What’s a good image for scrutiny? The law has scales to represent it, but what might you choose for scrutiny? A magnifying glass or a spotlight perhaps? Or maybe something else?

If you have ever been asked to design a logo for scrutiny or find an image to put on a scrutiny annual report, then you will have thought about this. Actually, it’s not easy to find a good one.

Usually, it’s a magnifying glass.

A simple enough idea - scrutiny examines in detail and looks carefully. But it’s not perfect (of course!). The magnifying glass only works when something is put in front of it. It’s no good for exploring the wider landscape or finding something new.

When, many years ago, we were choosing an image for our scrutiny function, we chose a spotlight.

It’s a complex world out there and it’s hard to see everything that’s going on and so there are many things that do not get the attention that they should. The spotlight suggests that scrutiny is shining a light on things that might otherwise remain obscured.

Of course, scrutiny might be a magnifying glass or a spotlight at different times. And maybe it’s useful to think about what this might mean for how scrutiny operates.

Beyond logos and report covers, thinking about images for scrutiny can have a wider benefit.

Using metaphors has been a staple of organisational research for many years. It can be a nice way to unlock some new thinking and different insights.

I was reminded about this at the recent Centre for Governance and Scrutiny conference, where Catherine Howe described scrutiny as a scaffold.

That image certainly got me thinking and I made this list:

Scrutiny is like a scaffold because:

• It’s seen as necessary and we understand that work would be dangerous without it
• It’s visible and they have a sign to say who put it up
• It (usually) means that work is happening
• It’s outside and separate from the building itself
• It’s temporary and comes down when no longer needed

And you might use it in your scrutiny work as well. Maybe in a team meeting or a development conversation with the committee?

You can ask ’what’s an image that represents scrutiny?’ And then, ‘Scrutiny is like [that thing] because?’

I bet there are some really interesting metaphors to be found.

I mean, what’s an image for scrutiny that works for you? And why is scrutiny like that thing?