Design Considerations for Rating Game

Sarah Cat

Jacklyn Lee

PurposeTo find what design elements on the top of a board game box would attract consumers enough to pick it up on the shelves in a store. Specifically, we wanted to find what icons, colors, and styles people liked to see on the top of the box.

This experiment had 3 objectives:

• Research previous findings on color and design effects on people in general and with similar cases.

• Brainstorm design elements ourselves and to interview designers in the field in order to obtain feedback for the culmination of multiple design ideas.

• Find which designs consumers liked the best out of our possible collection and see if they had any further suggestions of packing ideas.

Methods2 one-on-one phone interviews with designers:

• Annie, 22, Design student at Parsons• Katrina 52, President and Art Director of

a one-stop Advertising Shop

5-person focus group held in the home:• Jessica, 21• Matt, 22• Tiffany, 21• Allison, 21• Lauren, 21

1 couple in a dating relationship interviewed in the home:

• Nick, 27• Jade, 21

2-person focus groups held in the home:•Brent, 21•Sam, 24

7-person focus group held in the home consisting of:•Mari, 21•Mike, 24•Melissa, 25•Tom, 42•Robby, 23•Bobby, 23•Leigh, 28

Findings: Designer Interviews In interviewing designers, neither one had the same idea. However, each felt that it was absolutely necessary that the game stand out from others.

• Have all the possible things that are being rated, in a quadrant collage. Have 2 silhouettes of people looking at each other, maybe male and female or a-sexual and inside would be quadrant collages of rating elements. Outside would be possibly bubbles of people thinking opposite things. –Katrina

• Typography is important. Bubbly letters are more for younger audience, yet you still want something fun.

• Minimal color• Real images- I see on the cover a bunch of people playing it, with it looking like they

are having fun. We want real people - our age is more realistic and mature. • The package should be black – when I think about party/social games, it has to show

mystery.• A lot of bright colors (perhaps neon, green) –. It will stand out to us because most of

the games out there are generic.• Another idea is utilizing the idea of pop culture – magazine cutouts as the package

design and big headlines as the title. Maybe the board can be folded two or three times like a newspaper. - Annie

Findings: Group Interviews• Participants were read the rules of the Rating Game and then were

allowed to play it for 5 minutes. After explaining the concept of the game, there were 3 parts to the information gathering process:

• Package-Specific Questions: They were then asked questions using a discussion guide regarding various design aspects, the influence of awards on the front of the board game boxes and whether they preferred cartoon or other artwork of the front of the box.

• Box Designs: The participants were shown 4 potential box designs and asked to choose which they preferred, and for what reasons.

• Self-Designs: They then designed and described what the board game would look like to them. Answers were encouraged to be either by word of mouth, created via PowerPoint, or portrayed in any creative way felt with the materials of: white and multiple colored papers, scissors, transparent tape, and markers.

Images that came to mind about the Rating Game

• In general, participants thought that it was light-hearted. • In order to portray this with color, there was no one color named but

it was suggested by many that multiple bright colors represented the game well.

• The shape of stars came to mind for many and large font size words were also mentioned.

• Various shapes and different colors that is really bold. Different, unconventional ways of placing words and shapes. –Matt

• Funny bright characters like “Sesame” and “Packman.” - Allison

• Simple with big words. The words being the artwork, against a background that makes them pop out. –Lauren

People Playing the Game on the Box

Most people prefer realistic depictions of people laughing or enjoying themselves. Since the game was designed with a more mature audience in mind, we believe that this type of realistic, projective artwork would be most appealing to those who fall in the desired age range.

• If you’re rating famous people, have them on it. –Nick• I like designs that show people having fun- Mike• I want an image of people having lots of fun –Melissa• [It looks good] with images of people – Mari

Cartoons?

• While many could not see an actual cartoon on the top of the box, it was common that the cartoon mentioned represented the feel that the game would have.

,123s,

• …are the most common symbols participants associated rating with.

• Numbers and scales (mathematical, charts, keys) abacus, stars, thumbs, question mark.

• I associate numbers with ratings and those judges holding up score cards. –Allison

Awards & Purchasing Influence

When asked if awards such as “Game of the Year” influenced their decision to play and/or purchase a board game, the results were mixed. While in one focus group most responded no, all seven people from one focus group answered, “yes.”

People will either see these awards on game board boxes as seals of approvals and as a guarantee that the game will be fun and interesting or they will base the game’s reliability solely on word of mouth.

• Yes…they have credibility and I trust their judgment – Melissa• Yes, especially without knowing what the game is. If you had

nothing to go off of. – Leigh• If there were two similar games, I would go with the one with the

award – Mike• Awards don’t influence buying behavior but know people who it

does, mostly other people telling me they like it helps. –Allison

Findings: Conceptual Designs

The participants were shown 4 similar conceptual designs and asked to choose which they preferred……

Findings: Conceptual Designs

• All participants in the 7-person focus group conducted chose Slide 2 as their favorite design. The optimal utilization of space, the size and boldness of the font were positive elements.

• People prefer a simpler, less cluttered layout that organized the icons in a symmetrical way.

• Delicate balance between a bold, exciting design that looks fun and appealing, and an overly-cluttered picture that tends to look too busy.

• Large letters located over a lighter, saturated, primary colored background seemed to give an impression of excitement and fun.

Findings: Design Your Own

• The participants were asked to create their own conceptual design and describe what the board game would look like to them…..

Name of the GameName of the Game

The Best Game Ever!

Commonalities

• Pop icons on the cards on the front of the box help create an idea of what the game would be about.

• Images of people playing the game and interacting with it.

• Keep it simple. Minimalism is key.

“I want to see people having lots of fun. It’s relatively simple – I like that it’s straightforward and that there’s no glitter or flashiness.”

Conclusions

• Show artwork with young people playing the game and having fun

• Images of playing cards reinforce idea of the game• Use yellow, orange, or a light yet vibrant

background color to grasp attention• Use big, bold yet mature typography (not bubbly)• Use a simple, minimal and uncluttered box top• An award on the box could be helpful in terms of

point of purchase