Innovating product appearance within brand identity

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to study the appearance of drills from one brand by using currently available design tools. It aims to find and discuss the relationship between appearance innovation and maintaining key design features.

Design/methodology/approach

The innovation process is studied on drills of a Czech power tool maker and a previously created concept of a new drill. First, the authors explore the similarities between the designed concept and previous models of the brand by calculating the degree of similarity of given shape features. Second, they capture the drills simple shape grammar and strive to generate a sketch of the concept.

Findings

Results show the use of several similar shape features from previous models in the innovated design. Shape grammar can create a principally similar concept, but some innovations cannot be achieved this way. A description of appearance innovation within brand identity in terms of shape grammar is given.

Research limitations/implications

The research is limited mainly to a small group of previous products that can be analyzed. It is done only for one particular brand identity. When used with the shape grammars, design generation is limited.

Practical implications

Better understanding of the innovative process aids designers in working with designs for brand identity and may serve to shape grammar enhancement.

Originality/value

The paper describes what happens during the innovation of product appearance and implicates enhancement and meaning of design analysis done by shape grammars and exploring similarities.

Citation

Ondra, M., Škaroupka, D. and Rajlich, J. (2017), "Innovating product appearance within brand identity", International Journal of Innovation Science, Vol. 9 No. 2, pp. 153-169. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJIS-12-2016-0055