Al Dente Process Manual by Serena Marini

PROCESS MANUAL SERENA MARINI DES116

TABLE OF CONTENTS

04 10 18 30 PRODUCT

LOGO

GRAPHIC STANDARD

PACKAGING

PRODUCT

It is often said that the hardest part of the design process is when you are faced with a blank sheet of paper. The only way to get past this point is to start translating your thoughts into visualizations. So when you are challenged with creating a cleaning, health or food product brand and packaging, you have to ask yourself some questions: t 8IBU QSPEVDUT GBDF DIBMMFOHFT JO UIFJS EFTJHO BMSFBEZ t 8IBU QSPEVDUT BN * QBTTJPOBUF BOE LOPXMFEBHCMF BCPVU t )PX DBO * DSFBUF B OFX QSPEVDU UIBU JT OPU POMZ XFMM EFTJHOFE WJTVBMMZ CVU BMTP TFSWFT B QVSQPTF By asking myself these questions and evaluating the answers through a series of in-class and out-of-class exercises, I was able to select a product that I believed I could best work through the complete design process of creating a logo, graphic standard, package, and overall brand. The following section shows the steps that led to definining my product: pasta.

WORD ASSOCIATION Our first assignment was to create word web associations for five different products. In these webs, we had to connect as many words as possible that related to the center word to get a better idea of the actions, colors, textures and ideas associated with each product. The five products I explored were pasta, honey, canned fruit, nuts and spices. I was able to make the most connections and develop the most ideas from pasta. As someone who eats pasta for at least one meal per day and have grown up eating pasta with my dad who is a native Italian, I was confident in choosing this product to work with.

EXISTING BRANDS It was important to look to the market and see what was already available to target what could be improved. It was clear that the majority of pasta brands used standard boxes with an opening at the top. It was interesting to see that many of these boxes were blue in color, perhaps to make themselves similar to the top pasta brand, Barilla. A few other brands used bags as packaging, but I found these very difficult to reseal after use. All of the packages had a clear section to show the actual pasta inside, as well as the pasta name and cooking time displayed on the front. Most of the packages looked fairly outdated, so I wanted to make sure my package stood off of the shelves in comparison.

PHASEY BEAN: BIOMIMICRY CASE STUDY SERENA MARINI, DES116

OVERVIEW

The Phasey Bean, Macroptilium lathyroides, is a vertical-growing, branching legume found mostly in tropical and subtropical climates. Originally from Central America, the Caribbean Islands and South America, the plant grows best in warm conditions with a steady amount of rainfall. The plant is resistant to severe droughts because of it’s free-seeding ability and is considered a herbaceous annual plant, meaning it dies at the end of each growing season and regrows from the fallen seeds.

FUNCTIONS IN NATURE

The most unique function of the Phasey Bean plant is its ability to freely release its seeds due to the distinct shape of its pods. The pods are linear, sub-cylindrical and can extend from 5.5 to 12 cm long in a straight or slightly curved fashion. The seams of the pod wrap around at a downward angle, creating a twisted shell. When the pod is fully matured, the spiraling seams weaken, causing the pod to explode and release 20-30 seeds onto the ground, thus explaining its free-seeing ability.

DESIGN APPLICATIONS

Looking to the shape of the Phasey Bean pod, I could imagine a cylindrical package that would open in a similar method. If the packaging had a top and bottom for stability and protection, along with an outer shell made from thin, spiraled cardboard, the customer could either remove the top to access the food little by little, or unravel the whole shell to use all of the contents. For example, in some cinnamon roll packages that are made from cardboard and a tin top and bottom, the user can unwrap the exterior cardboard to access the food inside. The food items could also be sectioned into smaller packages that would fit inside the larger package, akin to seeds inside a pod.

BIOMIMICRY: CASE STUDIES Our first larger project was to research and develop three biomimicry case studies that we could apply to our packaging later on. These case studies allowed us to use nature to create functional and unique designs. I researched the phasey bean, ladybugs and the honeycomb and came up with design applications based on their functions in nature. Additionally, I created two abstract patterns per case study to help conceptualize packaging that could be made from these patterns.

