Use design consulting to create designs that sell! Increase market competitiveness by approaching sensitivity

2023-08-18

As markets mature and society becomes more digital, products and development technologies are becoming increasingly commoditized. Under these circumstances, consumer needs are becoming more sophisticated and diverse, and we are no longer in an era where ``if you make a good product, it will sell''.

In order to differentiate yourself from competitors and generate sustainable sales, you need to respond to needs from a consumer-oriented perspective and provide a value-added customer experience. What we would like to incorporate is a strategic approach based on design thinking.

In recent years, "design consulting" (hereinafter referred to as "design consulting"), which uses design thinking to help solve problems faced by products and brands, has been attracting attention. For companies that develop and sell products, operate e-commerce sites, etc., some people may have questions such as ``What is design consulting?'' and ``What can I do with it?''

This article provides an overview of design consulting, the areas it covers, and the benefits of using it.

Table of contents [hidden]

1.What is “design consulting” that brings out the power of design?
2.What can you do with design consulting?

2.1.Productdesign
2.2.UI/UX design
2.3.Communicationdesign

3.Advantagesof using design consulting
4.Summary_

What is “design consulting” that brings out the power of design?

Design consulting is a service that uses an approach based on design thinking to solve problems faced by a company's products, brands, e-commerce sites, etc.

Design thinking here refers to a method of thinking that uses the designer's sensibilities, ideas, and expressions to solve needs and problems, not just the appearance of colors and shapes.

Examples of problems and needs include ``I want to convey the appeal of a product through package design,'' and ``I want to improve the customer experience by improving the design of my e-commerce site.''

In design consulting, we design a specific design by following the process below, taking into consideration the company's needs, objectives, budget, and other conditions.

▼Design process based on design thinking

process	Content
①Have doubts	Capturing the essence of people's actions and things
② Generate ideas	Generate ideas without being bound by common sense
③Try ideas	Simulate the design
④ Express your ideas	Expressing designs and texts that sensually touch the heart and convey goodness.
⑤ Verify objectively	Evaluate sensitivity, shape, ease of use, etc. through prototyping and verification

The role of a design consultant is to not only improve functionality and convenience, but also enrich expression and make information easier to understand, thereby creating designs that resonate with consumers' sensibilities and intuition.

This article explains design marketing. Please also check.

Improving design will radically change marketing! What is the importance of design in determining whether it sells or not? Everyday life is filled with all sorts of designs, including product packaging, advertisements, websites, and store decorations. Design is an important element for capturing information about each object and creating an impression, and is an essential point of view when thinking about corporate marketing. In order to attract the attention of consumers, arouse their interest, and increase their desire to purchase, it is important to consider designs that will appeal to the target audience. Some people in charge who are thinking of carrying out marketing that focuses more on design as part of their promotional activities have questions such as, ``How important is the design perspective?'' and ``Are there any ideas that can be useful when thinking about design?'' I'm sure there are some people who do. In this article, we will explain the importance of design in marketing and the frameworks that can be used. Explainable KANSEI- The science of design that sells

What can you do with design consulting?

The field of design is wide, and the situations in which it is used are expanding.

▼Area of design

Image source: Chubu Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry “Design Thinking Utilization Course Manual”

Design consulting is expected to be used in a wide range of areas such as product development, service provision, and sales promotion activities.

Below, we will explain the areas covered by general design consulting.

Source: Chubu Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry “Design Thinking Utilization Course Manual”

product design

Product design is the design of various products such as daily necessities, furniture, and electrical appliances.

We design the product's shape, material, color, pattern, etc. by assuming the product's function, performance, intended use, usage environment, etc., and taking into account the following factors.

▼Elements to consider in product design

Is it safe, functional, and convenient?
Does it reflect the features of the product?
What is your position in the market?
Are you able to differentiate yourself from your competitors?

UI/UX design

Designing and proposing designs with excellent UI and UX are also areas that design consulting can handle.

UI (User Interface) refers to the point of contact between the product and the user. Specifically, it refers to a design that takes into consideration user convenience, such as the operability of e-commerce sites and applications and the ease of understanding information.

UX (User Experience) refers to the experience that users have through products and services. UI is included as a part of UX, and refers to the overall quality of use by users, such as ease of use and understandability, as well as moving, fun, and interesting features.

In design consulting, we aim to improve user-friendliness and experience value through UI/UX design.

▼Design points for UI/UX design

item	point
UI	Easier to search for products on e-commerce sites Ad information is organized and easy to read You can see the intended use at a glance when looking at the product package.
UX	The abundance of product images on the EC site makes comparisons easier. Interested in the product/service by looking at the design of the advertisement Product packaging that resonates with users' sensibilities makes them want to pick it up

communication design

Communication design is thinking about designs that convey the message of a company or brand to users.

Rather than unilaterally appealing to the appeal of a product or what a company wants to convey, we analyze users' hobbies and thoughts and come up with designs that move their hearts and encourage them to take action.

▼Example of communication design

Incorporate color schemes, fonts, and illustrations that reflect the brand concept on your EC site
Include a catchphrase in your advertisement that can solve the user's problems with your product.
Adjust the color scheme of your product packaging to match the impression you want to give to your target audience.

This article explains the renewal of product packaging. Please also check.

How to guide the eye? Types of products that can be used for marketing and key points to consider when considering the design of product packaging, e-commerce sites, advertising media, and in-store sales areas. Is required. One of the ways to do this is to use "gaze guidance." In order to accurately convey the information you want to convey to consumers and increase their desire to purchase, it is important to design with the principle of eye guidance in mind. For companies that are considering incorporating eye guidance into the design of packaging, e-commerce sites, sales floors, etc., some people may have questions such as ``What kind of methods are there?'' and ``Are there any points to remember when implementing this?'' it might be. This article provides an overview of line-of-sight guidance, the main types of methods, and points to consider when implementing it. Explainable KANSEI- The science of design that sells

Advantages of using design consulting

By utilizing design consulting, you can expect the following benefits:

▼Benefits you can expect

Building a brand image
Improving customer experience (CX)
Strengthening market competitiveness

By utilizing design consulting to design a design that is in line with the user's issues, needs, hobbies and preferences, you will be able to approach it with a consistent concept. This will help build your brand image.

Additionally, by incorporating designs that are conscious of UI, UX, and communication with users, it is possible to improve the customer experience. As a result, we can expect products and services with added value to lead to improved customer satisfaction.

An attractive design that appeals to the user's sensibilities is thought to contribute to differentiating a product from its competitors and increasing its competitiveness in the market.

summary

In this article, we explained the following about design consulting:

“Design consulting” that brings out the power of design
Areas covered by design consulting
Advantages of using design consulting

In design consulting, we aim to solve problems faced by companies through product design, UI/UX design, communication design, etc. An approach based on design thinking can be expected to lead to effects such as building a brand image, improving customer experience (CX), and strengthening market competitiveness.

In addition to using design consulting, there is also a way to use IT tools to easily and inexpensively create attractive designs that resonate with users' sensibilities and intuition.

Konica Minolta's `` Explainable KANSEI'' makes it possible to visualize people's sensibilities and quantitatively analyze designs. By designing a design based on emotional brain engineering, you can consider the optimal "presentation method."

For more information about our services, please see this document.

Download EX Kansei | Konica Minolta You can Download the EX Kansei overview materials and Case study studies that visualize people's sensibilities. EX Kansei - The science of design that sells