them, so the distances between each service point is critical. I tried a simple isometric view of the area as a start but the client wanted more accurate details.

Finally, I Got The Picture.

Google Earth to the rescue! I took a snapshot of the exact location on Google Earth, and used that footprint as the basis for an accurate street diagram.

Having extrapolated the buildings to a uniform height for clarity, the map now shows the actual distances an applicant has to travel to complete the journey to health support or safety.


So it transpired that the intention was to make a game of the diagram! (It always helps to listen to the client – they have things in mind I am not aware of . A reminder for to me to stay humble, and allow my creativity to serve my clients’ agenda!

If you’ve enjoyed this chat about my Operational Ecosystem Diagram, what my other isometric and vector artwork?

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