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5 best practices for artwork coordinators to ensure packaging consistency

Image generated with MidJourney

Having a consistent brand experience is one important element for your product success in the market. Achieving this is not always easy, specially when companies have a multitude of products in different categories, or products that are targeted at different customer groups, when they use many different designers/agencies, and specially, when deadlines are tight. As an artwork coordinator, you have to bridge those gaps and make sure that your brand stands out, and is recognizable throughout all your different product lines, without incoherences and mistakes.

These 5 best practices can help you get there!

1. Define brand guidelines

We have talked about brand guidelines before. A complete brand book will contain the rules and directions on how to use design elements like typography, colors, imagery and logos, as well as define the brand tone of voice and messaging, so that the brand values and image are easily recognizable by the product users. Artwork coordinators need to have a deep knowledge of the guidelines, how to implement them, and when exceptions can be made. It is your job to make sure that the brand guidelines are complete, and cover all possible packaging scenarios, so that when new products are introduced, their packaging design is easily replicated with its specific differences and nuances.

2. Use consistent templates

Once you have your brand guidelines in place, you should make sure to develop templates that make your work easier when creating new artworks; that way, you can be sure that all your product line will have a similar look and feel. The templates can have locked out elements like the placement of logos, product name, or key visual elements, so that you can be sure that those align perfectly.

Not sure how you feel about it, but I hate when I purchase a bag of chick-pea crisps and a bag of lentil crisps from the same company, and the packaging is “slightly off”, with small detail things like: a logo is bigger in one bag than in the other, or moved to the side, or the key selling point of the product appears on a particular font or color, and these do not match. Clients notice these small things, and they are annoyed by them. At least, clients like me :D!

3. Work closely with designers

If you are not acting as a designer as well (which let’s be honest, happens quite often to artwork coordinators), you will certainly be working with them very closely, to create the packaging artworks.

It is of absolute importance that the guidelines are understood by the design team, so you should make it a priority to teach them about the guidelines, not just show them where the brandbook document is stored (*yes, I know you have done this before, it is ok, that is why I am here to let you know that you need to stop doing that and provide proper training on your brand guidelines).

Additionally, you also should make sure that they have all in their possession all key brand elements: logos in the right size and formats, fonts that they will need to use, color codes for RGB/CMYK, image bank/library access, design tool licenses… so that the quality of what they produce can be up to standards.

4. Conduct regular reviews

Once the packaging design is completed and in use, it is not crazy to plan periodical reviews. One clear scenario for this is when you are working with different designers/studios, or when you recently changed providers, so that you can compare their adherence to the guidelines and verify that brand consistency remains intact. It is also possible that over time, your guidelines evolve as your brand does, and this is also a moment when reviewing your packaging design would be needed, so that any changes implemented in the guidelines can also be put in place in your packaging moving forward.

These changes can also be driven by new regulations that require new icons/information on your packaging, and without a proper review, some of your artworks could be deviating from the way you want them to be created, just due to lack of communication about the changes, country-specific regulations, or others. It is your job as an artwork coordinator to have this under control, and ensure that the packaging effectively communicates the product’s value proposition at any given time.

5. Ensure consistent production

In the end, what the client will see is what they can get their hands on, so the final product on the shelves. For multiple reasons, the production of different products of your portfolio may not take place in the same printer, or production facility , which means that the printing or quality standards may vary. Because products end up sitting next to each other on the shelves, it is possible that two variations of a product / different line of a product, end up showing small (hopefully) differences in the final sold product.
Consistency of the final product with the approved artwork is key to a positive brand image. This is why it is often important to be able to compare the final product (e.g from a photo of a box, wrapping, bottle, can…) with the final approved artwork. This is something that you can for instance do with Twona X-RAY, a complete Artwork and Graphic Design Comparison Platform that helps you effortlessly review your text, graphics, and final packaging.

Compare your final product with your artwork files

Packaging consistency is therefore a matter of aligning multiple stakeholders and making sure they all adhere to the brand standard, templates and guidelines defined by your company. It involves activities such as information sharing, training, and reviews (multiple rounds) that often fall on the task list of an artwork coordinator, while juggling other many tasks and deadlines. The job of the artwork coordinator is a complex one, as we explained before!

Following these 5 best practices, we are sure that you will achieve more consistency in your packaging design and new product launch. Do you have any other tips to share with fellow artwork coordinators?

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Alternative solutions for pharmaceutical packaging to serve an ageing population (*)

(*) and those of any age with impaired visibility

By 2030, 1 in 6 people in the world will be aged 60 years or over

World Health Organization
image generated with MidJourney

As the global population ages, the demand for medication will also increase. Already 10 years ago, some 87 % of people aged 75 years or more reported using prescribed medicines on a regular basis (Ageing Europe report, 2020 edition). This number is only expected to rise. As a marketer, I see this as a clear change in the target audience for pharmaceutical and life sciences companies, a change that needs to be accompanied with support on the product side for the unique requirements of older people.

This includes packaging of the products, of course, which require innovative solutions to meet the needs of a new target group while providing all crucial and mandatory information, and do so in multiple languages.

Font sizes

One of the areas where improvements may be needed is readability of the product information. While the standard clear print size for fonts to be readable is established at 12 points, this is by far not the norm in pharmaceutical leaflets, labels and others, where sizes of 7 to 9 points are more the average (this can be even smaller for food packaging, but that is a story for a different post!).

