Workflow and Processes – Page 2

February 13, 2023February 13, 2023

We make more rounds to avoid mistakes…the Fallacy

Have you ever heard from a client that the reason they make so many rounds or checks (and they seem to be proud) is to avoid mistakes in the final product?

I translate this as “reducing the probability of making a mistake” in the design of the packaging.

Well….let me tell you this:

THEY ARE LYING TO YOU
Anybody that can do statistical analysis

Designing and creating designs for packaging materials, specially for food, retail and pharma, is a complex process that involves multiple rounds of designing, checking and refinement. One might expect that with each additional round of design and checks, the probability of making a mistake decreases. However, this idea is counter-intuitive and exploring the math clearly shows how more rounds of changes do indeed lead to a higher probability of making ANY mistake. Let’s check it out, it is not too complex.

The Setup

Let’s say that the probability of making a mistake when implementing a design is 1/10, or in other words, 10% of the times a designer will make a mistake. It does not matter if this number is realistic or not. More experienced designers will make mistakes less often than more experienced ones. The numbers do not affect the calculation and are only used to showcase the scenario.

Let’s also say, that we want to know that is the probability of making ANY mistake when making 1 design round versus 4 rounds of changes. In the first case, for a single round, the probability of making a mistake is set at 10%. For the second case, the probability of making ANY mistake after 4 rounds, we need a bit of math. Don’t be afraid, it is simple.

The Proof

The probability of NOT making a mistake on any given design round is 1 – 1/10 = 9/10 (so 90%). The probability of NOT making a mistake on all four consecutive design rounds is (9/10)^4 = 6561/10000 (so 65%).

To find the combined probability of making ANY mistake, we subtract the probability of NOT making a mistake on all four consecutive actions from 1:

1 – (9/10)^4 = 1 – 6561/10000 = 3439/10000 = 0.3439 = 34.39%.

So the combined probability of making ANY mistake if you execute 4 consecutive design rounds is 34.39%.

That is more than 3 times the probability of making a mistake on a single round. This is key, so clients can understand that a well-defined brief and instructions improve the odds of nailing the design in the first round, which then reduces the probability of making a mistake on further design rounds.

Fell free to send this proof to your clients so they start sending better briefs (including accurate technical specs).

February 9, 2023

Are you measuring your team’s performance?

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are a set of metrics that help organizations evaluate the success of their strategies and models, and monitor their progress towards achieving their goals. In the context of a design team working on packaging materials for pharmaceutical products, KPIs are particularly important as they provide valuable insights into the team’s productivity, efficiency, and effectiveness. They help track your chosen workflow and allow you perform a continuous improvement programme. By tracking and analyzing KPIs, the team can identify areas for improvement, make more informed decisions, and achieve better results.

There are many KPIs that can be used to evaluate the performance of a design team. Different organizations work under different predicaments and models, which can influence the overall objetives: reduce time-to-market, reduce number of reworks, minimise risk of errors, etc. Three of the most common design KPIs are: the number of iterations required before approval, the time spent in each stage of the workflow, and the number of processed jobs per team member.

N versions before Approval

The number of iterations required before approval measure the number of times a design has to be revised before it is finally approved. A high number of iterations can indicate that there is a problem with the design process or that the team is not communicating effectively with stakeholders (if you are experiencing this, maybe you want to consider THIS article). It can also be a sign of a lack of clarity in the design brief, an unstructured design process, a lack of relevant SOPs and documentation and a wide range of other design-process maladies.

Time to move on

The time spent in each stage of the workflow, measures the amount of time the team spends on each stage of the design process, from conception to final approval. It allows you to zoom in on each step of the process and see what is really going on. This information is valuable as it helps to identify bottlenecks in the workflow. Additionally, the time spent in each stage can provide insights into the team’s capacity, allowing them to plan more effectively and allocate resources more efficiently.

