PACKAGING DESIGN WITH SENSE-ABILITY

The population of the Singapore is generally regarded as ‘young’, but an inevitable outcome of rising prosperity and a declining birth rate has contributed to the graying of the population. Currently, about 9% of the population in Singapore is over 65 years of age. By 2040 it is estimated that the percentage will rise to 33.2% (Harrison 1997). These trends of aging can be of concern because of the potential implications for future burden on individual and society, as well as the demand of informal and formal care for the elderly (Hermalin 2000). The sheer growth in the older population will lead to increases in older persons living alone or staying home alone in most part of the day. The results from Singapore National Survey of Senior Citizens (1995, 2005) show that there are more Singaporean above 75 years old living alone. It has rose from 4% in 1995 to 7% in 2005. As a result, the elderly will and most likely to experience difficulties with handling and opening packaging in their daily doings. The onus is therefore on designers to cultivate an awareness and sensibility in their work that caters to, and is inclusive of, the elderly.

The students were given a brief to explore designs options and strategies that respond to the needs of elderly consumers and that help to make life easier for older people. The objective is to identify problems in packaging and redefine the parameters guiding the design of senior-friendly solutions. The students were asked to explore the ways in which design could help enhance the experiences of growing old and how the creative process could arrive at senior-friendly design alternatives. This paper reports on the process and results of this exercise with these undergraduate design students.

This study covers three areas: user-based research, packaging research and strategic design development. Students formed groups to discuss the difficulties that packaging might present in everyday life. When an item is identified as a source of potential trouble, users of the object are then interviewed to highlight how specific problems can affect their usage. Students also discuss how the materials used in the packaging may help to develop innovative design solutions. Ten items have been selected for redesign development. The final results include a non-slip bottle, a light bulb packaging that comes with an aid light, a dog treat packaging with sound, etc. This paper reports on the process and results of this project with these undergraduate design students.