Of course, it is understandable that they are dealing with space limitations to provide a very large amount of information that is critical (and non-optional). However, due to this criticality, it is of importance that the user of the product would be able to read it properly.

Solutions like Attach-A-Leaflet®, which allows for a multi-page label to be used in a product, can help with increasing the font size while keeping packaging small.

Images/illustrations

Another aspect to help with readability, is making the leaflets easier to decipher. In general, medicine leaflets are difficult to understand for the average Joe/Jane. If the average Joe/Jane is also on the older spectrum, the difficulty increases. This is why, using images in leaflets can help translate some of the complex terms into relatable instructions to follow, making it more accesible to a wider audience.

Creating clear, easy to understand, and attractive-looking images/illustrations that support the application instructions of medicines can suppose a significant improvement for the end-user. On the packaging design sign, adding illustrations to leaflets represents an extra layer in the packaging design; however, these illustrations do not need to be changed frequently, they can be outsourced or purchased to a third party specialized in creating these sort of materials (hint: we can offer you these services, but of course, feel free to do extended research).

Images of instructions to use a nasal spray
Image by Twona

Personalized packaging

Personalization is a growing marketing trend in multiple industries, as a way to distinguish yourself from competitors. In Pharma, this personalization may come with an added value of tailoring the packaging to the individual patient needs, through the use of technology. Think of including personal medication dosages, intake instructions, or reminders to take medication.

When thinking of personalized packaging, these are some of the forms it can take:

Pre-packaged Medication

The main use of pre-packaged medication is to dispense medication into individual packages, which contain information such as the patient’s name, administration instructions and dosage in a personalized label. The main objective of these labels is to ensure patients are taking the correct (amount of) medication, so the risk of medication errors is reduced.

Electronic Medication Dispensers

In addition to pre-packaged medication, technology can also make sure that medicines are dispensed automatically to the patient at specific times, reminding patients to take medication, and providing alerts if a dose is missed. Electronic medication dispensers can be programmed to this purpose.

Smart Packaging solutions

Another idea to make packaging of medicines more accesible is to introduce the so-called Smart Packaging solutions. These innovative solution utilizes technology to provide drug users with individualized information about their medication. These can be interactive features such as audio or visual instructions such as dosage instructions and potential side effects, that are specific to the patient’s personal needs. For older people who may not be able to read small print or forget complex medication regimens, Smart packaging can give users the confidence that they are taking the correct medication at the right time, reducing the risk of medication errors.

What types of Smart packaging can be used?

  • Interactive Packaging: videos, animations… in the form of augmented reality (AR) and accessed through a smartphone or tablet that can educate patients about their medication.
  • Near Field Communication (NFC) Packaging: allows patients to receive information on their mobile device about dosage, potential side effects, and other important information.
  • QR Code Packaging: Patients can scan the QR code, and access information about the medication, including dosage instructions and potential side effects.

Extending braille beyond the box

“The name in Braille does not have to be printed on the immediate packaging – such as blisters, ampoules and bottles, it only has to appear on the outer/secondary packaging, which is normally a carton”.

Guidance concerning the Braille requirements for labelling and the package leaflet

While not mandatory, extending braille beyond the traditional use of embossing it on the boxes, would make these more accesible to an older generation with – quite frequently – an impaired sight, giving the more independence to manage their medical needs in a safely manner . Here are some examples:

  • Blisters and caps: braille added on blisters holding individual pills or medication caps would allow individuals to identify medicines by touch.
  • Labels and leaflets: adding braille to the medication labels and leaflets would allow visually impaired individuals to access information such as dosage, expiry dates, warnings, contraindications, side effects…
  • Vials: the use of braille in vials could be limited to information such as name, expiry date, dosage

These are some of the ideas that come to mind in order to make pharmaceutical packaging design more accesible to the needs of the ageing population (although already without thinking about a user of age, the blind and visually impaired would benefit from these improvements on a daily basis!). Ideally, everything would be implemented in the future but I would be happy to see small steps towards that goal, and legislation coming into place to make more of these “nice to haves” mandatory moving forward. What is your take on this?

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Striking the Right Balance: Key Aspects of Designing SOPs for Pharmaceutical Packaging

Midjourney

Designing packaging materials for pharmaceutical brands can be a meticulous and complex process. As a designer working for a studio that works exclusively with pharma, my work primarily involves implementing a strict set of rules on various packaging materials that will be commercialized across different markets. To keep everything in check, in my team we write SOPs tailored to each customer. In this article, I’ll discuss the key aspects we consider when writing those SOPs and comment on the balance between effectiveness and completeness.

Clarity and Simplicity

The first aspect to consider when writing a design SOP is clarity and simplicity. The document should be easy to understand and follow for all team members, regardless of their expertise or experience. If a Junior designer cannot follow the document, then it does not fulfils its purpose. This can be achieved by using clear language, avoiding jargon, and providing visual examples when necessary. An image might be worth a thousand words. An effective SOP should prioritize essential information and avoid excessive detail to ensure that it remains concise and focused. If complex details are needed, you can always reference a more complex or complete document such as complete brand design guideline.

