'How to create Culturally Sensitive Design' Booklet Rules

I have now started to come up with the rules that will be used in the 'How to create Culturally Sensitive Design' booklet that will be part of my practical work. This booklet will show these rules applied to the MDH Spices re-brand packaging and how the rules have worked successfully, the booklet will be laid out almost like a brand guidelines book with the layout of text alongside images.

The rules need to be simple and easy to understand, as the re-brand will visually communicate how these rules have been applied and considered in more detail within the designs.

(The 'Design Project' section communicates how the rules were applied to the MDP Spices brief)

Rules: (so far, NOT finished):

This publication aims to inform the designer on how to avoid cultural misappropriation within the work that they design and instead design work that is culturally sensitive through highlighting 6 of the most significant steps to consider during the design process, particularly during the research stages. These rules are applied to a design project which is shown alongside them throughout this publication.

Step 1: Understanding
Understand the brief and the target audience and their needs

Design Project: ----

Re-brand MDH Spices to look more culturally appropriate and less stereotypical to that culture. The 3 masalas that the re-brand focus on are Chana Masala, Butter Chicken Masala and Garam Masala. Target audience is people of Eastern backgrounds that regularly cook these dishes, as well as people that have an interest in learning to cook new Indian/Pakistani dishes, the masalas mean that they don’t have to cook these dishes from scratch.

Step 2: Competition and things to avoid
Research into previous graphic design and projects of similar nature- analyse the unsuccessful and successfulness of these designs. If re-branding, analyse the previous designs; what is unsuccessful and successful, does it communicate what it needs to communicate to the target audience, are their needs being met?

Design project: ----

Step 3: Gather research
Gather broad research into the culture, the research is gathered at the early stages of the design process should start off broad and open minded.

Consider traditions, belief, religion, cultural interests, habits, rituals, any of these factors that are appropriate depending on the brief. Find interesting nuggets of information, aim to dig deep. This should also include primary research gathered from people of this culture, questionnaires/surveys and/or interviews with other designers that will be useful towards the research.

Design Project: ----

Step 4: Narrow the research
Towards the development stages of the design, aim to narrow down the research to what is most relevant, interesting and meaningful towards the targeted audience. In terms of what communicates the culture most appropriately and the details that communicates the aims of the brief successfully.

Design project: ----

Step 5: Analysis
Contrast and compare with competition and analyse whether your designs now meet the targeted culture’s needs more appropriately and successfully. If re-branding, compare and contrast with the previous designs, is the design now more culturally sensitive?

Design Project: ----

Step 6: Feedback
Gather feedback on whether the designs/re-brand are as culturally sensitive as possible. Gather this research through questioning people of that culture and target audience as well as people creatives within the design industry.

Design Project: ----

Step 7: Finalisation

Design Project: (insert images here of the final packaging designs)