Packaging Mid Term Critique

Last week everyone in my class had the chance to present where we are currently, now that we are half way through the semester.

Here is a couple photos of what I presented:

COASTER PROJECT

So far, I have decided on the types of wine I will highlighting with my coaster design, and the color scheme/information that will go with each coaster. I also tried putting the informative text on the outside of the coaster (see top right image), to see what other's thoughts were on that. I didn't get too much feedback on the text, which could be good or bad. Personally, I do think it could be a little too small and could possibly go unnoticed, but I also don't want the info to be distracting and take up too much space.

I was also in the beginning phases of drafting the physical packaging of my coasters (bottom left image). I now want to include a few items in my completed packaging concept: the coasters themselves, a bottle of wine to go with coasters, a wine scoring sheet, tray for the coasters, and possibly a tray/plate for food and pairings.

I also included an inspiration page so others could understand my intensions and inspiration for my coasters.

TIMELINE

How I plan to progress through this project:

1. Finalize coaster designs + print on cork using prototype printer in the digital work commons.

2. Draft packaging design + finalize packaging template for laser cutter.

3. Draft inside wooden box to hold wine/wine samples/coasters (insert into my packaging) and build in wood-shop/with dad.

4. Think about packaging graphics for outside the packaging (what will this product/item be called? What will the outside look like design wise? etc.)

BIRTH CONTROL PACKAGING

I'm definitely more developed on my coaster design project over my birth control packaging concept, mostly because the execution of the birth control packaging is still very preliminary and undecided. For critique, I included some sketch drafts of some ideas I've had so far, even though I was still unsure which sketch/draft idea I would actually pursue. Thanks to the feedback from my classmates, I'm pretty certain I will be going with the concept in the top left corner, the packaging the looks like a PEZ container/lighter. The idea is that everyday the user for the prescription will (like a PEZ container) press a button to release the pill, and take once daily. Instead of throwing the container out monthly, the user would bring the container to get refilled at the pharmacy, and like PEZ, the pharmacist would refill the container with a pre-arranged set of pills, packaged in a sustainable paper material. Some good comments I got about this packaging idea (which ultimately lead me to deciding on this idea), was that it was different, it was discreet, and they could see it easily being portable.

One thing I brought up during my critique that I wanted some help with was how the user could still keep track of the prescription usage with the PEZ container concept design. One student brought up the idea of an inhaler. I guess every time you use an inhaler, there is a number on the outside of the packaging the decreases after every usage, so you know how many uses you have left. I think somehow I could carry this into my packaging design, especially since they're both used for medical purposes.

TIMELINE

How I plan to progress through this project:

1. Draft and finalize packaging concept (also research inhaler, PEZ container to complete this task)

2. Think about material, construction. 3D printer? I'm sure at all how I can execute this materially.

3. Start thinking about outside elements to my birth control packaging. Graphics/color choices, text, etc.

It's been a bit challenging balances two projects at the same time in this class but I'm slowly getting there! This critique helped me refocus. Brainstorming is over, it's time to execute.

- Manda V.