Compliance with Brand Guidelines and Regulatory Requirements

Pharmaceutical packaging must adhere to both the company’s brand guidelines and the regulatory requirements of the target market. It also needs to comply with all technical specifications from the manufacturing entity. A design SOP should provide clear instructions on how to maintain consistency with the company’s visual identity and fulfill the necessary legal obligations. This includes guidelines on colors, fonts, logos, and layout, as well as any specific labeling requirements mandated by law. And these change per country! Templates are in this case VERY useful.

Adaptability for Different Formats and Materials

We deal with packaging in various formats and materials, such as boxes, bottles, and blister packs. An effective design SOP should account for these variations and provide guidance on how to adapt designs accordingly. If you ever faced implementing a tini tiny label, then you know what it’s like. This may involve including modular design elements that can be easily rearranged or resized to fit different formats. Again, templates are your friend.

Revision and Update Process

Finally, a design SOP should include a clear process for revising and updating the document. This is crucial to ensure that the SOP remains relevant and up-to-date with any changes in brand guidelines, regulatory requirements, or industry best practices. This is particularly critical if your studio is ISO compliant. It is as important to make the right changes as to track who made those changes and why.

Striking the Right Balance

An effective and useful design SOP should provide enough information and guidance to ensure that all team members can create consistent, compliant, and technically correct packaging materials. However, it’s essential to strike the right balance between providing necessary details and overwhelming the reader with excessive information. An over-complete SOP may lead to confusion, inconsistencies, and a slower design process. By focusing on the key aspects outlined above, you can create an SOP that is both comprehensive and efficient, ensuring that your pharmaceutical packaging designs meet the highest standards.

If you are unsure as to what is the right level of detail, use an Agile process. Write a draft, let your team use it, get feedback and refine the document iteratively.

Your Studio Partner

Do you feel stuck with your current design process? Reach out to our studio and let us give you a hand. We can help you implement artworks or improve your studio processes.

Your Studio Partner

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ChatGPT as Technical Sales

This is a followup of this post.

Me: lets reverse the roles. I will be the Artwork Manager and you will be me. I will start.

Artwork Manager: Hi, thank you for taking the time to meet with me today. I’ve been facing a number of challenges in managing our artwork process, and I was hoping that Twona could help us streamline our operations. Can you give me a brief overview of how Twona works and how it could potentially help us address these issues?

Me: What? I said let’s reverse the roles. I will be the Artwork Manager and you will be me.

ChatGPT: Apologies for the confusion. Please go ahead and start the conversation as the Artwork Manager, and I will respond as the Technical Sales consultant at Twona.

Me: hi, thanks for taking the time to speak with me. I work as an Artwork Manager and I would like to know more about Twona and how it can help my team.Technical Sales Consultant: Hi! It’s my pleasure to speak with you today. Twona is a Cloud SaaS Artwork Management System designed to help organizations streamline their artwork processes. Our solution can help you address a variety of challenges commonly faced in the artwork management field, such as managing workflows and versions, handling approvals and feedback, and tracking KPIs.

Twona’s key features include:

  1. Workflow and Version Management: This allows you to create and manage artwork projects, track progress, and maintain a clear version history.
  2. Approval Management: Streamline the approval process by involving all relevant stakeholders, both internal and external, with configurable parallel or serial approval processes.
  3. Online Proofing: Twona provides a platform for visualizing and comparing artwork versions, enabling easy identification of changes and reducing manual proofing efforts.

Additionally, Twona offers reporting capabilities through a powerful API that can be used to create custom dashboards for KPI tracking.

If you could provide more details on the challenges your team is currently facing, I’d be happy to explain how Twona can specifically address those issues and improve your artwork management process.

Me: Well, one of the key difficulties is that everyone sends me a lot of emails asking me to give them updates on the project, or sending information mid way while the artwork is being designed. So….its a lot of emails.

Technical Sales Consultant: I understand how managing emails can become overwhelming and inefficient. Twona can help you significantly reduce email clutter and improve communication within your team.

By centralizing all project-related information within the Twona platform, you’ll be able to manage and track project updates more efficiently. Team members and stakeholders can access project information, view the project status, and provide feedback or additional information directly within the platform.

With Twona’s task assignment and notification features, you can assign tasks to specific team members, set deadlines, and receive notifications when tasks are completed or when there are updates on the project. This eliminates the need for email-based communication and ensures that everyone has access to the latest information and updates.

Furthermore, Twona’s approval management feature helps to streamline the feedback process by allowing all relevant stakeholders to review, comment, and approve artwork within the platform. This eliminates the need for email-based feedback loops and ensures that all feedback is consolidated in one place.

Overall, Twona will help you to reduce email clutter and improve the efficiency of your artwork management process by centralizing communication and providing a single platform for project updates, feedback, and approvals.

Me (giving feedback on its performance): As Technical Sales, you need to be more proactive and ask more questions towards the end so the conversation can flow and there is a higher chance of closing a deal or getting one step closer to a deal. Please rewrite that last text and follow this general rule: talk less, be precise, ask more questions relevant to the client

Technical Sales Consultant: I can see how managing numerous emails can be overwhelming and inefficient. With Twona, we can help centralize project-related information and streamline communication.

Using Twona, your team can access project updates and provide feedback within the platform. This reduces the need for email-based communication and ensures everyone stays in the loop.

Could you provide more details on how your team currently manages approvals and feedback? This would help me better understand your process and explain how Twona’s features can specifically address your needs.

