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Reflections on package design research
 How to—and how not to—conduct package design research for the best results.
For better package design research, you should use two categories of methodologies: those that rely on verbal or written responses and those that rely on behavior. Integrate them such that one verifies the other. For example, what participants say can be used to formulate theories of behavior that are tested through observation. Conversely, observed behavior must be interpreted and helpful to that task can be questions posed to the participant.
Talk is cheap. The majority of today's package research relies on participants reporting their attitudes and opinions. A focus group, for example, can be planned and conducted within weeks, at modest cost. The same holds true for questionnaires, surveys, and interviews.
Time and cost, while important, don't by themselves justify the use of any particular methodology. Reliability (the degree to which the method yields results that are repeatable and consistent) and validity (the degree to which the method measures what it purports to measure), should be the determinants.
A common error is to have the participant respond beyond his/her capability, knowledge, or interests. Asking the participant to express a preference among design choices, for example, should not require that the participant turn designer or psychologist, nor should it be assumed that the participant cares about the matter nearly as much as you.
ìThe participant is not a member of your team. It's easy to lose sight of that truth when you've lived with the package since conception and have invested time, energy, and worry. The participant won't match your emotional involvement and subjectivity, and it can prove disastrous for you to ignore your differences. In farming for participant attitudes and opinions, stay aware of the limitations of their responses and take nothing for gospel. ... Read more
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