PATTERNS

KEY BIOMIMICRY ELEMENTS • Protection • Spiraled exterior • Seeds and pods • Expand and collapse

WORKS CITED 1. Phasey bean (Macroptilium lathyroides). Feedpedia, 2012. Web. 18 Jan. 2015. <http://www.feedipedia.org/node/627>. 2. "Factsheet - Macroptilium lathyroides." Macroptilium lathyroides. Tropical Forages, n.d. Web. 18 Jan. 2015. <http://www.tropicalforages.in fo/key/Forages/Media/Html/Macroptilium_lathyroides.htm>. 3. "Phasey Bean Pod and Seeds." The Nature Observer’s Journal. Chuck Tague, n.d. Web. 19 Jan. 2015.

LADYBUG: BIOMIMICRY CASE STUDY

HONEYCOMB: BIOMIMICRY CASE STUDY

SERENA MARINI, DES116

OVERVIEW

The ladybug is a common, plant-eating beetle which can be found in abundance all over the world. They are well-liked due to their colorful and spotted appearance. There are over 5,000 different types of ladybugs, which can be spotted or solid, and be a range of colors including orange, yellow, brown and black, although they are most commonly depicted as red with black spots. Their unique coloration and spots serve as protection from predators by warning that the ladybug would be bad, bitter, and dangerous to eat.

FUNCTIONS IN NATURE

Among the eight parts of the anatomy of the ladybug are the wings and the elytra. Ladybugs are flying insects with expandable and very delicate wings. The colorful and patterned elytra serves as a protective shell which covers the wings when the ladybug is not in flight. The elytra consists of two symmetrical parts which lift up to allow the wings to expand, and rests on top of the wings and abdomen when the wings are not in use.

DESIGN APPLICATIONS

PATTERNS

The concept of an outer shell to protect an interior can easily be applied to packaging. For example, the package could be composed of a number of smaller packages which would fit together in a rectangular, box shape. As an added form of protection and a way for the smaller pieces to stay together, there could be a “shell” which could cover part of the connected smaller parts. One or more of the smaller pieces could be take off for consumption, but the general structure would still remind solid due to the outer shell. In addition, the triangular shape of the ladybug’s elytra provides for a compelling form with many possibilities for varying designs.

OVERVIEW

One of the best examples of geometry in nature is a honeycomb. Honeycombs are built by honey bees using beeswax and are used to store larvae, honey and pollen. The bees must consume eight ounces of honey for every ounce of beeswax they produce so the hive must work together to create the structure and cannot afford to let the beeswax go to waste. The honeycomb is made up of thousands of cells, into which the bees deposit flower nectar.

FUNCTIONS IN NATURE

Honeycombs are distinguishable by their perfect, hexagonal cells. The hexagonal shape is not random, but works to create a tight-fitting, puzzle-like structure. In geometry, the only three shapes that can fit together without gaps are equilateral triangles, squares and hexagons. Out of the three, hexagons have been mathematically proven to be the most compact. Therefore, by using a hexagonal shape, the bees can make the most out of the beeswax that they produce. In addition to providing efficiency, the hexagons also gives incredible strength to the honeycombs.

DESIGN APPLICATIONS

Honey bees and designers face many of the same challenges when it comes to construction: material efficiency, strength and weight of the product, and ease of production. Honey bees address these concerns with the hexagonal shape of their honeycomb cells. By borrowing the design of their structure, humans can also create products that are efficient, strong and simple. Not only would a hexagonal package be visually and tactically pleasant, but it would also be easy to fit in tightly packed spaces such as in a box to ship, or on a shelf. Additionally, a hexagon can be made from the combination of many different shapes, allowing for the ability to create a compartmentalized package.