Me: We do everything via email. When the artwork is ready, I send it to the different people that need to review it. But because the process is a mess, I usually send it one person at a time. This takes a long time and I usually have to chase people because they have not done the review. Once I get all the reviews, I collate all the feedback and send it to the agency so they can create a new version.

Technical Sales Consultant: Thank you for sharing your current process. Twona can definitely help streamline the approval and feedback process, saving you time and reducing the need for chasing down reviews.

With Twona’s approval management feature, you can create approval loops involving all relevant stakeholders at once, rather than sending the artwork individually. The platform will send out notifications to reviewers and provide them with a centralized space to review, comment, and approve the artwork.

Twona will also send automatic reminders to those who haven’t completed their review, reducing the need for you to chase people manually. Once all feedback is collected, the platform consolidates it for you, making it easy to communicate with the agency for creating new versions.

Would you like to see a demonstration of how the approval management feature works in Twona? This can help you better visualize how it could fit into your existing processes and improve your workflow.

Me (giving feedback on its performance): Let’s assume the customer said yes and you demo the product. Proceed to the next question.

Technical Sales Consultant: I’m glad you found the demonstration helpful. Now that you have seen how Twona’s approval management feature works, I’d like to address any other challenges you might be facing in your artwork management process.

Are there any specific pain points or concerns, such as version control, reporting, or collaboration with external partners, that you’d like to discuss? Understanding your unique needs will help me better demonstrate how Twona can be tailored to your requirements and further streamline your operations.

Me: As I said in the beginning, I have to reply to a lot of emails for people asking me for an update. Then at the quarterly review, it is a bit embarrassing not being able to provide metrics on how many jobs or how long it took for them to get done. I also don’t know where to start improving my process, because everything is manual.

Technical Sales Consultant: I understand how important it is to have a clear view of your process and to be able to provide metrics during reviews. Twona can help you not only reduce the email clutter but also track and report key performance indicators (KPIs) for your artwork management process.

  1. Project status updates: Twona offers real-time project status tracking, so team members can easily check the progress of a project within the platform. This reduces the need for update requests via email and keeps everyone informed.
  2. Reporting and KPIs: Twona provides a powerful API that allows you to create customized dashboards for reporting and tracking KPIs. This way, you can have a clear overview of the number of jobs completed, average time taken for each job, and other performance metrics. Having this data at hand will make your quarterly reviews more insightful and help you identify areas for improvement.
  3. Process improvement: With a clear view of your process and performance data, you can identify bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and areas where your team can improve. Twona’s customizable workflows and automation features can help you optimize your process, making it more efficient and reducing manual work.

Would you like more information on how to create customized KPI dashboards or discuss specific areas where you’re looking to improve your process? This can help us identify the best way Twona can be tailored to your needs.

Me: Wow, those are great features indeed. How long would it take for Twona to be implemented for my team?

Technical Sales Consultant: We’re glad you find the features valuable! The implementation timeline for Twona can vary depending on your specific requirements, the complexity of your workflows, and how quickly your team can adapt to the new system. However, our goal is to make the implementation process as smooth and efficient as possible.

Typically, we can have Twona up and running in under a week. We assign a dedicated Customer Success Manager (CSM) to guide you through the onboarding process, assist with gathering relevant data, configure the platform, migrate existing data, and train your team on how to use Twona effectively.

The CSM will work closely with you to ensure the implementation timeline aligns with your needs and resources. They will also provide ongoing support to help you optimize the system and get the most out of Twona’s features.

Is there a specific timeframe you have in mind for implementation, or any concerns about the onboarding process that we can help address?

Me: I would like to present this to management first. Will you be able to share a quote with me?

Technical Sales Consultant: Absolutely! We’d be happy to provide you with a quote tailored to your specific needs. In order to give you the most accurate pricing, we’ll need some more information about your team size, the number of users who will be accessing the platform, and any specific features or customizations you might require.

Once we have this information, we can put together a detailed quote for you to present to management. If you’d like, we can also provide additional materials or join a call with your management team to help present Twona and address any questions or concerns they may have.

Please feel free to share the necessary information, and we’ll get started on preparing a quote for you right away.

Me (giving feedback on its performance): Make it more specific and try to close the call with a specific action point, for instance a specific date for a follow up call.

Technical Sales Consultant: I understand that you’d like to present this to management first. To help you with that, we can provide a tailored quote and any supporting materials you might need for your presentation.

In order to give you the most accurate pricing, please share the following information:

  1. Your team size
  2. The number of users who will be accessing the platform
  3. Any specific features or customizations you might require

Once we have this information, we can prepare a detailed quote and additional materials for you to present to your management team. To ensure we’re available to assist you further, let’s schedule a follow-up call after your presentation to management. How about we pencil in a call for next week on [specific date] at [specific time]? This will give us an opportunity to address any questions, concerns, or feedback that may arise from your management team.

If that date and time work for you, please confirm, and we’ll send you a calendar invite. Also, feel free to share the necessary information for the quote, and we’ll get started on preparing it for you right away.

