At SIGMADESIGN, we design products that create experiences, exceed the expectations of your customers and reinforce your brand. We also believe great packaging guides the buyer’s product journey, whereas poorly designed packaging can detract from the overall design of a new product.
For example, SIGMADESIGN Industrial Designers designed the packaging as part of our effort to design the revolutionary LadderLight Endcap product (shown in photos), with these considerations in mind:
Engineering Considerations
The package primarily needed to protect the product during its potentially abusive journey through manufacturing, shipping and storage. Secondarily, the package needed to accommodate other components: extra parts, loose tools, and instructions. Additionally, we consider the product’s annual sales volumes, as this may allow more labor-intensive features (in the case of low-volumes) or may help to justify dedicated tooling if higher volumes are anticipated. All this helps to inform packaging materials and manufacturing process choices.
User Considerations
Our Industrial Designers always consider the various types of “users.” For this Ladder Endcap, “users” included not only the shoppers and buyers but also the people assembling the package, the people in the warehouse, the people shipping the product, the people installing it into the ladder. Considering these specific “users” and how they interact with the package guided the package design.
Marketplace Considerations
In designing a product’s package, our Industrial Designers consider what compelling product features they want to highlight, and what others might be advantageous to downplay, how and to whom it will be sold are all defining factors. For example, what type of stores will sell this product? Will it be displayed next to other products? Are there analogous products near this product display? If so, what do the competitor’s or adjacent packages look like? Answers to these contemplations provide direction from the marketplace for our Industrial Designers.
Brand Considerations
The SIGMADESIGN team makes great effort to understand the brand of our clients. They asked, “What is LadderLight intending to communicate with their brand?” The answers of safety, quality, dependability, and simplicity understandably influenced the outcome of the package design. Designing an ostentatious or frivolous package would send the completely wrong message to users.
Printed Instructions
As part of this product and packaging project was the design of User Instructions. Wherever we could, we relied heavily on visual images rather than text for two reasons. First, to avoid language/translation issues wherever possible. Secondly, we have discovered that users are far more likely to scan – and actually use – instructions that are pictorial, rather than densely packed with tiny text. Because LadderLight’s message is one of simplicity, we wanted to send this message of ease-of-use and simple installation on every level – from the accordion fold to the footprint of the document.
Conclusion
Consumers today are more expectant than ever. They not only want an impeccable product that will perfectly fit their need, but also expect their entire journey with a product to be enjoyable. From finding a product on Instagram, to browsing a website, to purchasing the product and unboxing the product – every step in the buyer’s journey communicates a message. At SIGMADESIGN, our Industrial Designers believe in intentional communication that makes the entire product experience cohesive with your brand. Consistent messaging will invite customers to return to a brand’s products again and again.
Does your product live in packaging that communicates your brand’s message to consumers? Is it robust to withstand its journey from your hands to the hands of your customer? Our Industrial Designers are an analytical and creative team who will work with you to develop a package that plays a valuable and contributive role in your buyer’s journey. Connect with these experts by sending us an email at info@sigmadzn.com.
by Mark Schoening, Director of Industrial Design
Check out this article I wrote about sketching product concepts.