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Socratic ColorModelerSM
Description: The ColorModeler tool gives a standard interface for applying color and other design elements to a "white form." This creates a virtual test market for various colors, color combinations, graphic treatments, etc.
Characteristics: The ColorModeler is a standard "shadowbox" tool that displays a generic product in the main window accompanied by a range of color and design pallet elements that are then "applied" to the white form. In this way, color, graphic treatments, and even form factors can be explored and re-tried until a "perfect design" is reached. All elements tried and the order in which they were selected is tracked. Demographics and other classification data can be used to identify "design segments" within the broader market.
Output: ColorModeler provides frequency data on the range of exploration by class of respondent (most frequently tried color/designs) and the degree to which certain design combinations were most preferred (proportion of sub-groups that chose specific combinations as their final, most preferred design.) Purchase likelihood ratings or other dependent variables can be used to judge whether the range of stimuli tested is within the acceptable range of design characteristics for a particular class of products or packages.
One of the tests that respondents find particularly engaging is the process of applying color and design elements to base products. The ColorModeler provides a standard interface for displaying changes to color, texture, color-combinations, etc. which allows the respondent to create an "ideal finished design" for their specific preferences.
Using this technology can help manufacturers plan for specific color or design element component production and assess whether one demographic group is more or less likely to desire certain color combinations over others. This technique can also be used for demonstration purposes to give respondents the opportunity to study product design and chose one that is most to their liking, prior to answering other questions about purchase intent, preferences, etc.
Note: Because of variations of color transmission in differing monitors and differences in display settings being used by respondents, this technique is best used for "high level" explorations of color application. For example, we have had outstanding success with projecting the desirability of "red versus green," however slight variations of tone and hue (i.e. "midnight blue" versus "dark blue") are not reliably measurable without precise, pre-calibration of video output equipment.
