In Paris for a conference recently so alongside the more formal research I presented (related to social interaction design, and robotic displays but that’s a different post) I carried out some highly subjective research into Parisian patisseries. Five participants were recruited to carry out taste tests on a limited range of French patisserie products. I chose the chocolate éclair, croissant, and millefeuille as being not only the most likely items to be sold everywhere enabling like-with-like comparison, but also as examples of the classic French patisserie art involving quite distinct skills and processes. This is reflected in the legendary Meuilleur Ouvrier Français (MOF) organisation who set global standards for patisserie. Establishments chosen on the basis of six different reviews and guides to Paris. I was interested in how to measure responses and what vocabulary to use and have borrowed from wine tasting (recently denigrated as completely lacking in scientific basis) to think about categories and scales. The Likert scales used are also well understood in the context of sensory and hedonic impressions across categories. There is an interesting tension to exploit between the relatively unstructured and real-world qualitative nature of the research (many of the pastries were consumed on the street for example), the and the method of representation. I’ve tried to organise findings visually, taking account of packaging materials (there’s plenty of evidence for how visual impressions influence taste) and to get across a light hearted, tongue-in-cheek micro research project. All Patisseries featured are highly recommended by the way. Download Patisserie poster.
fevered imaginings 
Reblogged this on The Single Girl Project LA/SF and commented:
Yum!