What’s your workload

The number of processed jobs per team member, measures the productivity of each team member by tracking the number of jobs they complete in a given time period or in certain stages of the workflow. This information helps to identify individual strengths and weaknesses, which can then be used to optimize the allocation of tasks within the team. It can also provide insights into the workload of each team member, helping to ensure that they are not overburdened, which can lead to burnout and decreased productivity. It is important to filter this information with the right parameters, not all jobs are the same nor they take the same amount of time and resources. Filter wisely, one designer processing 3 multi language packs per day might be more efficient than another who moves around 10 simple jobs.

Kaizen baby, kaizen

KPIs are not only useful for evaluating the performance of a design team but also for setting a starting point for process improvement. By regularly tracking and analyzing KPIs, the team can identify areas for improvement and make informed decisions about how to optimize their processes and improve their performance. This is not only valuable for in-house processes, but also for evaluating external stakeholders. If your design efforts are outsouced, you can gain valuable insight into their effectiveness. If your customers are giving you a hard time with delays on approvals, hard KPI data will be valuable for a hard discussion with them about meeting deadlines.

Are you measuring your design team performance? If you said no, you need to take some time to think about it. If you said yes, the follow up question is: how exactly are you tracking the progress?

February 6, 2023February 6, 2023

AMS Twona NeXT 200mg digital pills

Twona NeXT – Artwork Management System

Directions for use: Full implementation of Twona NeXT Artwork Management System is recommended for all stakeholders in your organization.

Dosage

For optimal results, it is recommended that you fully implement Twona NeXT as your Artwork Management System. This means integrating Twona NeXT into all your processes, training all stakeholders in its use, and utilizing its features to streamline and optimize your artwork management processes.

Risks of not using Twona NeXT

Continuing to work in the traditional way can result in sub-optimal processes, prolonged time-to-market, excessive working hours, messy file folders, untraceable processes, non-compliant systems, and a lack of preparedness for external audits. These risks can lead to decreased efficiency, reduced productivity, and increased risk for your organization.

Warnings

Failing to implement a digital Artwork Management System such as Twona NeXT can result in a lack of visibility and control over your artwork management processes, leading to decreased efficiency and increased risk. By fully integrating Twona NeXT into your organization, you can streamline and optimize your processes, improve collaboration, and ensure compliance.

It is important to carefully follow the recommended dosage and to fully integrate Twona NeXT into your organization for optimal results. If you have any questions or concerns about the use of Twona NeXT, please consult with your Artwork Management System specialist.

February 6, 2023

The Tale of Doomed Design Team

Once upon a time, there was a team of designers who were in charge of creating the packaging materials for a pharmaceutical company. The process was complicated, since there were many stakeholders: The Clan of the CMOs, the Tribe of the Printheads, The Marketing Lords and Orcs of Qualitiland. They followed the same old routine when it came to creating the artworks: they’d first create the design, then implement the text and finally submit it back to the King of Regulatory for proofreading to make sure everything was perfect.

However, things weren’t always perfect. There was no forever happy ending. The designers often (this is an understatement, for this happened every single day of their miserable lives) found themselves having to redo their work. Not because they’d made mistakes creating the artworks….but because the text contained overlooked ghostly mistakes. They called it: The Doomed Text of Eternal Damnation. They’d always get the artwork back, after someone had spent time checking the text after they’d implemented it on the design, and sometimes they’d even have to start from scratch because the mistakes were so big. It was a huge waste of time and resources, and it was holding up the entire process. They felt desperate.

One day, the great Process Improvement King, saw the tears of the Design team and decided enough was enough. He told them they needed to make a change, so they started thinking about how they could improve their workflow. They realized that if they asked the King of Regulatory to checked the text before they even submitted it to the design team, they could avoid a lot of these mistakes and save a lot of time. So, they decided to move the text proofing from the end of the workflow to the beginning. They decided to stand for themselves, mouse and keyboard in hand, and fight for their freedom.

After a long and gruesome battle, they won. Shortly after, the results were amazing. By checking the text before it was implemented on the design, the team reduced the number of iterations needed to get the design approved. They also reduced the total time spent by the design team, which meant they could get the packaging to market faster and had more capacity to handle more jobs. They felt superpowered.

