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SCImago

Scientific branding for a new research integrity standard

SCImago is a global benchmark in bibliometric analysis and open knowledge. However, the academic ecosystem has long grappled with an uncomfortable reality: research quality suffers when there are no clear, comparable, or legitimate frameworks to evaluate integrity risks.

With SCImago IRIS, the organization addresses this challenge from a new perspective. The goal was not just to launch a platform, but to build a brand capable of sustaining a global standard—providing trust, comparability, and insight within a fragmented and sensitive environment.

The challenge was technical, but above all, strategic and reputational: how to express integrity, rigor, and equity without falling into a punitive or overly academic narrative.

The need for a global standard in research integrity

During the immersion phase, we analyzed the IRIS context against existing frameworks and initiatives. We identified a recurring pattern: well-intentioned projects with weak identities, convoluted messaging, and a limited capacity to drive real adoption.

IRIS stands out due to a key structural element: normalized results. This allows for meaningful comparisons between vastly different institutions, eliminating biases related to size, specialization, or publishing capacity.

From the outset, we understood that IRIS should not be communicated as just another tool, but as a trust-based infrastructure, aligned with SCImago’s historical role as a guardian of open knowledge.

Brand strategy for a scientific integrity platform

The SCImago IRIS brand strategy centers on a clear value proposition: encouraging responsible research.

This positioning does not exist in a vacuum. It is part of a broader brand vision that SCImago had already begun to deploy in projects like SCImago Media Rankings, where scientific knowledge becomes a tool for transparency and trust in other sectors. IRIS solidifies this logic, bringing it to the core of academic research.

On this foundation, IRIS is positioned as the first platform to standardize and normalize the measurement of research integrity risks. It promotes ethical and honest practices that strengthen the scientific, social, and institutional impact of knowledge.

The narrative is built upon two complementary dimensions:

  • Ethics: A commitment to quality and scientific truth.
  • Honesty: Operational transparency and institutional responsibility.

The brand’s role shifts from oversight to empowerment. IRIS enables better decision-making, reinforces the ecosystem’s credibility, and positions integrity as a structural asset of open knowledge.

Scientific visual identity: Perception, focus, and clarity

The visual identity for SCImago IRIS stems from the modular system created for the parent brand, SCImago. This ensures ecosystem coherence while giving the product enough autonomy to stand on its own.

The core concept is the iris as a symbol of perception and focus. Just as the iris regulates light to reveal what matters, IRIS filters data complexity to provide a clear, comparable view.

  • Graphic System: We evolved SCImago’s signature data visualizations into a more synthetic and geometric aesthetic. It is based on a 1:1 vertical repetition grid that allows for diverse applications while maintaining total consistency.
  • Typography and Color: A combination of academic rigor, readability, and restraint. It projects authority, reliability, and stability in digital environments.

The identity reinforces IRIS as a leading brand in scientific integrity, without noise or artifice.

Digital product design for academic decision-making

The SCImago IRIS digital environment is conceived as a functional tool rather than a mere showcase. The design prioritizes cognitive efficiency and clarity in reading complex data.

  • Information Architecture: Oriented toward key profiles within the academic and institutional ecosystem.
  • UX Writing: Applied to explain complex concepts with both precision and accessibility.
  • Technical Integration: Visual alignment with SCImago Graphica, ensuring consistency in data visualization and continuity with the rest of the SCImago ecosystem.

The goal was to minimize time-to-understanding and facilitate professional, reliable, and sustained use over time.

Scientific branding for responsible research

With IRIS, SCImago expands its brand system by incorporating a new strategic asset aligned with its core purpose. The brand architecture ensures this new product doesn’t just fit in—it reinforces SCImago’s global narrative as an organization dedicated to open, rigorous, and responsible knowledge.

IRIS is more than a platform. It is a demonstration of how scientific branding can organize complexity, build trust, and prepare systems to scale without losing legitimacy.Con SCImago IRIS, la organización afronta este reto desde una nueva dimensión. El desafío no era únicamente lanzar una plataforma, sino construir una marca capaz de sostener un estándar global, aportando confianza, comparabilidad y criterio en un entorno fragmentado y sensible.