With the predetermined name, I set out to collect numerous concepts that would help to convey the full coverage of the intentions of the innovation team. Among the primary concepts were depictions of light bulbs, a long-established symbol of sparking new ideas. Fueled by the desire to innovate beyond traditional notions, I reached further to incorporate both the warrior ethos and the innovation aspect of the cell. 

The custom-illustrated Spartan helm seen pictured in the final design achieves this by offering a sharp warrior aesthetic juxtaposed against an integrated exclamation mark within the headpiece’s plume. Further compounding concepts, the embedded point on the exclamation mark in the helmet’s temple doubles as the bowl of the letter “D” on its side. If rotated 90 degrees clockwise, the entirety of the Spartan helmet also reveals an abstract telling of the namesake unit: the 3d Intelligence Squadron, or “3d IS”.

This singular icon, housing three distinct themes, is set within the outer embodiment of a mechanical gear as a way of visualizing the team as a necessary component of the higher mechanism. The plume, which bisects the “Warrior” text balanced on either side, juts out to become the top-central spoke on the gear.