Artwork Management – Page 3

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 3, 2023February 3, 2023

Packaging Reduction: Non Food items

Images: Belinda Ramos, Artist @Twonas.com

Electrical goods often come with warranties and usage instructions in multiple languages. You know what I’m talking about, the multiple booklets of instructions in 10 different languages or the warranty document to complete and return by post! (remember postage stamps anyone?!), that often fall straight into the recycling bin.

But, there are valid and important reasons for having these. One, being the safety of the consumer and their new product, or information on how to put your new piece of furniture together; but also, one SKU with as many languages included as possible, means a reduction in the overall number of SKUs in production. The more languages you can include, the more countries you can sell that same product in.

So, how do you go about making these important and (sometimes) required pieces of information available while considering packaging reduction and carbon footprint for example? How to squeeze 10 languages on less paper? Do we really need to print out 5 different warranty cards?

A picture is worth 1000 words: Pictures are a universal language and can help convey information without the need for words. This is particularly useful for showing how to use a product or for highlighting specific parts of the product. For example, IKEA provides assembly instructions for their furniture with clear and concise illustrations and no words.
Words: Words are necessary for more detailed instructions and for legal information such as warranties and safety warnings. They also allow for specific language nuances and cultural references that may not be conveyed through pictures alone. Samsung provides detailed instructions in multiple languages for their products, including safety warnings, to ensure that customers fully understand the products they purchase.
Pictures: Using pictures can make the information easier to understand and remember, especially for customers who are not fluent in the language in which the instructions are written. It also saves space, making it easier to include multiple languages in the single document. Apple Inc. uses pictures and diagrams to explain the functions of their products in multiple languages, making the same information accessible to a wide range of customers.
Environmental Impact: Printing documents in multiple languages can have a significant environmental impact, particularly if they are rarely read and often thrown away. Consider providing instructions and warranties in electronic format (online) where possible, to reduce waste. This aligns with companies’ efforts to reduce their carbon footprint and meet overall packaging reduction targets. For instance, Tesla provides electronic versions of their warranties and usage instructions, reducing the amount of paper waste generated by their products.

In conclusion, handling multiple languages in FMCG warranties and usage instructions requires careful consideration of the most effective way to convey information. A combination of pictures and words can be an effective solution, while also reducing the environmental impact of printing (less paper required) or by providing electronic versions where possible. This supports companies’ efforts to reduce their carbon footprint and meet overall packaging reduction targets.

What are you doing to reduce the amount of packaging and unread booklets in your product?

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.

January 30, 2023January 31, 2023

Artwork Coordination: an often undervalued, complex role

Photo by Matt Bero on Unsplash
Photo of a business person with headset on, a backpack, wearing a shirt, crossing a zebra pad juggling some balls — *Photo by Matt Bero on Unsplash*

The role of an artwork coordinator in industries such as food, pharmaceutical or retail is crucial for ensuring that the packaging design of products is consistent, accurate, and meets all legal and regulatory requirements. However, this position does not always get the appreciation it deserves.

Being an artwork coordinator for the packaging design of products comes with its own set of difficulties and challenges, which can range from managing a large volume of designs, to ensuring the accuracy of information and meeting tight deadlines, amongst others:

Managing a large volume of designs: Artwork coordinators are responsible for simultaneously managing a large number of designs, both for large product launches and small packaging changes, which can be a time-consuming and complex process.
Maintaining design consistency: Maintaining consistency in design across multiple products and packaging, as well as keeping up to date with customer input and market inspiration (not for Pharma products, where all is more regulated) is crucial for creating a strong brand identity.
Accuracy of information: The accuracy of information on packaging is crucial for ensuring product safety and compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. This is specially critical in the FMCG and pharmaceutical industries, where errors can lead to severe consequences on the consumer side. Products that are sold across multiple countries, with multi-lingual labels, represent an extra complexity on this front, to make sure that all information is accurate and meets the local standards.
Meeting tight deadlines: Coordinators often have to work with very tight deadlines to ensure that products are available for sale in a timely manner.
Collaboration and communication: Effective collaboration and communication between different departments and stakeholders is essential for ensuring the success of a packaging design project.
Approval management: this communication and collaboration amongst departments and external parties such as external clients, regulatory bodies, or printers, takes an extra step when it comes to managing the approvals on the artworks. Dealing with both internal and external feedback rounds adds an extra layer of risk in making sure that the correct files are used when it comes to creating the final product that goes in the shelves.
Control of document versions and files in general: don’t you hate it when you receive a final version and then it turns out it is no the final one, amendments are made and you lose track of which file is the one that should be used? With so many projects ongoing and multiple approvals needed, it is one artwork’s coordinator nightmare to make sure the files are correctly stored and identified.

