Food is the most fundamental product we consume, yet most people don’t appreciate the amount of research, design, and engineering that goes into many of the items at their local supermarket or favorite restaurant. Although design's role in other consumer goods, especially electronics, is widely acknowledged, the contribution of product design to food and culinary items is often overlooked. Designers have, in fact, come up with countless innovations to command shelf space and redefine established categories in the hotly contested culinary marketplace.
As is the case with most new products, delivering a memorable user experience has become an important goal of many food-related items. Whether it's an attempt to renew interest in a proven brand or a fresh approach to bring consumers together through food, a well-designed eating experience can sooth, satisfy, and entertain us in the most powerful ways.
The past year has seen the introduction of hundreds of new food-related products, not to mention the start of innumerable food-related trends. Here’s a brief roundup of the designs and innovations I predict will have staying power, as well as a few I’m hoping will slide off the cultural radar faster than fried eggs on a Teflon pan.
Joel Delman is creative director for the Los Angeles office of Product Development Technologies in Lake Zurich, Ill. He blogs about product innovation at www.productfetish.com
Design Thinking is packed with intriguing case studies and practical advice from industry experts. This anthology is organized into three sections that focus on the use of design for innovation and brand-building, the emerging role of service design, and the design of meaningful customer experiences. This book provides readers with the strategies necessary to encourage the creative thought process in their companies, which will ultimately help to cultivate innovation, and therefore boost business. Experienced design leaders share their personal stories and give specific examples of their companies’ forward-thinking creations. This unique approach helps the reader learn how to build a solid brand foundation, solve problems with simplified thinking, anticipate and capitalize on trends, figure out what consumers want before they do, and align mission, vision, and strategy with a corporate brand. A sense of the content within Design Thinking can be gained from the titles of some of the key essays: “Building Leadership Brands,” “The Designful Company,” “Brand Building by Service Design,” “Service Design Via the Global Web,” “Customer Loyalty,” and “Driving Brand Loyalty on the Web”.