Brands take up a new design tool to help them focus on consumer needs

A new set of research tools is helping brands, retailers and designers to align the visual cues given by packaging much more closely with consumer needs, including access to the pack.

The technique uses video to collect evidence at point of sale and in the home about how consumers select, open and use packs of food. This data is then used to score the pack against different user-centred criteria, and transferred to a design tool which takes the form of a segmented wheel or 'spidergram.' This allows for clear, quantitative comparison of different designs.

The approach, with its emphasis on inclusive design, was developed by the Royal College of Art's Helen Hamlyn Research Centre in association with Faraday Packaging Partnership. Marks & Spencer has been a partner in the project.

The current model analyses five different sets of criteria: shop & select; open & access; store & decant; prepare & consume; and dispose & recycle. "This is about the designer creating a seamless approach to research," says research associate Katherine Gough, adding that this year there will be a focus on expanding the model to take in other criteria. The collaboration with Marks & Spencer will continue. Faraday partner Coors and at least one other major brand owner will be piloting the tool.

Gough emphasises the fact that the tool complements, rather than replaces, existing design strategies, and issues such as costs. "Each brand and manufacturer has its own design specifications," she says. "The idea is that this technique ties in with them and provides extra information."

The model will be presented as part of the learnShop programmes organised by Faraday and easyFairs at the Packaging Innovations show, April 13 and 14 2005, NEC, Birmingham.