Short answer
When designing new products, especially those that are incremental innovations, lean towards more conventional and familiar forms to maximize positive consumer reception. For radical innovations, there is more freedom to explore less typical forms.
- Field
- Innovation & Markets
- Source
- Journal of International Crisis and Risk Communication Research (2010)
- Method
- Experimental research
- Evidence
- Strong effect
Consumers generally prefer products with more typical designs, which can even compensate for average functionality and are crucial for the positive reception of incremental innovations. This innovation & markets research insight is drawn from a 2010 study published in Journal of International Crisis and Risk Communication Research. Using Experimental research, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: When designing new products, especially those that are incremental innovations, lean towards more conventional and familiar forms to maximize positive consumer reception. For radical innovations, there is more freedom to explore less typical forms.
Typical Form Design Enhances Consumer Evaluation, Especially for Incrementally Innovative Products
Consumers generally prefer products with more typical designs, which can even compensate for average functionality and are crucial for the positive reception of incremental innovations.
Journal of International Crisis and Risk Communication Research · 2010
Key Findings
- 01More typical form design leads to more positive consumer attitudes than less typical form design.
- 02Typical design can compensate for average functionality, leading to evaluations comparable to highly functional products with typical designs.
- 03In less typical design conditions, high functionality can lead to lower consumer attitudes.
- 04For incremental innovations, form design closer to incumbent products is favored; for radical innovations, less typical forms are evaluated as favorably as typical ones.
- 05Form design's importance for innovative products is greater for technologically sophisticated consumers.
Application
Design takeaway
When designing new products, especially those that are incremental innovations, lean towards more conventional and familiar forms to maximize positive consumer reception. For radical innovations, there is more freedom to explore less typical forms.
How to apply
Before launching a new product, conduct user research to understand the perceived typicality of its form and how it aligns with consumer expectations for its functional category and innovation level.
Project actions
- 01When evaluating design choices, consider how familiar or novel the form is to the target user.
- 02If your design project involves an incremental innovation, ensure the form aligns with existing product aesthetics in that market.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Employs experimental methodology to establish causal relationships.
- +Investigates the nuanced interaction between form, function, and innovation context.
Limitations
The 'typicality' of a design can be subjective and vary greatly among different user groups and cultural backgrounds.
Reliability & validity
The use of multiple experiments strengthens the reliability of the findings. Validity is supported by testing theoretical underpinnings (processing fluency theory) and examining interactions between key variables.
Think critically
To what extent does the 'processing fluency' of form design override functional considerations, and under what conditions might this heuristic be detrimental to long-term product success?
Design Principles
"Design typicality acts as a heuristic for consumer evaluation, especially when functionality is average or when the innovation is incremental."
Understanding the interplay between form and function is critical for product development. Designers and marketers can leverage typicality in form to build positive consumer perceptions, particularly when introducing products that are close to existing market offerings.
What This Means for Your Design
People like things that look familiar. If a product looks normal, people will like it more, even if it doesn't work perfectly. For new versions of old products, making them look similar to the old ones is good. For totally new ideas, you can be more creative with the look.
How to use in your project
- 1.Reference this study when discussing how form influences user perception and evaluation of a design concept, particularly in relation to innovation type.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
Research indicates that the typicality of a product's form significantly influences consumer evaluations, often acting as a heuristic for perceived quality and desirability. For incremental innovations, designs that align with established market aesthetics tend to receive more favorable responses, while radical innovations allow for greater exploration of novel forms without necessarily diminishing consumer appeal.
Source
Journal of International Crisis and Risk Communication Research
Two Essays On Product Design And Consumer Evaluations
journal · 2010
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about typical form design enhances consumer evaluation, especially for incrementally innovative products?
- When designing new products, especially those that are incremental innovations, lean towards more conventional and familiar forms to maximize positive consumer reception. For radical innovations, there is more freedom to explore less typical forms. Evidence: Journal of International Crisis and Risk Communication Research (2010).
- Why does "Typical Form Design Enhances Consumer Evaluation, Especially for Incrementally Innovative Products" matter for design?
- Understanding the interplay between form and function is critical for product development. Designers and marketers can leverage typicality in form to build positive consumer perceptions, particularly when introducing products that are close to existing market offerings.
- How can designers apply this research?
- When designing new products, especially those that are incremental innovations, lean towards more conventional and familiar forms to maximize positive consumer reception. For radical innovations, there is more freedom to explore less typical forms.
- What were the main findings?
- More typical form design leads to more positive consumer attitudes than less typical form design.. Typical design can compensate for average functionality, leading to evaluations comparable to highly functional products with typical designs.. In less typical design conditions, high functionality can lead to lower consumer attitudes.. For incremental innovations, form design closer to incumbent products is favored; for radical innovations, less typical forms are evaluated as favorably as typical ones.
- What research method was used?
- Experimental research.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2010 journal from Journal of International Crisis and Risk Communication Research.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- Before launching a new product, conduct user research to understand the perceived typicality of its form and how it aligns with consumer expectations for its functional category and innovation level.
- What are the limitations?
- The study's findings might vary across different product categories and cultural contexts. The definition and perception of 'typical' and 'radical' innovation could be subjective.