Elytra

Wings and Abdomen

KEY BIOMIMICRY ELEMENTS • Protection • Outer shell • •

PATTERNS

KEY BIOMIMICRY ELEMENTS • Hexagonal shape • Interlocking elements • Strength • Material efficiency

WORKS CITED

1. "Ladybug Anatomy - Article and Diagram." Ladybug Anatomy. Learn About Nature, n.d. Web. 19 Jan. 2015. <http://www.lady bug-life-cycle.com/ladybug-anatomy.html>. 2. "Ladybugs." Ladybug Coccinellidae. National Geographic, n.d. Web. 18 Jan. 2015. <http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/ bugs/ladybug/>. 3. "Ladybug wallpaper 1680×1050." Ladybug. Postchronicle, n.d. Web. 18 Jan. 2015. <http://www.postchronicle.biz/ladybug.html>.

1. Honeycomb. Honeycomb Design and Damage Resistance. JC Brighton, n.d. Web. 19 Jan. 2015. <http://jcbrighton.com/?page_id=6>. 2. Crowder, Brantley, ed. What is Honeycomb? Savannah Bee Company, 9 June 2014. Web. 19 Jan. 2015. <http://savannah bee.com/blog/what-is-honeycomb/>. 3. What Is It About Bees And Hexagons? NPR, 14 May 2013. Web. 19 Jan. 2015. <http://www.npr.org/blogs/krulwich/2013/05/13 /183704091/what-is-it-about-bees-and-hexagons>.

LOGO

The first step after choosing our product was deciding on a name and creating a logo. It was important to not only think of the logo itself, but how it would interact XJUI QBDLBHJOH MFUUFSIFBET BQQBSFM BOE PUIFS QSJOUFE TVSGBDFT 8F MFBSOFE UIBU UIF CFTU MPHPT DBO CF SFDPHOJ[FE KVTU CZ UIFJS GPSN FWFO XJUIPVU UIF CSBOE OBNF present. Our goal was to develop such a logo, one that was descriptive and distincive, while representative of our brand.

AL DENTE LA PENTOLA MAGICA STREGA NONA ADESSO PASTA NAMING 8IFO OBNJOH NZ QBTUB CSBOE * MPPLFE UP *UBMJBO XPSET BOE QISBTFT GPS inspiration in order to connect my product to it’s traditional roots. The first name I thought of was “Al Dente,” which translates directly as “to the tooth” and describes the perfect amount of cook for Italian pastas. Other options included “La Pentola Magica,” a magic pot that cooks incredible amounts of pasta in traditional Italian folklore, “Strega Nona,” the name of a book character who cooks from la pentola magica, and “Adesso Pasta” which means “pasta now.”

After the initial naming brainstorm, I narrowed down my options to “Al Dente” and “La Pentola Magica.” Depending on which name I chose, my branding would be very different so I had to take that into consideration when weighing these options. “Al Dente” would provide for a modern, more serious design, while “La Pentola Magica” could create a playful feel that involved a degree of storytelling. In the end, I felt that “Al Dente” was more professional and refined, which better matches my design style.

HAND SKETCHES I drew out ten hand sketches as a preliminary step before heading to the computer, a few options for each possible brand name. I tried to provide borders for most of my logos in order to make them easier in print applications with other elements competing for attention around the logo. Although it was hard to imagine the logos without clean type and without color, it allowed me to focus on the general shape of the logo more than the content, which is equally as important.

ROUND 1:

ROUND 2:

DIGITAL SKETCHES: BLACK & WHITE I translated the best elements from my hand sketches into digitial form, using only black and white to focus on the logoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s form without being distracted by color. The circle and pot seemed to be the most compelling shapes, the circle ultimately working the best out of the two. Additionally, I meshed together two parts of hand drawing #9, three wheat stalks contrasted with a spoon, fork and knife, to be included in some of the logo options. Lastly, I tested out a few different typefaces: /PPB $BOUFS BOE 8JTEPN 4DSJQU

DIGITAL SKETCHES: COLOR From the black and white digital sketches, I took the circular form with a thin white circle inside, the wheat/silverware icon and the Canter typeface. Rearranging these elements in various positions allowed for a range of possibilities. I edited the wheat stalks to be more curved and slightly less realistic, as well as updated the silverware to a smoother and more modern shape. I tested out this palette of colors: maroon, blue, gold and forest green. All of these colors were slightly muted, but still compelling and attractive.

