Topic outline

  • General

    Welcome to Pack-Age 2023!
    This will be our learning platform where we will be sharing lecture materials, assignments, briefs, and practical information on locations, possible schedule changes and excursions.
    Messages that teachers write in the announcements section will also be pushed into your aalto-emails.

    • Design Insight course focuses on evidence-based design process, methods for conducting background research, and uncovering user knowledge, consumer insights, trends, technologies, and market opportunities that become the drivers for the design work.
    • Students define and develop future packaging design and branding concepts based on background research and justify their design solutions.
    • Students work in transdisciplinary teams on a real case given by a company
    • At the end of the course 3 alternative packaging concepts are presented of which one will be selected for further development and prototyping in Art of Packaging course in the second period.

    Pack-Age Zoom Meeting
    Join Zoom Meeting
    https://aalto.zoom.us/j/67785850347

    Meeting ID: 677 8585 0347

    • Forum icon
      Announcements Forum
    • Page icon
      Course schedule Page
      This is a live schedule that will be frequently updated during the course
    • Folder icon
      Briefs Folder
      Not available unless any of:
      • You are a(n) Student
      • You are a(n) Teacher (MC)
    • Folder icon
      Lectures Folder
      Not available unless any of:
      • You are a(n) Student
      • You are a(n) Teacher (MC)
    • Folder icon
      Extra materials Folder
      Not available unless any of:
      • You are a(n) Student
      • You are a(n) Teacher (MC)

      Here you can find additional materials that might support your research or concept development phases

    • Assignment icon
      Team Strengths Assignment
      Not available unless any of:
      • You are a(n) Student
      • You are a(n) Teacher (MC)

      Submit your teams picture of the areas of expertice and working style. (Take a picture with your phone of all the layers of experienced strength + write your team name on top somewhere)
      One submission per team is enough.

    • Assignment icon
      Background research & insight presentations Assignment
      Not available unless any of:
      • You are a(n) Student
      • You are a(n) Teacher (MC)

      Conduct background research by using the selected primary and secondary research methods that best support your case. Select the methods and means that build understanding about:

      1) product-specific possibilities
      2) market situation
      3) the users and use-context
      4) material and technological opportunities
      5) the emerging trends that you can connect your case to

      In your presentations
      1) In addition to your data, describe the methods you used to get information (sources).

      2) Please also include any interesting or surprising findings as insights that you discovered during your background research phase. These can become an interesting starting point for your ideation and creative process later.

      3) Finally include one inspirational package design example you found and identified as visually interesting (it does not have to be case-related). Analyse and "reverse engineer" how and why it has been made and what makes it special.

      Limitations

      You have only 15 minutes to present and you can only have 15 slides in the deck (1 min each) or alternatively you can choose to do PechaKucha of your background research with 20 slides 20 seconds each.

      It means that you can only show the top of an iceberg of all the things you studied. Prepare your materials accordingly.

      All teams present 21.9. and each presentation is followed by 15 min Q&A by teachers and project partners.

    • Assignment icon
      Team contract Assignment
      Not available unless any of:
      • You are a(n) Student
      • You are a(n) Teacher (MC)

      Take a picture of your team contract and submit it here. Check that you also have included specified team roles next to signatures.

    • Forum icon
      Student discussions and course-related Q&A Forum
      Not available unless any of:
      • You are a(n) Student
      • You are a(n) Teacher (MC)

      You can ask questions here or share things here with the rest of the class.

    • Folder icon
      Examples of previous Pack-Age concept presentations (interim critique) Folder
      Not available unless any of:
      • You are a(n) Student
      • You are a(n) Teacher (MC)

      This folder contains a few examples from previous years concept presentations, so you get the idea how different teams have previously presented their three concepts.

      All projects are different, and they all have their own unique wicked and ill-defined problems in the beginning which the teams try to make sense of, and then propose alternative solutions for the challenges.

      Typically the presentations follow this structure: 1) Brief & problem definition 2) Research into problem and solution space –> insights 3) Design directions 4) Showing how alternative concepts solve the problem 5) Justify the design decisions taken and show and tell the potential of your concept.

