Rescue Medication Packaging Study: People Want Both Form and Function
Disclaimer: This case study uses fictitious data and mock-ups based on a real case study.
What’s the problem?
A pharmaceutical medication manufacturer was performing formative research on three varying package designs to be used with a rescue medication for seizure disorder as part of the FDA regulatory process. The goal was to determine which designs were preferred by epilepsy/seizure disorder patients’/caregivers’ and met their needs as far as functionality, ease of use, and durability in the unboxing of three packages in an emergency setting.
Research shows that users and their caregivers alike need a package that felt sturdy in transit while being easy to open in case of emergency, yet something appealing enough to carry with them at all times.
Objectives
Understand intended patient and caregivers' perceptions on functionality, ease of use, and durability of three samples of device packaging
Understand users’ intentions of when, where, and how they might interact with the packaging
Identify what the ideal user unboxing experience would be in a real-life seizure event
Approach
Remote, individual moderated usability sessions lasting 90 minutes each
Prototypes of three external packages, two carrying cases, and two information cards were mailed to the participants prior to their scheduled session
N=10 (7 patients and 3 caregivers)
Usability Testing Activities
To the left showcases session flow for participants
Counterbalance was used to eliminate bias
Each session employed simulated use scenarios for two medication carrying cases and three external packaging options
Our Users
During usability testing, patients and caregivers discussed real-life scenarios that provided insight into how epilepsy and other seizure disorders have impacted their everyday life, demonstrating the importance of this research.
Participants view carrying a rescue medication outside of the home as crucial, but it’s often a hassle
Patients and caregivers have rescue medication available in their purse or bag where they are easily able to access it and often have their medication on the backs of their minds
Users have had previous experiences when a rescue medication is needed out in public and want to feel confident they can quickly treat their oncoming seizure in any environment
Even at home, our participants keep their medication with them at all times
Many users keep their rescue medications with them or nearby in heavily-used areas, such as on their nightstand or in a medicine cabinet; this is often in addition to the rescue medication they keep at work or in a bag meant for travel
Participants may also keep a package with rescue medication at their workplace, where they want discretion
Caregivers need to know someone can help if they are not around
Many caregivers carry a rescue medication in addition to the medication carried by their loved one and feel a nagging worry when they are apart from their loved one
Caregivers and patients agree it is important that a medication can be administered by a stranger in case of emergency in public
Participants weigh visual/tactile appeal higher than ease of use
Package X made users feel confident they could open it in case of emergency…
Four participants noted they felt confident Package X could be opened during emergency just by examining the package, indicating an intuitive design
All ten participants gave Package X a score of 4 or higher when asked how confident they are they can open it on a 1-5 scale
…but they hated its’ clunky size and feel.
Half of all participants thought Package X was too large, citing concerns about portability; many noted this option was too unappealing to want to carry
Many participants thought Package X would not be durable and could become damaged in transit, leading to their medication becoming damaged as well
This option scored low on on attractiveness ratings, despite being so easy to use
“The dimensions - width, length - of [Package X] is larger than my daily bag. This is not a durable paper board material. It’s not going to sustain the first crush.”
Meanwhile, Package Y impressed users with its’ ease of opening and were excited about the modern-looking tabbed opening…
Participants were delighted with how easy it was to open Package Y; they could also remove the actual medical device with noted ease
Participants also noted that opening Package Y looked “obvious” even without any prior training
…but we discovered most users have co-morbidities, rendering the tabbed design ineffective for re-sealing in actual practice.
Half of all participants reported co-morbidities that made the tabbed design on Package Y difficult or impossible to re-seal and wanted to see a larger tab or sealing mechanism
Three participants inadvertantly ripped the tab during simulated use
Despite difficulties with the tab, this design still scored higher than Package X
“It’s small and I had to get the tab in [the slot]. My hands are a little swollen from lupus and it makes it difficult to maneuver small things like this.”
Finally, Package Z impressed participants with it’s slim size and plastique material…
All respondents said they like the look and feel of Package Z more than both Package X and Package Y; they also felt the modern material of the box would keep their medication device safe from damage
Three respondents noted this package would feel comfortable to hold in their hands
…they liked these qualities so much that they still rated this packaging the highest overall, despite being unable to open it!
Eight participants were unable to fully open the packaging due to a tear strip and had to forcibly remove the medication device; one participant was unable to retrieve the medication device from the packaging altogether
The tear strip design made it impossible to re-seal for transit or future use for all participants
“If I was in the middle of a seizure and nobody was here, it would be hard to open because you’re jerking all over the place … [pulling the tab] would be hard to do when you’re having a seizure.”
Don’t Ignore Style When Designing Products for Patients
It’s no secret that our participants require packaging that is easy to open, but we had a surprising discovery when we learned participants were willing to rate a difficult-to-open box higher than others simply because of it’s aesthetic appeal. We can’t ignore the impact of style on a products overall usability; if a package is too unappealing for patients to want to carry with them, it won’t do them any good.
Update the material used for packaging
A simple change in the material used for packaging can not only feel more secure to carry, it can also feel like a premium product that users enjoy the look of. Packaging should be more comfortable to hold, especially for those with tactile sensitivities.
Slim down packaging
Participants don’t want to feel bogged down by their medication. Make packaging itself smaller in size while reducing amount of superfluous materials (extra baggies, extra paperwork) provided within the packaging.
Design with accessibility in mind
Ensure packaging is easy to open for those with tactile or sensory difficulties. This could include making sure packaging does not require fine motor skills to re-seal by using a Velcro closure, rounding out corners on boxes to avoid accidental pokes during handling, and eliminating plastic tear strips that require strength.