OUGD401 Study Task 08 - Practical Explorations

What were your initial aims?
My initial aims with my practical work was to show how design techniques can have an influence on whether a consumer will buy a product or not. My aim was to make my design good enough to compete with brand leaders like Kellogg's and Nestle, and to see if the consumer would buy my cereal over theirs.

What processes / strategies have you used and why?
I have used information I have gathered online and from making my own observations to produce a more informed design with the intention of being more attractive to the consumer. I created the design in photoshop as this is the design program I am most comfortable on.

What literature have you read that informs this work?
Miles, S. (1998) Consumerism: As a way of life. New York: Sage. 
This looks at associations with brands and how they are successful. So associating the Minion character with my cereal will relate the two together.

Is the work effective (in terms of your aims)? In what ways? How do you know it is effective (testing)?
The work is effective in the sense that I have considered important design decisions which will impact a consumers decision to buy. I have conducted research which helps to support my design decisions. However, I am not entirely sure that a questionnaire is the most effective way of testing, I could have tried other methods such as a consumer panel.

Does it communicate what it should do (in what ways)?
The design itself communicates a more thought out design that utilises certain techniques to influence consumers. Such as the use of character, bright colours and friendly bubble style typeface.

What are the successful elements and why?
I think the successful elements within the design is the rationale for my design decisions. If I was to pitch my design to Aldi I have lot's to support my decisions. I also believe my design to be more appealing than the previous, due to the fact it now doesn't look like a cheap knockoff but more of a standalone design that would standout amongst brand leaders.

What areas need improving or developing further and why?
To develop this further I could look at different target markets, instead of appealing to children design something that appeals to adults, this will show how different techniques in design can have an influence on sales.