Transforming Healthcare Through Packaging DesignTransforming Healthcare Through Packaging Design

The next transformative wave in packaging design is Experiential Journey Design (EJD).

This innovative methodology enhances packaging by addressing the entire user experience across five key touchpoints, moving beyond traditional approaches that focus on isolated aspects of design. Instead, Experiential Journey Design considers the full lifecycle of user interaction, ensuring that packaging serves functional needs while enriching the customer’s overall experience.

For example, many consumers have struggled with rigid plastic blister packaging, which is often optimized solely for merchandising. While these packages are effective in showcasing products on retail shelves, they frequently frustrate users when it comes time to open them at home. This issue has become so prevalent that tools are now sold specifically to help consumers safely open such packaging.

Similarly, packaging designers often prioritize individual goals — such as protecting product integrity, reducing costs, or optimizing manufacturability — without fully considering how these decisions impact the overall user experience. A narrow focus on a single objective can lead to packaging that fails to meet broader consumer expectations.

Touchpoints of Experiential Journey Design.

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Experiential Journey Design addresses these gaps by focusing on the following five touchpoints:

1. Pre-Touch

This touchpoint occurs during the research phase when a buyer first encounters the product — whether on a store shelf or online. Packaging design plays a pivotal role in shaping their perception of the product and brand.

For instance, Apple’s iPhone packaging employs a minimalist yet elegant design that features a stunning image of the product. Many customers keep their iPhone boxes long after purchase, not out of necessity, but because they find the packaging too beautiful to discard. This phenomenon highlights the importance of packaging as a vehicle for communicating brand value and quality.

2. First-Touch

The first-touch moment happens when the customer physically engages with the product for the first time. This is a critical touchpoint, as first impressions significantly influence how the product is perceived.

Returning to the iPhone example, opening the box is a seamless and intuitive experience. There are no clunky instruction manuals or unnecessary components — just the product presented in a way that immediately delights the user. Successful first-touch design eliminates friction, confusion, and complexity, creating a lasting positive impression.

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3. Core-Touch

Core-touch refers to how the product and its packaging are used or interacted with regularly.

For instance, in the case of medical devices, packaging can be designed to integrate seamlessly into inventory systems by incorporating features such as color-coded labels or quick-response (QR) codes for easy tracking. These enhancements not only improve usability but also reinforce the product’s functionality and user-friendliness.

Also, the shape, size, and structure of the box is critical in the way in which it optimizes its footprint — for example, in a circulating room for surgical-related products. There are layers of opportunities to improve this critical touch point.

4. Last-Touch

The last-touch point occurs when the user disposes of the packaging. This is an opportunity to leave a lasting positive impression, whether through recyclable materials, reusable designs, or clear disposal instructions. In industries like healthcare, where waste management is under increasing scrutiny, innovative last-touch strategies can significantly enhance brand perception while addressing environmental concerns.

5. In-Touch

The in-touch phase encourages ongoing interaction between the brand and the customer. Companies can create channels for continuous engagement, such as QR codes on packaging that direct users to online communities or resources like podcasts, templates, innovation challenges, a digital suggestion box, and customer satisfaction surveys. By involving customers in the evolution of the product, you can foster loyalty while gathering valuable insights for future improvements.

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Why Experiential Journey Design matters.

Experiential Journey Design shifts the focus from isolated objectives to creating a balanced solution that meets the diverse needs of users throughout their interaction with the product. This approach not only improves customer satisfaction but also builds brand loyalty by delivering a cohesive, frustration-free experience.

Experiential Journey Design is a derivative of research derived from my books on Customer Experience Design that include What Customers Crave and What Customers Hate from Harper Collins Publishing.

Brands that embrace Experiential Journey Design can elevate their packaging strategies to meet evolving consumer expectations and thrive in an increasingly competitive market.

Remember to look at your product from the perspective of Dynamic and Layered value.

Dynamic value refers to the opportunity to make the product and packaging design dynamic in terms of continuous, functional, and experiential value.

The term layered refers to the ability to design packaging that goes far beyond just delivering a protective resource for the subject product.

Experiential Journey Design offers a powerful opportunity for innovation, ensuring that packaging is not just functional but truly user-centric.