Testing and consultation services
Build more accessible packaging and products with practical testing and expert advice from Arthritis Australia’s Accessible Design Division.
We help packaging professionals understand how easy a product is to open, use and understand.
Choose the right service
Our services are designed to answer different questions during the packaging development process.
- Initial Scientific Review (ISR) – Best when you want a clear accessibility snapshot of one pack and practical suggestions for improvement.
- Comparative Scientific Review (CSR) – Best when you want to compare two packaging options, such as an old and new design or your product against a competitor.
- Prototype or partial review – Best when you want feedback during development before finalising your design.
- Ease of Use (EOU) / Easy to Open (ETO) testing – Best when you need detailed consumer-based testing and want to work toward Certification.
- Ease of Use (EOU) / Easy to Open (ETO) Certification – Best when your product or packaging has passed testing and you want recognised Certification marks that help consumers identify accessible design.
Ways to give
Accessibility Rating
Highlights key accessibility features, issues and suggests design modifications 1. Take control by knowing your disease
A CSR compares the accessibility of two products or packaging formats. This makes it useful when your team needs evidence to support a design change or compare performance against another option.
Ideal for:
- Benchmarking against competitors
- Evaluating different packaging options
- Highlighting improvements in new designs
Make data-driven decisions and choose the most accessible packaging for your customers.
Compare two products using Accessibility Rating
A CSR compares the accessibility of two products or packaging formats. This makes it useful when your team needs evidence to support a design change or compare performance against another option.
Ideal for:
- Benchmarking against competitors
- Evaluating different packaging options
- Highlighting improvements in new designs
Make data-driven decisions and choose the most accessible packaging for your customers.
Prototype elements assessed
Prototype and partial reviews support decision-making during development. They help teams test specific design choices before moving further into production.
This is a good option when you want to reduce risk, refine features early and avoid costly redesign later.
Testing with arthritis consumers
Detailed reporting
Certification pathway
Ease of Use and Easy to Open testing is a detailed process that combines scientific and consumer testing. It is designed for companies that want deeper insight into real-world usability and may want to pursue Certification.
This testing provides a comprehensive view of how arthritis users interact with the product or packaging, where barriers exist and what changes may improve accessibility.
Use of official logos on packaging and marketing material to highlight accessibility
Arthritis Australia offers two Certification pathways: Ease of Use Certification for products and Easy to Open Certification for packaging.
Certification helps consumers quickly identify products and packaging that are easier to use, including for people living with arthritis and the ageing population. It also allows organisations to demonstrate their commitment to accessible design through a trusted program.
Accessible Insight Sessions
Insights with arthritis users
Accessible Insight Sessions are a newer service that brings together lived experience and top-line user feedback. These sessions are designed to give teams practical insight into packaging experiences across a small set of options, such as current packs, competitor products or prototypes.
They are well suited to early design exploration, concept testing and identifying issues before formal testing begins.
How to choose
A simple way to choose
If you need to...
- Understand how accessible one pack design is
- Compare two design options
- Check a design before final production
- Get detailed consumer feedback
- Work toward a recognised Certification mark
- Get fast lived-experience feedback on concepts
Best service
- ISR
- CSR
- Prototype or partial review
- EOU / ETO testing
- EOU / ETO testing plus Certification
- Accessible Insight Sessions
Not sure where to start?
If you are not sure which service fits your project, our team can help you choose the most suitable option based on your product type, design stage and goals. Contact the Accessible Design Division on 02 9518 4441 or email design@arthritisaustralia.org.au.