Packaging: Ergonomics & Functional Testing
Assess the usability, ease of opening, dosing accuracy, and perceived quality of your packaging through instrumented usage tests in real conditions.
The client issue
An international cosmetics group is developing a new airless dosing system for its serum line and needs to validate packaging ergonomics before the industrial investment in molds and tooling.
The functional prototypes are ready, but feedback from the R&D teams is not enough. The brand needs instrumented consumer usage data to validate ease of use, dosing accuracy, and the perception of quality to the touch.
The identified challenges
- Validate ease of opening and closing from the very first use
- Measure the accuracy and repeatability of dosing by users
- Quantify haptic perception: material quality, weight, grip
- Identify usage irritants in real conditions (bathroom, travel)
Instrumented in-home & lab usage tests
Product Users
Current users of facial serums, with varied dexterity and application habits.
Recruitment criteria
- Face serum users for 6+ months
- Ages 25-65 mixed to cover dexterity variability
- Including profiles with mobility limitations (mild osteoarthritis)
- Current packaging mix: pump, pipette, tube
Lab + In-Home tests over 28 days
Protocol combining initial laboratory assessment and extended at-home use.
Baseline
Reference measurements at rest to establish individual baseline levels
First Moment of Truth (lab)
First filmed handling: opening, dosing, application, closing — completion time + video analysis
Daily in-home use (D1-D14)
Daily use with digital logbook: ease, irritants, satisfaction
Stress test (D15-D21)
Constrained scenarios: wet hands, travel, low light — ergonomic robustness
Final review + AI Avatar (D28)
Overall assessment, comparison with the current packaging, in-depth qualitative interview
Packaging usability metrics
Task Completion Rate
Success rate and completion time for each gesture: opening, dosing, application, closing. Benchmark vs current packaging and competitors.
Dosing Accuracy
Dispensed quantity vs desired quantity. Inter-user variability and reproducibility.
Haptic Perception
Perceived quality score to the touch: materials, weight, stability, grip, premium feel.
Usage Robustness
Performance in degraded conditions: wet hands, on the move, low light.
Conversational Avatar
AI-guided interview to gather stated perceptions.
Complete ergonomic validation
Opening / Closing
3.2sAverage opening time: 3.2s vs 5.8s for the current packaging. Magnetic clip system highly appreciated for its satisfying tactile feedback.
Airless Dosing
CV 8%8% dosing coefficient of variation — well below the current pipette (22%). Dose perceived as "just right" by 89% of users.
Stress Test
AttentionQuality score perceived by touch higher than the current packaging (6.9/10) and the category premium benchmark (7.8/10).
Premium Perception
8.4/10Quality score perceived by touch higher than the current packaging (6.9/10) and the category premium benchmark (7.8/10).
Market Variations
France
United States
Japan
Data for industrial go/no-go
"Precise dosing from the very first use"
97% success rate, CV 8%, 180 participants, 3 countries
"Opening 2× faster than the current packaging"
3.2s vs 5.8s on average, 180 participants (p<0.001)
Soft-touch coating mandatory on the grip area
Drop in satisfaction of -1.8 points in wet-hand conditions without soft-touch
"Perceived premium quality superior to the category"
8.4/10 vs category benchmark 7.8/10, 28 days of real use
Are you developing a new packaging?
Validate ergonomics and functionality with consumer usage data.