FINAL LOGO After many iterations, I was able to produce a final logo design. I believe this logo is sophisticated, modern and eye-catching. It could be used in a great number of applications and has a range of alternatives in terms of color and use of just the icon. The icon is the most distinguishable part of the logo and is meant to portray the journey of the pasta, from a stalk of wheat to the consumerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s table, joined by an elegant, swooping line. The company name, Al Dente, is easy to read due to the simple, linear typeface, which has a contemporary, European feel. The white circle and line under the text serve to balance and section the logo without distracting from the main elements.

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ALTERNATE COLORS

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GRAPHIC STANDARD

8IFO TUBSUJOH B CSBOE JU UBLFT B MPU PG EFUBJMFE XPSL BOE TQFDJĂŽDT UP DSFBUF FBDI QJFDF PG UIF DPNQBOZ 5IFSFGPSF JU JT JNQPSUBOU UIBU UIFTF EFUBJMT EP OPU HFU overlooked or changed when in use by people other than the designer themselves. In order to ensure this, one must create a graphic standard which shows the exact dimensions and applications of each component of the brandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s graphics. Included in the graphic standard is the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s business system which consists of designs for business cards, letterheads and envelopes. It is essential that all of the elements of the graphic standard can come together as a unified whole and create a solid image for the company.

RESEARCH Before beginning my own graphic standard, I looked for existing graphic standards made by real companies in order to better determine what I should include in mine. I found a PDF of the graphic standard for Special Olympics. Although it was much more detailed than what was required for our class, it provided a great look into the aspects that make for a successful standard.

FIELD TRIP: FRUITRIDGE Our class took a field trip to Fruitridge Printing in Sacramento to give us a better idea about the papers we would use in our business system and to show us the inner workings of a printing press. It was very interesting to see the steps a company and a printer must go through to complete a job. The variety and speed of the printing machines was awesome to see as well.

LAYOUT To make my graphic standard more appealing and user-friendly, I developed a color coding system to help differentiate each of the four sections. Each section began with a large, colored circle, much like this process manual, and the page numbers were marked with a circle of the same color so it would be easy for the user to see what section they were on. Additionally, I used a three column grid.

BUSINESS SYSTEM SKETCHES I started off my business system by hand sketching five ideas for complete sets of business cards, letterheads and envelopes. Each set had a different feel such as simple or fun, which made it easier to pick which ones I wanted to produce on the computer. I ended up picking and putting together parts from various sets, but overall, stuck with a simple theme as opposed to fun or graphic-heavy designs.

PREVIOUS DRAFT:

BUSINESS SYSTEM: LETTERHEAD It was challenging to get the right balance of design elements in my letterhead and not distract from the letter itself which I why I omitted the horizontal line in my previous draft. The final letterhead has a half-opaque icon which directs the reader and writer to the signature. The back is a full color spread with an inverse logo which would show in the middle section if the letterhead was folded in three. Since the back is a solid color, I had to have thick paper so it would not show through so I chose Neenah 8.5 x JODI 3FDZDMFE #SJHIU 8IJUF MC TNPPUI ĂŽOJTI QBQFS

PREVIOUS DRAFT:

AL DENTE ITALY

BUSINESS SYSTEM: ENVELOPE Much like the letterhead, the envelope also couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t contain overwhelming color or design which would draw attention away from the important text on the envelope. The front of the previous draft was too busy and the color block and icon were too large. Therefore, I just used a simple logo at the top left and a half-opaque icon on the bottom right. A sticker is used to seal the back of the envelope which has a colored flap.

PREVIOUS DRAFT:

AL DENTE

BUSINESS SYSTEM: CARD My business card set was designed in an attempt to simplify pasta into geometric forms. To take full advantage of Al Denteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s color palette, I designed four different card styles which could be sorted by various position types in the company. After some research on business card papers, I decided on 36 point thick, eco-friendly deluxe paper with an embossed logo and the edges painted with the corresponding color.

