Findability tasks are an essential tool within our testing toolkit. When shoppers struggle to locate a product, even when asked to find it specifically, it’s a sign the packaging design needs structural changes.
When shoppers browse a category, online or in-store, their behaviour comes down to two things: Can they find the product? And can they quickly see which option is right for them?
Findability tasks are one of the simplest and most effective ways to answer those questions and to assess whether a design isn’t properly communicating.
What a Findability Task Is
A findability task asks shoppers to locate a specific product on a randomized digital shelf.
With eye tracking, I measure:
- How long it takes to notice the pack
- How long it takes to identify the correct SKU
- What percentage of shoppers correctly identify the correct SKU
This shows how well a design stands out and how efficiently it communicates, behaviourally, not just based on self-reported answers.
Why Brands Need This
- To Test Claims Against Competitors
If you’re making a strong claim: high protein, zero sugar, clean ingredients, sustainable packaging, it only matters if shoppers see it quickly.
Findability tasks reveal whether your claims compete effectively in a crowded category, or if they get lost among competitors’ messaging.
- To Evaluate Flavour or Benefit Recognition
Within a brand’s own lineup, the challenge is different:
Can shoppers instantly tell which flavour, function, or benefit they’re looking at?
Findability tasks highlight whether your variant cues (colours, icons, hierarchy) help or hinder quick identification.
How I Run These Tests
- Shoppers view a randomized digital shelf or product set
- They’re asked to find a specific item
- Webcam eye-tracking measures visibility, time, search patterns, and errors
- Results show how your design performs vs. competitors or across your own lineup
The output is a clean, behavioural read on what’s noticed, what’s missed, and what needs refinement.
What Brands Learn
- Is our pack easy to find?
- Are our claims actually being seen?
- Do shoppers confuse our flavours or benefits?
- How do we stack up against competitors?
- What design elements need priority in the next iteration?
Why It Works
Shoppers make decisions in seconds.
Findability tasks cut through assumptions and give brands direct evidence of what’s truly visible, clear, and competitive.
If you’d like a visual diagram or a shorter version for your landing page, I can create that too.
Sources
Atalay, A.S., Bodur, H.O., & Rasolofoarison, D. (2012). Externally Driven Attention and Shelf Layout.