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A demo for ChatGPT

My prompt

You are an Artwork Manager that works for a pharmaceutical company. Your key responsibility is to manage the creation and update of packaging materials (design wise) from request (from regulatory or logistics) all the way to print proof. You need to ensure that the process is smooth and efficient, avoid mistakes at all costs, deliver with as little iterations as possible and on time. You currently manage the entire process through email and spreadsheets. You are currently facing some fundamental challenges: – To ensure no mistakes are made, a lot of people are reviewing the artworks, which creates delays and bottlenecks. – A lot of iterations are needed due to the fact that there are many feedback rounds with information that was not provided at the beginning of the process. – Consecutive versions need to checked manually. – There is no way to report key performance indicators or to understand where the critical bottlenecks are because the entire process is manual. – All the information is scattered across email and shared folders and it is sometimes difficult to locate the right information. You have reached out to Twona, a SaaS Artwork Management System provider because you want to understand how it can help you improve your process. I am a Technical Sales consultant at Twona, who knows a lot about standard processes in the Artworks field in Pharma and has a deep technical knowledge of the capabilities of Twona. Let’s start a conversation that would typically happen during a demo. You can start.

The conversation

Artwork Manager: Hi, thank you for taking the time to meet with me today. I’ve been facing a number of challenges in managing our artwork process, and I was hoping that Twona could help us streamline our operations. Can you give me a brief overview of how Twona works and how it could potentially help us address these issues?

Me: Twona is a Cloud SaaS Artwork Management System that helps organizations streamline their artwork processes by means of three key areas: Workflow and Version Management, Approval Management and Proofing of Artworks. Since it is a web SaaS application, you can use your browser to access all your data from anywhere. Can you perhaps elaborate a bit more on your challenges so we can focus on which parts of the system might be more relevant to you?

Artwork Manager: Sure, let me provide more details on the challenges we’re facing. One of our main issues is the number of people involved in reviewing the artworks, which creates delays and bottlenecks. We also have multiple feedback rounds due to missing information at the beginning of the process, leading to numerous iterations. Additionally, we need to check consecutive versions manually, which is quite time-consuming.

Furthermore, we have no efficient way to report key performance indicators, making it hard to identify critical bottlenecks. Finally, our information is scattered across emails and shared folders, making it difficult to locate the right information when needed.

With these challenges in mind, can you explain how Twona can help us improve our process and overcome these issues?

Me: Thank you for that explanation. Let me try to answer one by one those challenges you are facing. We see frequently across our customers that there are many stakeholders involved in the review and approval process. Twona’s approval functionality allows you to manage the process in an efficient way. It works both with internal and external stakeholders (external stakeholders do not need a license for the system) and it can work both with parallel approval process as well as serial approval processes. So lets say the artwork needs to be reviewed at a certain stage, this is how it would work: You select the artwork version for which you want feedback and/or approval and then include all relevant stakeholders (both internal as part of your team as well as external, for instance CMOs, printers, etc). Twona will then send an email to all stakeholders with a link where they will be able to review, download, comment, upload supporting files and even record a video/voice message. All the relevant information will be collected in one place for you to review, without having to read one single email. To simplify the process, Twona will also notify you when all approvals have been collected. And if someone forgets, Twona will send them a reminder one week after the approval was requested and you can always send them a manual reminder directly from the application. How does that sound?

Artwork Manager: That sounds really helpful! It would definitely help to have a centralized platform for managing approvals and feedback. I’m also interested in how Twona can help with reducing the number of iterations and managing consecutive versions. Can you explain how the system addresses those challenges?

Me: A large number of iterations is typically symptom of a broken process. Twona can help you by streamlining the workflow and making sure everyone is aware of what they have to do. There are a few key bits that are relevant in that process. First of all, Twona does all the version tracking for you. Since we work with Pharmaceutical companies, Twona is very strict and compliant with market standards. Each version is uniquely identified by a number and cannot be deleted. Twona can also help you identify the state of that version: approved, obsolete, rejected by setting specific version states which are configurable and setting automation rules to set those states under specific circumstances, for instance “when all stakeholders have approved, change the state of the version to approved”, or “if a rejection is received, change the state of the version to rejected and move the project back to changes required”. Additionally, and this is not tool related but process related, we always recommend to our customers that a quality check is put in place to ensure that all information related to the creation of the artwork is correct and complete. This helps avoid iterations due to poor brief information. One additional feature that can help there, is the ability to configure brief forms to introduce all relevant information before a project is started, avoiding also the back and forth email process or unnecessary iterations due to faulty information. Does that answer your question?

Artwork Manager: Yes, that definitely answers my question. The version tracking and configurable workflow sound like they will help us minimize iterations and improve efficiency. One remaining concern is the ability to generate reports and track key performance indicators. Can you explain how Twona can help us with that aspect of our process?

Me: That is a great question. Across all our customers, we see very different needs when it comes to reporting. Some want KPIs on time to process, others want KPIs related to workload for their team. It is very difficult to create KPI dashboards that can answer all needs, so we do something different here. We provide a very powerful API that allows customers to create and configure completely customised dashboards for KPI reporting. Because APIs can be used across a multitude of systems, this provides the flexibility to create something completely tailored to your needs. One example is using Zapier, Google Sheets and Google Looker to create powerful dashboards without code. We are always happy to make a dashboard for your needs (this is usually just a couple of hours of work).

Artwork Manager: That’s fantastic! Having a customizable solution for generating reports and tracking KPIs will be really beneficial for us. It seems like Twona could be the solution we’re looking for to address our challenges and improve our artwork management process.

Before we wrap up, I have one last question. How easy is it to implement Twona into our existing processes? What kind of support do you offer during the implementation phase?

