In order to build the Tesla successfully Elon Musk had to overcome a problem, he overcame a few but we want to focus on one for now: the size of battery he would need in the car would be so large that it would heat up until it set itself on fire.
To figure out the answer to this problem he took a physics based approach and pulled back the issue to first principles, leading him to design a large battery made up of many small bullet-like components, each with their own heat-dissipating surface area. Problem solved, and we got the Tesla.
Musk used the same type of thinking for problems with Space-X when he did a cost model of a spacecraft launch, figured out that the reason they were so costly was that they waste a huge part of their materials during the launch, and reduced the costs of a space launch by 90%. And the world got SpaceX.
At Packaging for the Future, we solve problems in the same way. Zero based design is first principles thinking applied to problems of design and for us that’s packaging design.
First-principles thinking is a competitive advantage because almost no one does it.
Paul Shaw
Like Tesla and SpaceX, Packaging for the Future took problems to their first principles and worked from there.
For one of the world’s top 3 brand owning companies, a cost equation was produced.
This robust equation was used to look at the plastic containers that they sell their liquid products in, and it was quickly able to show which form of containers would use the least amount of plastic.
The results from the calculation alone were not all practical.
But by using the equation with the day to day work of the design team, their pack shapes became a perfect blend of optimal aesthetics, practicality, cost optimization and environmental friendliness.
These beautiful designs led to reduction of upto 50% in the weight of plastics used, saving them over 100 million Euros per year, and helping reduce the environmental impact significantly.
Aiming for sustainability is not only good for the planet, it’s great for your bottom line.
If you’d like to know how we can help you achieve results like this, you can book for a call
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