MARKETING APPLICATIONS If my company existed in real life, the logo would have to be applied to marketing materials so it was essential to imagine what examples would be relevant to my particular pasta company. Along with a truck for transit and stickers for the envelopes, I also considered a resturant that could be created from Al Dente, lending for an apron, chefâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hat and frosted glass exterior window.

FINAL My final graphic standard was twenty-three pages and presented and bound on 8.5â&#x20AC;? x 11â&#x20AC;? paper with landscape orientation.

PACKAGING

The final step of our project was to create the packaging and labeling for our product. Rather than taking the form of the standard pasta box or bag, I had to think outside of the box and come up with a unique form and function for my package that extended further than simply holding the product inside. Additionally, sustainable materials had to be considered regarding packaging manufacturing. Our preliminary research about biomimicry came into play during this project, as our packaging had to take inspiration from nature. During this stage, it was significant that we considered our work from not only a designerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perspective, but also the perspective of the consumer.

CREATIVE BRIEF Before physically building our packaging ideas, I wrote a creative brief to organize and establish my objectives and positioning in terms of my packaging design. By answering these questions before creating my packaging, I was able to consider elements that my packaging had to address that I wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have thought of on my own.

NEEDS

In our society, two huge concerns are wastefulness and health. People trying to lose weight often shy away from carbs such as pasta when in reality, they simply just need to control their intake. By providing the food in correct portions out of the box, it is easy for the customer to manage their meal portions. In addition, portioned sizes will help eliminate wasting food and resources because there will be less of a chance of the chef producing leftovers or excess food. By focusing on these two points in the sales strategy, we can grab the attention of consumers and appeal to consumers who might otherwise not consider pasta as a meal option.

PROJECT OBJECTIVE

My project aims to make customers view pasta in a new way. The unique, sectioned packaging should excite the user and give rise to increased interaction in the cooking process, allowing for a greater connections between the cook and the food. The simple interaction with the packaging is meant to give the consumer a feeling of confidence in their cooking. The combination of traditional and modernity in Al Denteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s branding is meant to give the consumers a fresh look at a classic food product.

PROJECT STRATEGY

The product will be a pasta box which would be initially sold at small, local markets to gain credibility and trust, and hopefully picked up by larger supermarkets in the future. Since sectioning adds extra packaging as opposed to a normal box, it is important to use sustainable materials and encompass biomimicry in the designs. The packaging will be made out of 100% recycled, thin chipboard and printed using soy and vegetable-based inks to reduce environmental impact. Al Dente will also advertise using magazine ads, reusable shopping bags and cook-wear such as aprons and kitchen towels. After a steady amount of money has been made, the company could look into opening a few restaurants after considering the economic losses and gains regarding a down payment for space, salaries for employees and chefs and the cost of raw materials.

BACKGROUND

Nearly every grocery store carries pasta, the most common brands being Barilla, De Cecco and the grocery storeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own brand. Most of these pasta packages are bland, boxy and do not give much thought to modern design. My companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s logo and unique packaging design will stand apart from the rest of the brands on the shelf due to itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s modern look and distinct shape. Secondly, the standard pasta box contains 6-7 servings of pasta but it is very hard to determine how much pasta to cook using just your eyes. Oftentimes, one ends up cooking too much pasta and is left with half a serving of extra food. My pasta packaging aims to eliminate this problem by segmenting the pasta into serving sizes so the user can easily determine how much pasta to cook depending on the number of people they are cooking for.

MESSAGE

The most important message that one should take away is that Al Dente is a trustworthy, reputable, and environmentally-conscious company who is redefining pasta and how it is packaged. Their pastas are nutritious, a great addition to any meal, and brings happiness to those who consume it. Al Dente is a people-oriented company and develops products and packaging based on the needs and wants of the public.