It was a simple change, but it made a huge difference. No more tears, no more late Friday submissions, no more pain. The team was so happy they’d found a solution to their problem, and they couldn’t believe they hadn’t thought of it sooner. From then on, the Regulatory Kind checked the text before submitting it to the design team, and they never had any more problems with their artworks.

A forever happy ending after all.

The end.

February 3, 2023February 3, 2023

Oh god….another feedback round.

Design approvals from multiple stakeholders (regulatory, marketing, client, printer, CMO) can be a challenging and time-consuming task for artwork managers and design teams. It’s like trying to herd cats – it’s impossible, but you still have to try! In today’s heavy workloads, it’s important to streamline the design approval process and save time, reduce delays and ensure projects are completed on time and with as few rounds as possible. What are the 2 key challenges of getting approval rounds right?

Challenge 1: Managing Multiple (often too many) Feedback Loops

When working with multiple stakeholders, there’s always the risk of conflicting opinions, which can result in endless rounds of revisions and delay the project. Quality might ask to add one end of sentence dot, Regulatory wants to skip it to launch the product, Marketing is changing the color of the flap….again, while the printer realised they attached the wrong dieline. OMG moment. To overcome this, it’s important to establish clear lines of communication and a structured review process. This includes setting up regular check-ins, clear expectations and deadlines, and establishing a centralized system for feedback and revisions.

Challenge 2: Balancing Speed and Quality

Another key challenge in managing design approvals is balancing speed and quality. In order to ensure that projects are completed on time, it’s often necessary to move quickly through the design approval process. However, this can result in missed details, oversights, or incorrect approvals. On the other hand, taking too much time to review and approve can be costly or simply unacceptable. To balance speed and quality, it’s important to set realistic deadlines, involve the right people at the right time, and establish a clear and consistent review process.

Bonus Quiz: Serial or Parallel Approvals?

One key component of a proper approval process is the establishment of approval model. This is in many oranizations overlooked and underrated. Let me explain.

The Serial Approval Process

When multiple stakeholders are required to provide feedback and approval, it is common practice to request such approval one stakeholder at a time. The argument that we typically hear is that this allows the design team to fix errors early on before the “important” stakeholders take a look. Every time we face this, it hurts. Intermediate and uncompleted feedback rounds only cause MORE WORK, not less. They also increase the risk of introducing unwanted mistakes.

The Parallel Approval Process

An alternative approach is to request feedback and approval to all stakeholders at the same time, and wait for all responses before issuing a new version. This comes with its own challenges is hardly suited for a traditional email/paper based model.

Golden Tip: Implement an Automated Approval Workflow

To improve and simplify the design approval process, it’s recommended to implement an automated approval workflow. Automated workflows can help streamline the review and approval process, reducing the time it takes to complete designs and minimizing the risk of missed details or oversights. With an automated system, all feedback and revisions are stored in one central location, allowing teams to track the status of each design in real-time. This suits the Parallel Approval Process really neatly and helps to keep the process organized, reduces the risk of conflicting feedback, and ensures everyone is on the same page. It’s like having a GPS for your design approvals – you’ll always know where you’re going and how to get there!

Managing approvals can be a complex and time-consuming process. But, with the right approach, it can be a straightforward and efficient process. By establishing clear lines of communication, balancing speed and quality, and implementing an automated approval workflow, organizations can streamline the design approval process, save time and ensure projects are completed on time and with a few iterations as possible. And, most importantly, they can have a little more peace of mind and a little less stress.

February 2, 2023

The nightmare of technical specs

Working in the pharmaceutical industry, the creation of packaging designs can be a challenging and complex process, especially when dealing with multiple Contract Manufacturing Organizations (CMOs) and Printing companies. There are many factors that can impact the design, including regulatory requirements, branding, marketing, and of course, technical considerations. One of the biggest challenges that packaging designers face when working with multiple printing stakeholders (weather it is a CMO or a printer directly) is the varying technical requirements. Different companies have different machinery and different Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) (sometimes they don’t even have SOPs).

