How to Make Products That Stick (With PepsiCo's Chief Design Officer)

What It Covers

Mauro Porcini, PepsiCo's Chief Design Officer with 47 patents, explains his human-centric design framework combining empathy, strategy, and prototyping to create products that generate emotional connections and drive business growth through meaningful innovation.

Key Questions Answered

• •Validation through commitment: After presenting ideas, ask stakeholders for concrete commitments like budget, resources, or public endorsement. Only 10% of people embrace new ideas initially—this technique identifies true supporters versus polite rejectors who won't act.
• •Three-layer benefit framework: Successful products deliver functional benefits solving specific problems, emotional benefits creating personal attraction, and semiotic benefits compelling users to share with others. All three layers must align with target audience needs, not executive preferences.
• •Prototyping drives alignment: Create visual prototypes early to ensure teams discuss the same concept, unlock collaborative improvement through feedback, and generate excitement through shiny objects. Prototypes don't need perfection—they need to visualize hypotheses and enable conversation.
• •Mistake prevention system: Assume you will make errors and cannot recognize them in real-time. Surround yourself with diverse perspectives across disciplines, cultures, and backgrounds. Ask questions with genuine curiosity—one unexpected sentence can prevent major failures.