AUDIENCE

The audience intended for Al Dente is anyone who is able to cook pasta, likely ages 15-85. The brand is aimed to be used by home cooks and intended for everyday use, as opposed to in restaurants where they likely have a set amount of pasta used in their dishes, which may be different than the amount that Al Dente provides. Since pasta is such a traditional Italian dish, it is important that my packaging, logo and branding maintain conventional designs and colors to appeal to an older, more conservative generation. To gain the attention of a younger crowd, the designs also have a modern and simple feel. The juxtaposition of these two elements allows for the company to appeal to a wide audience of pasta consumers.

ROUND 1 SKETCHES 8IFO UIJOLJOH BCPVU NZ QBTUB QBDLBHJOH EFTJHO NZ JOJUJBM TLFUDIFT XFSF very ambitious. Inspired by the honeycomb, phasey bean and ladybug, I created three potential packaging options. The first, modeled after the honeycomb, consisted of eight sections that fit together to form a hexagon. The sections would be held together using stickers and might even contain a built-in strainer. The second option, modeled after the phasey bean, was

circular in form and had an outer layer that peeled off to reveal circular sections of pasta inside. The third option, modeled after the ladybug, had eight sections that formed a rectangle, and an outer, protective shell that held the sections together. Out of these three options, I wanted to further develop the honeycomb model.

ROUND 1 MOCKUP In developing the honeycomb packaging model, I realized two JNQPSUBOU UIJOHT BCPVU UIJT EFTJHO JU XBT UPP DPNQMJDBUFE BOE JU was too wasteful. The pasta did not fit in the compartments well due to the sloped sides, causing the sections to grow in size and develop into an abnormally large pasta package. Additionally, since each of the compartments was itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own package, the packaging used an incredible

amount of material that would be promptly recycled by the user. Since Al Dente is an eco-friendly company, it would be counterintuitive for the packaging to be so careless with itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s use of materials. This mockup was a good learning experience and prompted me to step backwards and reconsider my designs with a more realistic mindset.

ROUND 2 SKETCHES I went back to the drawing board and this time, focused on nested designs with sections that would be built into the package itself. My first idea was a cylindrical package that would hinge in the middle and would reveal six smaller sections on alternating sides of the package. The user could then peel back the exposed side of the section which would release the pasta inside. Although this was a visually pleasing idea, it was difficult in

execution and seemed too hard to pour the pasta while holding the whole rest of the package open. My second idea started with the realization that the pastas fit the most efficiently in a rectangular shape. I developed a two-part package with an outer shell and an inner body. The inner body would lift out of the shell and be sectioned off into six parts. The user can access each section by peeling back a labeled portion of one side.

ROUND 2 MOCKUP For my rectangular package mockup, I did some research regarding the necessary aspects of a food box such as the nutrition facts, ingredients, text size and location of certain elements. I also looked to actual pasta boxes to gather accurate numbers and ingredients. The graphics on the mockup turned out fairly well, but the actual package itself was way too large. In addition to being too large, having a separate package for the

inner and outer sections made for a lot of wasted material. A user would likely just throw away the outer shell after the first use, making it wasteful and obselete. I knew for my next mockup, I would have to figure out a way to create a smaller box and develop a new method of nesting and portion TFDUJPOJOH )PXFWFS * DPVME LFFQ B MPU PG UIF HSBQIJDT UIBU * NBEF XIJDI was helpful in creating my next draft.

ROUND 3 MOCKUP This mockup ended up being the most successful and ultimately determined my final packaging design. By using a two sided flap that covered the top and a portion of the front, I could conceal the inside sections while minimizing the use of an excess amount of material. The swooping shape of the flap on the front follows the same shape as the line on the icon, bringing the logo and the packaging together. I used many of

UIF TBNF HSBQIJD FMFNFOUT UIBU * EFWFMPQFE JO UIF 3PVOE .PDLVQ TVDI as the side panel with the geometric fusilli shape and the tabs for each of UIF QPSUJPO TFDUJPOT 5IF CPY EJNFOTJPOT XFSF wY wY w XIJDI FOEFE up being slightly small for the portion sections, but was a big improvement from the massive size of the last mockup. Making a few changes to this draft, I was able to produce my final packaging.