Oh man…this is hard.

The first challenge related to working with multiple printers is the differences in print and packing capabilities. Each printer may have different printing processes and equipment that they use. For example, one printer may use a rotogravure printing process while another may use flexographic printing. This can result in differences in color accuracy, registration, and overall quality of the final print. Additionally, some printers may not be able to accommodate certain design elements, such as holographic foils or raised printing, which can impact the design and the overall look of the packaging. Additionally, and more specifically for the packaging industry, the printed materials are going to be the input of a packing machine which is going to fold, fill, glue and whatnot in an automated machine. This process is critical since failure can have a high cost impact. Most “reasonable” printing companies and CMOs provide technical specifications to their design agencies (or their clients) so the design materials can be created to specs.

The second challenge is the complex technical documentation that designers must understand in order to create compliant designs. Technical documentation often includes specifications on dielines, varnish free areas, margins, folding lines, visual marks used for automated packing and many more. Understanding these guidelines and ensuring that the design meets them can be a time-consuming and confusing process, particularly for designers who are not familiar with the specific requirements of each printer and considering some of these technical specification documents can be 40 page long. If you are dealing with 10 suppliers, times 40 is a 400 page documentation. That is not easy to manage. This can result in mistakes and miscommunications between the design team and the printer, which can ultimately impact the time to market.

What can we do to fix this?

There are ways to improve the process when technical specification documentation is complex and there are many different suppliers:

Write and maintain proper design manuals specifically for each printer/CMO. This will help ensure that the design team has all of the information they need to create designs that are compatible with each printer’s technical requirements. This can also help avoid misunderstandings and miscommunications between the design team and the printer. Additionally, it will be required should you have to face a customer audit.
Perform training of the design team on all technical requirements. This will help ensure that the design team is aware of the specific requirements of each printer and can create designs that are compatible with those requirements. Furthermore, it will help designers find and interpret information faster and accurately.
Allow a direct line of communication with the printer instead of via the client. A direct line of communication can help avoid misunderstandings and miscommunications that may occur when the design team is communicating through the client. Let the technical people speak to technical people directly, otherwise you will face the broken phone syndrome.

The creation of packaging designs can be challenging, especially when working with multiple CMOs and printers. The varying technical requirements of each printer and the long and complex technical documentation can be a pain in the arse to deal with and a high risk factor. But don’t despair, by following these three tips – writing and maintaining proper design manuals, performing training on technical requirements, and allowing a direct line of communication with the printer – designers can improve the process and ensure that the final product meets all of the necessary requirements.

February 1, 2023February 1, 2023

Send this to your (design) clients

Design briefs are essential for creative projects as they help set clear expectations and define the scope of work. However, working with a design brief that has missing (or useless) information such as low-quality images can be a significant challenge. Below you will find the key challenges faced when working with an incomplete design brief and obtain tips on how to create a clear and comprehensive brief.

You must read this if you are a customer
Every designer in the world

The classical challenges

One of the major challenges of working with a design brief that has missing information is the lack of clear guidelines. This often leads to confusion and misinterpretation, resulting in a final product that does not meet the client’s expectations. For example, if the brief does not include all the reference files or text documents, the designer may struggle to understand the client’s request and produce an artwork that is not in line with their requirements.

Another common mistake is the use of low-quality (or low-resolution) images. When the final design needs to be printed, such as packaging materials for like…..everything that is sold, the images provided to the design team need to have sufficient resolution for the required printing size and method (SPOT and Digital Printing can be different). This not only affects the quality of the final product but also the reputation of the designer and the company they work for. Although, in all likelihood, your designer will probably have to reject the job and ask for better images.

