An apple with a bite out of it is instantly recognizable — but delivering a logo with such iconic potential is more complicated than simply going from A to B. In fact, the road to a killer logo is often times a windy path.

Take a look at this great infographic outline of the logo process, courtesy of Guru Corporation. At the outset, the job is investigative; with detective hats on, the creative team researches, asks questions, analyzes the target audience, scrutinizes competitors, and brainstorms. The process then moves from factual to conceptual, with creative inspiration coming from any number of sources until it finds its way to paper. Enter the design elements—think color, font, and scale—and boom: a fleshed-out finished product awaits client approval (or revisions).

It’s far from easy, and may involve a few all-nighters. But hey — Rome wasn’t built in a day… and neither is a world-class brand.

What's your logo design process? How does it differ from other design processes? Let us know in the comments.