Summary:
The best innovations start with—and solve—a well-defined problem.
Lessons can be learned from the humble shampoo bottle which, thanks to Paul Brown’s invention in 1991, could be designed “upside down” to dispense at the bottom, thereby eliminating the need to frantically shake-weight the darn thing into submission.
What could software design learn from consumer products? For the many software engineers and designers soaked in usage data, nothing beats a refreshing real-world insight.
The insight
Paul Brown, an inventor and owner of a Liquid Molding Systems, Inc., revolutionized packaging design with his creation of a specialized valve that enabled bottles to be stored upside down without leaking. He would later sell his company for $13 million. His patented “dispensing valve” innovation significantly enhanced user experience by allowing products—starting with shampoo—to be dispensed more easily and efficiently.
It’s nice to have gravity on your side.
Inventors, and entrepreneurs, often start with a pointed question: “What sucks for a lot of people?”
In the case of Paul Brown, he observed countless consumers fighting gravity and friction to get stuff out of bottles. This was his well-defined problem he set out to solve.
The process
It took Paul Brown and his colleague/employee Tim Socier, 111 prototypes—at great personal cost—to finally get the 112th to work.
Iterate, test, assess, repeat.
Paul & Tim worked primarily with liquid silicone and a molding press. Paul was averse to computers, but Tim was skilled with computer-assisted design (CAD). The combination of their skills complemented each other.
“I would pretend I was silicone and, if I was injected into a mold, what I would do,” recalled Brown.
Nature of the design
Brown's design featured a silicone dome-shaped valve with right-angled slits. When the bottle was squeezed, the slits would open, allowing the contents to flow out. Upon release, the slits would close, preventing leaks. This mechanism ensured that the product was always ready for dispensing, leveraging gravity to keep the contents near the opening.
Get ready for takeoff
Brown's valve was applied to shampoo bottles, addressing the common issue of product residue being difficult to extract as the bottle emptied. This design was quickly adopted by various shampoo manufacturers seeking to improve consumer convenience.
Beyond personal care products, the valve found applications in other industries:
Baby Products: Gerber utilized the valve in their sippy cups to prevent leaks, enhancing the practicality of their products for parents and children.
Space Exploration: NASA incorporated the valve to create leak-proof containers suitable for use in microgravity environments, ensuring astronauts could manage liquids safely in space.
You read that correctly: a shampoo bottle invention helped NASA.
Condi-minting money
In 2002, Heinz introduced their upside-down ketchup bottle, incorporating Brown's valve to address the challenge consumers faced in dispensing ketchup from traditional glass bottles. No longer would hungry humans be forced to clang their knives awkwardly inside ketchup jars like primates (unless, of course they knew the secret: Hit it on the 57.)
The raging success of Heinz's upside-down bottle prompted other condiment manufacturers to adopt similar designs, recognizing the value in enhancing product accessibility and reducing waste.
Timeline recap
1991: Paul Brown developed the silicone valve, initially applied to shampoo bottles.
1992-1994: The valve was adopted by many industries, including baby products and space exploration.
1995: Brown sells Liquid Molding Systems, Inc. for $13 million.
2002: Heinz launched their upside-down ketchup bottle, popularizing the design in the condiment industry. The slogan? “Ready when you are.”
Mayo soon followed. Ketchup and mayo are the top 2 condiments in the US. Globally, you’d need to add soy sauce which would not benefit from an upside down leak-proof silicon valve due to its much lower viscosity, but we digress).
What about software?
Paul Brown’s legacy highlights the impact of user-centered design across diverse product categories. Could software engineers and designers also benefit? If so, perhaps the playbook might look something like this:
Less time analyzing product usage dashboards, and more time shadowing customers.
Provocative question: have your engineers ever visited a customer onsite to observe them using your software in their day-to-day workflow?
Less time on “enhancements,” and more time defining and quantifying problems.
Provocative question: do you have a way to quantify the pain and frustration caused by the problem? How does your GTM team systematically capture customer feedback, then partner with Product/Engineering to define the root cause?
The last campfire
Paul Brown passed away on November 14, 2024. He proudly served his country in the Air Force, a commitment that defined much of his character—selfless, dedicated, and courageous. Paul was known to love a good campfire and his tiki bar. May he rest in peace with our gratitude for making everyone’s life a little easier.