Human Factors Studies for
Pharmaceutical Packaging

Powered by Interactive Virtual Pharmaceutical Pack Testing

Accelerate Formative Evaluation

Buzz 3D's production-proven technology has supported more than 100 pharmaceutical packaging studies, generating data accepted by the FDA as part of regulatory submissions since 2021. Now available outside the USA.

Buzz 3D transforms production-ready pharmaceutical packaging artwork into realistic interactive virtual packs for moderator-led Human Factors, Patient Usability, Label Comprehension and Packaging Evaluation studies, eliminating dependency on early-stage physical mock-ups and reducing the overhead of in-person interviews.

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How Buzz 3D Accelerates Formative Human Factors Evaluation

This video illustrates the Buzz 3D workflow in preparing interactive packaging for your interviewers to use.

Production-Proven Human Factors Virtual Solution Since 2021

Buzz 3D was first adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic when remote interviews for medical packaging trials became essential.

Post-Covid, Buzz 3D continued to be used on an ongoing basis due to the numerous benefits of the virtual workflow in avoiding physical prototypes during formative evaluation for widespread patient testing.

Today, the platform has been used in more than 100 studies, with insights derived from these qualitative interviews accepted by the FDA as part of regulatory submissions.

Contact one of our specialists to see how we can help.

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What to expect

Here’s how a typical Human Factors study using Buzz 3D works …

You:

  • Provide production-ready PDF / Adobe Illustrator (.AI) artwork and study questionnaire

We:

  • Assemble an accurate digital twin of the carton

  • Activate interactive pack features (lift-up flaps, pullouts, etc)

  • Deploy a secure moderator-controlled 3D viewing environment

Your Moderator:

  • Interviews respondents via Zoom/Microsoft Teams

  • Shares screens to show interactive packs

Respondents:

  • Speaks with and sees your interviewer throughout the session

  • Zooms, pans & inspects, every side of the pack

  • Opens interactive panels to see extended information

  • Reviews Patient Information Leaflets (PIL) or Instructions For Use (IFUs), where applicable

  • Compares multiple packs where relevant

  • Displays questionnaire panel as onscreen reminder

To maintain data protection

  • Isolates all participant responses within your existing secure research workflow

  • Eliminates software installation by respondents

FAQs

  • Virtual pharmaceutical packaging testing allows respondents to inspect and interact with realistic digital versions of medicine packs during moderated research studies.

    Instead of relying on physical mock-ups, participants can zoom, rotate, open pack panels and review supporting information within a secure online environment, helping teams evaluate packaging before regulatory submission.

  • Because production-ready artwork can be converted into interactive digital packs without manufacturing physical prototypes, studies can begin much sooner.

    Design updates are also quicker, allowing packaging teams to evaluate concepts earlier and reduce delays caused by producing and shipping physical mock-ups.

  • Virtual interactive packs are particularly valuable during formative evaluation, concept refinement, artwork revisions and situations where physical prototypes are not yet available or would be costly to field.

    Physical prototypes remain appropriate for many later-stage Human Factors validation studies.

    Buzz helps teams evaluate more concepts before reaching that stage.

  • Yes. Buzz 3D supports formative Human Factors activities by enabling rapid interactive evaluation and refinement of packaging concepts before physical prototyping.

    It complements established summative validation workflows rather than replacing them.

  • Yes. Interactive packs allow respondents to examine labels, patient information leaflets (PILs), Instructions for Use (IFUs) and packaging features in a way that more closely reflects how packaging is explored during interviews with traditional physical mock-ups than static images or PDFs.

  • Yes. Buzz 3D's virtual packaging platform has supported more than 100 pharmaceutical packaging studies, with resulting research contributing to FDA regulatory submissions since 2021.

  • Once production-ready artwork and study requirements are available, interactive pharmaceutical packs can typically be prepared far more quickly than producing multiple rounds of physical mock-ups, helping research begin sooner.

  • Yes. Because studies are built from digital production artwork, packaging changes can usually be incorporated without rebuilding physical prototypes, making it easier to evaluate revised concepts during development.

  • No. Respondents access the interactive packs through a web browser.

    They simply join the moderated interview and interact with the packaging without installing specialist software.

  • Buzz 3D’s team quickly transforms your production-ready pharmaceutical artwork into highly realistic interactive digital packs that respondents can inspect, open where appropriate and explore during moderated interviews.

  • Most studies begin with production-ready PDF or Adobe Illustrator artwork together with the study questionnaire. Buzz 3D converts these assets into an interactive digital pack ready for moderated research.

  • Yes. Where appropriate, respondents can compare alternative pack designs within the same moderated session, allowing researchers to gather feedback on different concepts before selecting those for further development.

  • Virtual packaging studies can reduce the need for repeated physical mock-ups, shipping, travel, venue booking and associated logistics.

    With fewer physical prototypes required, packaging designs and artwork can be iterated more quickly throughout the study lifecycle, allowing issues to be identified and addressed earlier.

  • No. Buzz is designed to sit upstream of existing Human Factors workflows by supporting formative evaluation before physical prototyping and formal validation.

    It complements established moderator-led research rather than replacing it.

  • Interactive packs allow respondents to examine pharmaceutical packaging in a more natural way than static images or PDFs, viewing each face of the pack, zooming into details and inspecting artwork and supporting information as required during a moderated interview.

    This approach is particularly valuable during formative evaluation, where concepts evolve quickly and packaging may change throughout development before physical prototyping and formal validation begin.

  • Yes. Buzz 3D is designed to complement, not replace, physical Human Factors research.

    Interactive packaging can be used during formative evaluation to refine concepts before physical prototyping, helping organisations focus later-stage physical studies on the strongest designs.