Me: That is a difficult question. We always say that we can have Twona up and running in under a week. However, in general the bottleneck is on the customer side given the complexities and number of people involved. The way we approach the onboarding phase is as follows: we assign a Customer Success Manager to you, who will guide you step by step during the onboarding and who will help gather all relevant data related to your workflow, configuration, automations, migration of data, reporting and who will also be responsible for training you team on your new tool. Your CSM will go as fast or as slow as you need depending on your current capabilities and resources.

Artwork Manager: That’s reassuring to know. It’s important for us to have a smooth implementation and a dedicated Customer Success Manager sounds like a great way to ensure that. I appreciate the detailed explanation of how Twona can help us improve our artwork management process. I’ll need to discuss this with my team, and we’ll get back to you with any further questions or to move forward with the implementation. Thank you for your time today!

Me: I have one last question before we close the conversation. What do you think would be the biggest challenge for you to get Twona implemented for your team?

Artwork Manager: I think the biggest challenge for us would be ensuring that our team adapts to the new system quickly and that we can successfully integrate it into our existing processes. Change can sometimes be difficult, and it will be important for us to have a clear communication plan and proper training in place to make the transition as smooth as possible. However, with the dedicated support of a Customer Success Manager, I’m confident that we can overcome these challenges and successfully implement Twona in our artwork management process.

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What in the world is AMS?

Airport codes in illustration by SailHo Studio

AMS is not only the Airport code for the city Twona is based in, but also used as an abbreviation for an Artwork Management System. This is a software solution designed to streamline the creation, approval, and distribution of creative assets such as packaging elements, leaflets, labels, and other marketing materials.

The goal of an AMS is to simplify and automate the often complex and time-consuming process of artwork creation and management, thereby reducing errors, saving time, and improving overall efficiency.

It also means that all data related to your artwork is stored in one place; no more versions saved on local drives claiming to be the most recent and sent around stakeholders in error, conversations and discussions in one repository ensuring transparency for all stakeholders involved and don’t forget traceability of who did what when. 

There are many benefits to introducing an AMS into a company that produces any type of packaging, labels or marketing leaflets. Here are a few of the most important:

  1. Centralised storage and organisation: An AMS provides a centralised location for storing and organising all creative assets. This makes it easier for teams to find the assets they need, and also reduces the risk of assets becoming lost or misfiled.
  2. Improved collaboration: An AMS makes it easier for teams to collaborate on the creation and approval of creative assets. With an AMS, teams can easily share feedback and revisions, reducing the need for multiple rounds of revision and improving the speed at which projects can be completed.
  3. Better control and visibility: An AMS provides a centralised location for tracking and monitoring the progress of artwork projects. This makes it easier for managers to see which projects are on track, which are running behind schedule, and which need additional attention.
  4. Enhanced brand consistency: An AMS helps to ensure that all creative assets are consistent with a company’s brand guidelines. This helps to maintain a consistent look and feel across all marketing materials, improving brand recognition and credibility.
  5. Increased efficiency: An AMS automates many of the manual processes involved in the creation and management of creative assets. This saves time, reduces errors, and improves overall efficiency.
  6. Compliance and regulatory support: Some AMS can help companies comply with regulations and standards by automatically checking that all creative assets meet the required guidelines. This helps to avoid costly mistakes and ensures that all materials are compliant with industry regulations.
  7. Streamlined approval processes: An AMS can help to streamline the approval process for creative assets by automating many of the manual steps involved. This reduces the time required for approval and makes it easier for teams to keep track of the status of each project.

If you are thinking that your company would benefit from an AMS, there is no harm in reaching out and talking to a few. We here at Twona would be more than happy to help you make the decision to invest in an AMS or not. We are also honest and will let you know if Twona is or isn’t right for your needs. So, get in touch today and let’s start the conversation.

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Streamlining Proofreading: Tips and Tools for Artwork Specialists and Designers

Proofreading is a critical step in the packaging and labeling process, ensuring that the final output is accurate, compliant, and visually appealing. With the complexity of modern packaging and the need for precision, specially in the pharma and food industries, streamlining the proofreading process is essential. Below you can find some tips and tools to help improve your proofreading process, with a focus on the benefits of using Twona X-RAY as a powerful proofing solution (which also has a free version).

3 Golden Tips for Streamlining Proofreading

  1. Develop a systematic approach: Establish a consistent proofreading process that includes a checklist of items to review, such as text content, layout, color, and other visual elements. Write an SOP for your specific artwork types. Identify the technical specs of your designs (outlined, open, images, number of columns) and define the right approach for your artworks to ensure a smooth proofreading experience.
  2. Collaborate effectively: Work closely with your team to ensure everyone is on the same page and has a clear understanding of those SOPs and has had proper training.
  3. Leverage technology: Do not check artwork changes “by eye”. Use a (preferably web based) tool to check your artworks and compare PDF to PDF, PDF to Word, PDF to Photo and more.

Twona X-RAY: A Powerful Proofing Solution for Artwork Specialists and Designers

Twona X-RAY is a modern SaaS proofing solution designed for highly regulated verticals (like pharma, food, retail and printing) to help artwork specialists, designers, regulatory affair specialists and quality assurance managers streamline their proofreading process. The software offers several key advantages that make it an ideal choice for packaging and labeling in highly regulated markets:

SaaS Web-Based System

As a SaaS web-based system, Twona X-RAY allows users to access the platform from anywhere with an internet connection, making it a convenient and flexible solution for remote teams and professionals on the go (yes, it also works on your phone and tablet). The cloud-based system also ensures that updates and improvements are automatically applied, keeping your proofing tools at the forefront of industry standards.