      A concluding slide in the end, showing all the 3 different concepts side-by-side is a good idea.
      It summarizes, helps comparison and anchors discussions with clients. 

      As you can see from these presentations, they have a quite nice and clear narrative.
      They show just the top of the iceberg of everything that has been done, but include also visuality, creativity, problem-solving, and eye for detail. Visual identity, brand communication and structural design opportunities are presented in sketch-like quality or even renderings.



    • Assignment icon
      Concept presentations Assignment
      Not available unless any of:
      • You are a(n) Student
      • You are a(n) Teacher (MC)

      Final Concept Presentation Instructions

      Presentation Overview:

      • Each team presents 3 concepts to the client and teachers.
      • Prepare a 15-minute presentation.
      • Upload presentation files for grading (max file size: 400MB).
      • Present using your computer in the classroom.

      Content:

      • Include insights from research, design drivers, visuals (sketches, mood boards, etc.).
      • Convince the audience why it is a good idea.
      • "a mapping slide" is useful for demonstrating concept qualities or potential.
      • End each idea with a digital mockup.
      • End with a summary slide for client and teacher discussion.

      Presentation Style:

      • Explain your idea and it origins clearly.
      • Think of your presentation as a narrative.
      • You may present up to three concepts / alternatives.
      • Good sketches, visual mapping and visuals to clarify assumptions.
      • You don't need to have everything resolved, as we are half way of Pack-Age, but the more developed your ideas are the more accurate and useful feedback you will get.

      What to Focus On:

      • Clarity.
      • Presentation of ideas.
      • Graphics and visual narrative.
      • Evidence, reasoning, and argumentation.
      • Take notes during feedback sessions.
      • Client feedback won't affect course grading.

      Presentation Approach:

      • Build a compelling story for your branded product.
      • Make it entertaining and informative.
      • Your presentation style is as important as your content.

      Evaluation Criteria:

      1. Presentation:

        • Clear presentation.
        • Innovative and creative insights.
        • Demonstrates team effort.
        • Adequate supporting imagery and evidence.
        • Communicates potential benefits.

      2. Process:

        • Clear journey from idea to execution.
        • Includes background research.
        • Presents ideation process (sketches, mind maps, mood boards, etc.).
        • Well-documented process.

      3. Outcome:

        • Meets brief criteria.
        • Fits the product and use context.
        • High-quality ideas
        • Clever use of materials and resources.

    • Folder icon
      Useful links to design resources Folder
      Not available unless any of:
      • You are a(n) Student
      • You are a(n) Teacher (MC)

      BrandNew

      8 Strategies for strong brand building through packaging design










      Future of Retail 2030 (Futurice + Aalto & co) 

      I like I wish – team tool

    • Questionnaire icon
      Will you participate in Paul Jackson´s workshop? Questionnaire
      Not available unless: You are a(n) Student

      AXM-E0101 - Workshop Period 1, Folding Packaging Constructions (by Paul Jackson), 16.10.2023-20.10.2023

      Paul Jackson is teaching his simple and powerful system for constructing very strong, glueless 'nets', which enables you to construct ANY 3D form made of polygons (a 'net' is the shape of the card when a 3D package is unfolded flat). 

      Step-by-step you will learn how to use this system, then use it to create your own amazing experimental packaging forms. Although the direct application of this system is in package design, anyone interested in polyhedrons, 3D form, 3D geometry and paper art/craft/design is welcome to come. The workshop is entirely hands-on.

      Techniques move gradually towards higher complexity, so missing days is not advised.

      Paul Jackson has been a professional paper artist and paper engineer for over 30 years. He teaches regularly in many countries, has written many books about the use of paper in design and frequently exhibits his own folded paper artworks.


      The equipment used during the course:

      Cutting mat or thick board that you can cut on
      Sharp scalpel and new blades
      Protractor (measures angles)
      Pair of compasses
      Masking tape (not Sellotape)
      Hard (2H) pencils and erasers

      Recommended literature: 
      Paul Jackson (2012), Structural Packaging: Design your own Boxes and 3D Forms, Lawrence King

      All Pack-Age students have a priority in this workshop if they want to participate, but also other students can enrol if there is space.