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Naming Criteria
The following criteria will guide the selection of a name for the new system:
Appearance - Simply how the name looks as a visual signifier, in a logo, an ad, on a poster, etc. The name will always be seen in context, but it will be seen, so looks are important.
Distinctive -Being distinctive is only one
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of the elements that will make the name memorable, but it is a required element
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. If the system's name is not distinct from
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other names, it will not be memorable. It
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will be important to consider the name in the context of the
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services it will
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provide.
Depth - Layer upon layer of meaning and association.
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A name with great depth
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will not reveal all
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it has to offer all at once, but will keep surprising
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users with new ideas.
Energy -
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The name should be dynamic and full of life
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. It should have 'buzz' and be able to carry the publicity campaign.
Humanity - We're looking for a name that is warm ("humanness" vs. cold, clinical, unemotional names).
Positioning - Need a name that is relevant to the positioning of the new system, the new services that will be offered.
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The name should also map to several relevant messages.
Sound - Again, while always existing in a context of some sort or another, the name WILL be heard, from formal presentations to casual conversations. Sound is twofold - not only how the name sounds, but how easily it will be spoken by those who matter most: the
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users. Word of mouth is a big part of the marketing approach for the new system
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. If people aren't comfortable saying the name, the word won't get out as quickly
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and confusion might spread.
Buzz -
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That's the word-of-mouth buzz that the name is likely to generate. It's that certain something that makes people lean forward and want to learn more about the system, and to want to share that information with others.
Naming Process
The naming process was broken down into several steps:
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Of the universities preparing to implement Sakai, several have retained the name Sakai in their pilot programs. Others have adopted a new name. <give examples: UCMCROPS, BSpace, OnCourse, Etudes, CourseWorks, YaleClasses, TRACS, etc.>
This analysis also included taking a look at names given to other UC Davis projects and systems.
Positioning
Our next step was to define our brand positioning. The more specific and nuanced our positioning is, the more effective the name will be. All great names work in concert with the positioning of the business or product they speak for. Ideally, our name and positioning will help find a way to reinvigorate or change the conversation that our campus has been having with faculty and students. The resulting naming process will be based on a forward-looking positioning strategy.
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Name/Brand Development
Next we looked at what we want our new name to do for our communication and advertising efforts. This will allow us to narrow our name search to a certain category of name. Four categories of names were considered:
Functional/descriptive name. The system's name will appear on Web sites, in news articles or press releases, on business cards, in advertisements, or in conversations. There are simply no imaginable circumstances in which company names can exist without contextual, explanatory support, which means they are free to perform more productive taskscould be used to describe or clarify the function and nature of the system. For instance, in the web portal space, descriptive product names include Infoseek, GoTo, FindWhat, AllTheWeb, etc.
Invented name. The name for the system could be developed using basically two types of invented names. First, we could select a name built upon Greek and Latin roots (e.g., Acquient, Agilent, Alliant, Aquent). This would enable us to come up with a name that is free of negative connotations and would sound serious. On the other hand, because the name would be built on Greek and Latin morphemes, we would need to mount a huge advertising campaign to imbue it with meaning and get people to remember it. A second possibility would be to select a poetically-constructed name that is based on rhythm and the experience of saying it (like Snapple, Oreo, Google, Kleenex). By design, these types of names are highly memorable, emotionally engaging, and rich with potential marketing energy.
Experiential name. A third way to think of the new system's name is to think about experiential names. Those offer a direct connection to something real, to a part of direct human experience. They rise above descriptive names because their message is more about the experience than the task. For instance, in the web portal space, descriptive product names include Infoseek, GoTo, FindWhat, AllTheWeb, etc. Experiential names experiential names of web portals include such product names as Explorer, Magellan, Navigator, and Safari. These types of names tend to make sense to the users . ? Because they and require little explanation, experiential names are easily approved in a corporate process. On the other hand, their over-usage makes them less effective in the long run (e. g., while Explorer, Navigator and Safari are web portal names, they are also the names of SUVs).
Evocative name. One important way that evocative names differ from others is that they An evocative name could be used to evoke the positioning of a company or product the system in abstract ways , (rather than describing a function or a direct experience). Evocative names are not used as often and therefore tend to be more powerful. They are non-linear and multi-dimensional, making them deeply engaging. They An evocative name would help create a brand image that is bigger than the tools and services the system offers.
Creative/Testing
As part of our naming process, we will need to produce creative support materials to help flesh out potential namesour recommended name(s). These may include stories, ad treatments, or graphic layouts featuring our top name candidates. These same materials could be presented and tested with focus groups.
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