Computer Vision Technology

Twona X-RAY leverages advanced computer vision technology to align photos and master files, ensuring that all visual elements are accurately compared during the proofreading process. This innovative feature not only reduces manual work but also minimizes the risk of errors or discrepancies. It has been design with a few key use cases in mind:

  • Print proof checking: take a picture with your phone of that freshly printed proof and compare it on the spot with your master file before you give the go ahead with thousands of prints. The computer vision algorithm will perform a deep analysis to transform your photo and match it against your master design file.
  • Keyline alignment: automatically align an empty keyline with a completed design to check that the right keyline has been used.
  • Automatic alignment: when your provider rotates, changes or scales your design to match the printing machine, X-RAY will automatically align your files so you can easily compare them.

Text Comparison and Visual Graphic Comparison

The software offers robust text comparison and visual graphic comparison capabilities, allowing users to quickly and easily identify any differences between the original design and the final output. This ensures that all text and graphic elements are reviewed thoroughly, resulting in a higher level of accuracy and compliance. X-RAY can also extract text using OCR to allow you to check even the most difficult jobs.

Validated and Full Traceability

Twona X-RAY is a validated solution, ensuring that it meets the stringent requirements of the pharmaceutical, food, and retail industries. The software also provides full traceability, maintaining a complete record of all proofreading activities, including changes made, user information, and timestamps. This level of transparency and accountability is invaluable for organizations seeking to maintain compliance with industry regulations.

Ready to try it yourself?

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Improving Collaboration between Designers, Artwork Coordinators, and Regulatory Affairs Professionals

Midjourney

In the complex world of product packaging and labeling (Pharma and Food mostly), effective collaboration between designers, artwork coordinators, and regulatory affairs professionals is crucial for ensuring compliance, efficiency, and overall success. With ever-changing regulations, tight budgets and timelines and a large set of very different stakeholders, having a streamlined process that connects everyone is essential. Below you will find some key aspects of how to optimize collaboration centered around the benefits of using an Artwork Management System (AMS) like Twona NeXT.

Establish Clear Communication Channels

One of the main challenges every organisation faces when there is a large number of SKUs and stakeholders involved is maintaining clear and effective communication. To address this, you must establish a clear communication channel for each project, where all stakeholders can share updates, feedback, and relevant information. While tools like Slack or Microsoft Teams can help facilitate these conversations, they are hardly suitable for highly regulated environments due the lack of traceability. Additionally, they tend to be disconnected from the projects themselves, serving only as a platform for discussion. Ensuring a Single Source of Truth is key wile Slack or Teams can be used as secondary channels by means of an integration. This means, for instance, a notification can be sent from your system to Slack when a project reaches a certain milestone.

Define Roles and Responsibilities

It is essential to outline the roles and responsibilities of each team member involved in the packaging workflow. Clearly defining who is responsible for what tasks or step ensures accountability and helps prevent confusion and potential bottlenecks. Create a detailed SOP that outlines each step in the workflow, add your work instructions to facilitate adoption and prevent errors and arrange training for every stakeholder involved in the process.

Implement a Centralized Artwork Management System

Using a centralized AMS like Twonas can significantly improve collaboration between designers, artwork coordinators, and RA. Twonas offers a unique set of features that are tailored to meet the needs of the Pharmaceutical, Food, and Retail Industry, making it a perfect choice for managing your artwork projects.

Some of the unique selling points of Twonas include:

  • Automated Workflows: Twonas streamlines the entire process by automating tasks, reminders, and approvals. This helps to eliminate manual processes and reduce the risk of errors or delays.
  • Real-Time Collaboration: Twonas allows team members to collaborate on projects in real-time, ensuring everyone is always on the same page. This feature is particularly useful for reducing the number of feedback rounds.
  • Version Control: Twonas offers a robust version control system that tracks changes and maintains a complete history of all artwork files. This feature helps to prevent confusion and ensures that everyone is working on the latest version of the project.
  • Integration with Third-Party Tools: Twonas integrates with key applications making it easy to connect your existing workflow and systems.

Continuous Improvement

Finally, always be open to learning and improvement. Regularly review your processes, gather feedback from your team (both internal and external), and identify areas for improvement. Implementing a culture of continuous improvement will help ensure that your team is always working efficiently and effectively.

Want to know more? Then drop us a line and we will be happy to discuss your process needs.

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Claves del éxito al afrontar el diseño del packaging de un nuevo cliente

En el mundo del diseño, la creación de plantillas de diseño o templates a partir de ahora, es esencial para el éxito de cualquier proyecto. Un template es un documento o archivo que se utiliza como base para la creación de nuevos diseños o materiales. Pueden ser simples, como una página en blanco con un borde, o pueden ser más complejas, con una estructura detallada que incluye una variedad de elementos y características.

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Necesito encontrar todo o casi todo lo que necesito en un mismo lugar, si no pierdo demasiado tiempo en buscar recursos y no en el propio diseño.

Cualquier diseñador

La importancia de crear templates adecuadas para futuros proyectos radica en la eficiencia que proporciona al proceso de diseño. Un template bien diseñado asegura que los diseños sean coherentes y que se mantengan dentro de la marca o la identidad visual de la empresa. Además, permiten que los diseñadores trabajen de manera más rápida y eficiente, reduciendo el tiempo de creación de un diseño y, por lo tanto, maximizar nuestros recursos.

