EXPRESS: The Design Communication Assessment Scale (DCAS): Assessing and Adjusting the Effectiveness of Design Communications

Abstract

This research integrates marketing literature, design theory, interviews with world-renowned designers, and well-established scale development procedures to develop a reliable and valid instrument that measures the effectiveness of design communication (i.e., the information about product designs conveyed through the product, packaging, or advertisements) via consumer evaluations. The theoretical underpinnings and face validity engaged in the development of the Design Communication Assessment Scale (DCAS) progresses the field’s understanding as to what constitutes the seven evaluative dimensions of design (form, function, solidity, usefulness, style, eco-consciousness, and uniqueness). Practically, DCAS’s versatility provides managers with the ability to gauge consumer evaluations of design communications, while enabling better communications with designers. In addition to scale development efforts and the provision of a shortened form, support for DCAS’ generalizability is provided across laboratory and field studies in which ecological validity is established. Together, these studies demonstrate that using DCAS leads to improved performance across a wide array of metrics, including click-through rates, e-mail signups, and retail sales for a diverse set of products.