5 things you need to do as a customer

It is of the outmost importance to create a clear and comprehensive design brief that includes all relevant information. Here are five tips to help make the brief clear:

Include clear brief information: The brief should include a clear and concise description of the project’s goals, technical specifications and in general the desired outcome. This will help the designer understand the client’s vision and ensure that they are on the same page. Do not make it more difficult that it needs to be….more is not always better.
Add up-to-scale dielines: Dielines are essential for product design, as they provide a template for the designer to follow when creating the final product. This is particularly critical for packaging materials since it will most likely be the input of a packaging machine when mistakes can be very costly. By including up-to-scale, clean and usable dielines in the brief, the designer can ensure that the final product will meet the client’s technical specifications. If you think a blurry scan of a dieline is good enough…..think again.
Include all text documents: The brief should include all text documents that are relevant to the project, such as product descriptions, marketing materials, regulatory texts, and any other content that will be used in the final product. The designers cannot read your mind, they cannot possibly know all the details of the regulatory bodies of the many countries where you are releasing and have no insight on your company’s strategies. Don’t make it difficult, make it nice. If a text needs to be included, please add a readable document that can be copy-pasted (designers do not type).
Add clear and precise annotations: Sometimes the best way to convey an idea is by annotating an existing document indicating any specific requirements or requests that the client has. Be like water, be clear.
Include all relevant references of essential information: The brief should include references to any essential information that the client feels is important, such as brand guidelines or examples of similar products. If it takes time to find those documents, better do it before hand.

Working with an incomplete design brief can be a significant challenge for designers, but with the right tools and tips, it can be overcome. Remember, too much information is just as bad as too little information, so be sure to strike the right balance and keep the brief concise, yet comprehensive. And always remember, a good design brief is like a GPS – it helps you reach your destination with ease!

January 30, 2023

On-premises vs SaaS

Even though the corporate solutions landscape has rapidly evolved over the last decade, the decision between an on-premises software installation and a SaaS cloud solution is a common one that many organizations face. There are several key differences between the two that impact cost, functionality, and security.

Cost: On-premises software requires a significant upfront investment in hardware, maintenance, and upgrades. It also requires the in-house expertise in the form of developers, engineers, infrastructure and security experts. In contrast, a SaaS solution is generally sold as a subscription service and eliminates the need for a large upfront investment. This means that the cost of a SaaS solution is more predictable and often more manageable.
Functionality: On-premises software offers more customization options, but it also requires more expertise to set up and manage. Development and installation takes a significant amount of time as the complexity of the required functions increases, taking several months to years to setup a system. A SaaS solution, on the other hand, is managed by the vendor. It typically offers less customization but is easier to set up and use. If the SaaS solution offers a powerful API, customization can be further extended. This can lead to a more streamlined and efficient process with a significantly lower go-live time.
Security: On-premises software is often perceived as more secure because the data is stored on the organization’s own servers. However it also requires more resources and expertise to manage and protect. A SaaS solution is managed by the vendor and typically offers a higher level of security than an on-premises solution, specially when large scale, well know infrastructure providers are used, such as Amazon. It also involves more trust in the vendor and their security practices, which is typically solved with Information Security audits.

In conclusion, when deciding between an on-premises software installation and a SaaS cloud solution, it’s important to consider the cost, functionality, and security implications of each option. While on-premises software offers more customization options, it also requires more resources and expertise to set up and manage. SaaS solutions are easier to use and offer more predictable costs, but they also involve more trust in the vendor and their security practices. Ultimately, the right solution will depend on the specific needs and resources of each organization, but let’s be honest. Who in its right mind would in 2023 decide to purchase an on-premises solution when there are SaaS alternatives on the market?

January 24, 2023January 24, 2023

How many reminders have you sent today?

Collecting feedback on packaging design from multiple stakeholders can be a frustrating and time-consuming process, especially when relying on traditional methods such as email. Not only does it require constant back-and-forth communication, but it also makes it difficult to keep track of comments and revisions from different parties. And let’s not talk about “you know who”, who always needs a few reminders to send the feedback and is almost always late.

One of the biggest challenges in this process is getting feedback from printers, regulatory bodies, marketing teams, contract manufacturers, and clients. Each of these groups has their own specific concerns and requirements that need to be addressed, and coordinating their input can be a logistical nightmare.