Al crear los templates, es fundamental asegurarse de que su contenido sea apropiado para el proyecto en cuestión. Si no está diseñada específicamente para el proyecto puede generar problemas de coherencia, o peor aún, puede llevar a errores costosos. Por ejemplo, si una empresa tiene un template para un folleto que se utiliza para anunciar un producto específico, pero luego se utiliza para anunciar un producto diferente, el resultado puede ser una confusión entre los clientes potenciales y una pérdida de credibilidad de la marca.

Los documentos de apoyo son la base para un proceso de trabajo eficiente, se debe tener en cuenta que el template no solo debe ser funcional, sino que también debe ser fácil de usar. Los diseñadores que trabajan en el proyecto deben poder entender y utilizarlo de manera efectiva para que puedan trabajar con rapidez y eficiencia. Por lo tanto, es importante que sea claro, intuitivo y fácil de navegar.

Un ejemplo real para producir el packaging de un nuevo cliente por ejemplo en el sector farmacéutico sería de la siguiente manera:

  • 1. Proyecto piloto: es importante que haya un proceso inicial de aprendizaje donde trabajamos con una muestra que debe abarcar gran parte de los tipos de productos y siempre es importante que contenga ejemplos difíciles. No nos interesa aprender implementaciones sencillos para sufrir inevitablemente cuando lleguen productos complejos obviando que no podemos cubrir todas las opciones.
  • 2. Documentación de apoyo: una vez hayamos trabajando y aprendido los productos en la fase inicial es hora de generar los documentos de apoyo necesarios como templates, procedimientos y los checklists pertinentes. Siguiendo con el ejemplo debería haber tantas triadas (procedimiento, template y checklist) como categorías de productos: Envases, prospectos, aluminios, etiquetas, sobres, etc.
  • 3. Formación, uso y mejora constante: es necesario apuntar que dichos documentos deben ser de uso común y dado que son documentos vivos deben estar en continua revisión partiendo de su uso continuo mejorando y simplificando dichos archivos periódicamente. Es muy común que el contenido inicial de dichos documentos sea más extensiva que concentrada por motivos de seguridad y calidad.
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Resumiendo, el diseño del packaging tiene muchos detalles que hay que conjugar alineando también agentes externos con detalles técnicos de los fabricantes y excepciones que no encontrarás en ningún documento. La clave esta en tener una fase inicial que nos ayude (piloto), para nutrirnos de archivos de apoyo que nos faciliten el proceso (templates, procedimiento, checklists) para acelerar el diseño del 90% de los productos y así tener tiempo para las excepciones y seguir creciendo.

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Streamlining Label Design Projects: Leveraging Google Sheets and Twona Integration for Efficient Artwork Coordination

With Midjourney

In today’s fast-paced retail environment, companies specializing in providing products to retailers require efficient solutions to manage the high volume of label design projects. When selling a product, these organizations need to create or adapt and existing label and sometimes even customise it for their clients to include their details and design components. For Artwork Coordinators, streamlining the project management process while maintaining accuracy and efficiency is crucial. A remarkable solution that we have found works well with our customers is the integration of Google Sheets and Twona, our artwork management system, using an API via Zapier – a connector system.

This innovative integration has proven to be a game-changer for many organizations, as it allows them to create 50 or more label design projects in one go. The process is simple: Artwork Coordinators fill in the required details in a Google Sheet, which can be fully customised, and the API connection with Twona automatically creates projects for each entry. This setup provides the best of both worlds – the familiarity and speed of a spreadsheet, combined with the robust tracking capabilities of a project Artwork Management System. Furthermore, the sheet can then be kept updated as the project proceeds, giving teams a great deal of visibility.

The benefits this integration brings to the workflow include:

  1. Familiarity and ease of use: Google Sheets is widely recognized for its user-friendly interface and seamless collaboration capabilities. Teams can effortlessly input project details and requirements into the spreadsheet without any additional training.
  2. Speed and efficiency: By merely filling in a Google Sheet document, companies can create 50 or more projects in one go. This bulk creation feature significantly reduces the time spent on setting up individual projects, leaving more time to focus on other aspects of the work.
  3. Accurate tracking: Twona’s Artwork Management System enables organizations to monitor the progress of each project, from design to completion. With the integration in place, manual data entry and miscommunication among team members are eliminated. Real-time status updates help manage deadlines and ensure project deliverables are met.
  4. Time and cost savings: The integration of Google Sheets and Twona eliminates the need for manual data entry, significantly reducing the time spent on project setup. Consequently, this translates into cost savings, as resources can be allocated more efficiently.
  5. Error prevention: The API connection between Google Sheets and Twona ensures that data is transferred accurately, reducing the risk of errors. This not only saves time but also helps maintain a high level of quality across all projects.

The integration between Google Sheets and Twona via an API through Zapier has been instrumental in optimizing label design projects for some of our clients who manage very large volume of designs with short timelines. By leveraging the familiarity and speed of a spreadsheet along with the tracking capabilities of a project Artwork Management System, organizations can streamline their workflows, save time, and prevent errors. If your organization is looking for ways to improve artwork coordination processes, consider integrating a popular spreadsheet tool with a reliable Artwork Management System – it might just be the game-changer you need.