CONSTRUCTION & LAYOUT In actuality, the packaging would be printed with soy and vegetable based JOLT PO SFDZDMFE DIJQCPBSE )PXFWFS TJODF * EPO U IBWF BDDFTT UP soy and vegetable based inks, I printed the graphics on regular paper and guled it to recycled chipboard. The transparent section that shows the pasta is a simple, clear plastic. I put as many of the same colored sides together and scored the edges to most efficiently use the paper.

FINAL My final packaging design contained a few touch-ups from the previous version such as a slight increase in size, alignment adjustments and two small tabs added to the flap which insert into the edge of the box to hold the flap down. The flap was inspired by the biomimicry research I had done earlier in the quarter on the ladybug, who has an outer shell, called the elytra, which protects itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wings and spreads out to reveal the wings underneath. Drawing ideas from that aspect of nature, the packaging flap serves as protection for the inner packaging which is revealed when lifted. Overall, I am very content with my final design and labeling. I believe that the package looks clean, modern and would stand out next to the existing pasta boxes on grocery store shelves today.

DESIGN ANALYSIS It is essential that a designer is able to analyze their work in order to make it clear to themselves and the client that their design was sucessful in its goals and that each step was properly thought out and executed.

INTRODUCTION

PROBLEM STATEMENT

OBJECTIVES

The goal of this project was to create a pasta brand that would inspire consumers to view pasta in a new light by giving the consumer more control and confidence when cooking this product. The brand would embody the traditional aspects of pasta while adding a modernized feel to the branding, in order to appeal to cooks of all generations.

1FPQMF TPNFUJNFT TIZ BXBZ GSPN QBTUB CFDBVTF UIFZ BSF UPME UIBU DBSCPIZESBUFT BSF CBE GPS XFJHIU MPTT )PXFWFS DBSCPIZESBUFT DBO certainly be enjoyed by a healthy eater, as long as it is done in moderation. Pasta boxes available in stores now give the user no indication of how much pasta they should be cooking for themselves, so consumers often pour more than the reccomended amount into the pot and end up eating pasta in slight excess.

A simple solution of sectioning off the pasta into recommended serving sizes could be key to encouraging consumers to eat more pasta. Each box contains six serving size portions and the consumer can easily pull off the tab of one of the sections, pour in that amount of pasta and save the rest for later. This eliminates the chance for leftovers, which could go to waste, or overeating. The packaging and branding will also be designed with a more modern look which will help it pop off of the shelves.

METHODOLOGY

8F EFWFMPQFE PVS CSBOE UISPVHI B TFSJFT PG QSPKFDUT BOE SFTFBSDI SFHBSEJOH CJPNJNJDSZ FYJTUJOH DPNQFUJUJPO NBUFSJBMT BOE NVDI more. Additionally, we were introduced to a design process that split the steps into nine parts consisting of project initiation, research, strategy, exploration, development, refinement, production and manufacturing. By following these steps, I was able to focus on each stage of the design process and avoid overlooking essential parts of forming my brand and designs. The nine steps are broken up into three parts: understanding, ideating and execution. The understanding stage was completed through extensive research, the ideating stage was done through hand and computer sketches of various ideas, and the execution stage was done through the actual production and completion of my designs.

EVALUATION

Since Al Dente pastas would be initially sold at small, local markets, we could measure success with a goal of a certain amount of sales per year. Additionally, we would hope that the brand would be picked up by larger supermarkets as the productâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s popularity grew. Once the company hit a certain amount of money and gained a substantial amount of customer loyalty, the goal would be to open a resturant that would help the brand grow in popularity, and would allow for a more direct connection with consumers.

PROJECT SUMMARY

By providing pasta cooks with a fresh look at a traditional food through sectioned packaging and a modernized design, Al Dente would hopefully rise to the top of popular pasta brands and would be successful in helping consumers feel more confident while cooking pasta due to added ease of measurement. The packaging and logo designs are approachable and easy to understand which is important when the consumer is viewed as the number one priority in a business. Overall, Al Dente would be a great and unique addition to the pasta shelves of grocery stores, and more importantly, the homes of pasta lovers around the world.