Printers will have concerns about the technical aspects of the design, such as file keylines or barcodes, while regulatory teams will need to ensure that the packaging complies with all relevant laws and standards and includes the approved text. Marketing teams will want to ensure that the design follows the “somewhat” strict brand guidelines, while contract manufacturers will need to ensure that the design is suitable for their machinery. And of course, if you are dealing with clients will have their own unique requirements and preferences.

All of these different perspectives and requirements can make the feedback process overwhelming, and it can be difficult to keep track of who has provided what feedback and what revisions have been made. This can lead to delays, miscommunication and increased costs. And….yeah, I won’t mention the fearful recall.

Thankfully, there is a solution to this problem: an approval management system such as the one provided by Twona. This system streamlines the feedback process by providing a central platform for all stakeholders (also external stakeholders to your organization) to collaborate and provide feedback on the design. It eliminates the need for constant back-and-forth communication via email and makes it easy to keep track of comments and revisions (with very strict version control).

With Twona’s approval management system, all stakeholders can easily view the design and provide feedback in real-time. This speeds up the approval process and ensures that all comments and revisions are captured in one place. Additionally, the system allows for easy communication between stakeholders and makes it easy to see which feedback has been addressed and which still needs to be acted upon.

If you’re tired of the frustration and inefficiency of the traditional feedback process and wish you were on the beach instead of sending emails reminding people to do their jobs, contact our sales team today to schedule a demo of Twona’s approval management system. See for yourself how it can make a difference to your packaging design process and improve your bottom line.

January 22, 2023January 24, 2023

The failed digitalization

image of a digital word, click of a button and multiple devices. Photo from canva.com — *Digitalization of processes can be a difficult task. Here are some strategies to make it a bit easier.* Photo: canva.com

Are you transforming your company processes into digital ones? These are a few things to consider when doing so to make sure your team is on board!

The digitalization of company processes can be a challenging transition for employees who have been doing the same thing for a long time. This is because it requires them to adapt to new technology and ways of working, which can be overwhelming and intimidating. Additionally, some employees may feel that their job is being replaced by a system, leading to fear of job loss and uncertainty about their future.

However, with the right strategies in place, companies can help their employees to embrace the digitalization process and make the transition as smooth as possible.

One strategy for helping employees to embrace digitalization is to provide them with training and resources. This can include training on the new technology and processes, as well as access to online resources such as tutorials and FAQs. Providing employees with a clear understanding of how the new technology works and how it will benefit them and the company can help to alleviate their fears and uncertainty. Additionally, providing employees with the opportunity to test out the new technology in a controlled environment can help to build their confidence and familiarity with it.

Another strategy is to involve employees in the transition process. This can include involving them in the selection and implementation of the new technology and processes. By giving employees a sense of ownership and control over the process, they are more likely to be invested in its success and feel more positive about the changes. By involving employees in the process, companies can also benefit from their expertise and knowledge of the current processes, which can help to identify potential issues and improve the efficiency of the new technology.

Communication is also key when it comes to helping employees to embrace digitalization. Keeping employees informed of the reasons for the change, the benefits it will bring and the progress made during the process, can help to reduce anxiety and uncertainty. Regular updates and opportunities for feedback can also help to address any concerns employees may have and ensure that the digitalisation process is as smooth as possible.

Finally, companies can also help their employees to embrace digitalization by providing them with career development opportunities. This can include training and development programs to help them acquire new skills and knowledge that will be relevant to the new technology and processes. This, in turn, can help to keep employees engaged and motivated, and provide a sense of purpose and direction during the transition.

We have helped many companies make the transition to our SaaS Artwork Management System, and have experience this reticence to change the old ways from employees. “We have always done it like this” is not really a reason to not move forward! Some companies deal with it better than others, but the above strategies are in the core of all successful implementations we have done where some resistance was shown by one or several members of the team.

We are proud to say that many of those change-adverse people who were not happy at that moment in time have turned to become our best advocates for the use of Twona.