These challenges show how important and complex the role of artwork coordinator can be. Luckily, nowadays, there are tools that can assist an artwork coordinator in their daily tasks to make them more successful and efficient.

An artwork management system (AMS) can help automate and streamline the design process, through custom workflows that will take some of the repetitive tasks out of their plate, and giving visibility to other stakeholders when they need to provide input or approve. Such technology would also make sure that designs used are the correct ones, by providing a central repository for storing and sharing artworks, keeping version control on all files. Through an audit trail on changes, it becomes much more simple to track where a design is at any given time, and who may have performed a change, taking action from there.

Artwork Management System – Twona

Reaching deadlines becomes easier, as the approval process can be automated and they only need to make sure to check feedback when completed. Because the tool would provide real-time updates on the status of designs, they can focus on more valuable activities other than chasing and reminding people. As a central platform for sharing designs and communicating with stakeholders, and AMS would improve collaboration and communication, as everyone is involved and has visibility over the process. Furthermore, additional tools such as artwork comparison/proofing systems can help coordinators verify that the information on packaging is accurate and up-to-date, reducing the risk of errors and mistakes.

The role definition does not need to change. Its beauty is that it interlocks so many areas of the packaging design process. However, it can be more appreciated when the right technology is used to support their multiple tasks, as it will help professionalize and standardize the artwork coordinator function.

January 27, 2023January 27, 2023

Is Software Validation outdated?

Software validation is the process of ensuring that software systems meet the requirements set forth by regulatory bodies, such as the FDA in the United States. This is particularly important in highly regulated industries, such as the pharmaceutical industry, where software systems are used to manage and analyze critical data that is used to support the development and manufacture of drugs.

The origin of software validation can be traced back to the early days of computer technology in the pharmaceutical industry. In the 1970s, the FDA began to recognize the importance of software validation as a means of ensuring the accuracy and reliability of data generated by computer systems. This led to the development of guidelines and regulations for software validation, specifically in the pharmaceutical industry, such as the FDA’s “Guideline on General Principles of Software Validation” in 2002.

One key document that is created during the software validation process is the Master Validation Plan (MVP). The MVP is a comprehensive document that outlines the overall strategy and approach for validating the software. It includes details such as the scope of the validation, the validation team, and the schedule for validation activities. It is the first and foremost piece to documentation that needs to be created.

Following the MVP, you need to build three key documents: OQ, IQ and PQ.

Operational Qualification (OQ) and Installation Qualification (IQ) are used to ensure that the software system is installed and configured properly, and that it functions as intended in its intended environment.

Performance Qualification (PQ) is a process of testing software systems in order to verify that it performs as intended, and that it meets the acceptance criteria defined in the Qualification Protocol (QP).

As the technology and software development methodologies have evolved since the 70s, the need to adapt the validation model for modern SaaS cloud-based solutions has become increasingly important. With the advent of cloud computing, software systems are no longer installed and run on a single machine, but rather they are accessed through the internet from various devices and locations. This is the so called “single tenant system”, which is a radically different paradigm from the early on-site installations. This has led to the development of new guidelines and regulations for validating cloud-based software systems, such as the FDA’s “Guidance for Industry: Cloud Computing and Mobile Medical Applications” in 2013, although one might argue that those models are still outdated given the speed of the advancement of technology and cloud services.

In conclusion, software validation is a critical process in ensuring the accuracy and reliability of data generated by computer systems in highly regulated environments. However, application of outdated validation methods will only led to frustration and failure.

If you are about to embark on a validation process for a SaaS solution but your QA team has only experience on traditional on-site installations, do not rush. Take your time, read the available literature, get familiar with the tools and infrastructure used by your chosen vendor and if necessary, ask for additional budget to ensure the validation is not only successful, but more importantly, relevant.

December 4, 2022June 30, 2023

Simplifying approvals is possible

Simplifying approvals with Twona AMS Feedback tool

Releasing a new product at a specific time can be very important for the results,the time factor will always be something to consider. If we are dealing with a deviation that implies a withdrawal from the market, speeding up the changes will be even more critical and always with several departments involved.

The approvals of our packaging materials have been traditionally managed via email in two different ways:

Serial process: in sequence you ask for feedback to different stakeholders and when one material is approved the next step can begin consecutively.
Parallel process: we ask for feedback to different stakeholders in different departments at the same time.

When we talk about approvals there are usually at least 3 departments involved, for example regulatory affairs, marketing, quality or your technical colleagues. As many people we need feedback from,the more difficult the email process becomes.

It is not impossible, but it certainly takes a lot more effort to find, trace and control the process, not to mention the increased probability of errors and the delay it can cause.

How does your company manage approvals among departments? What about when there are external stakeholders involved in the process like a printer?

This is how we handle approvals within our artwork management software (AMS), Twona:

Select the file: we select in our system the file from which we need feedback from. The file with unique identifier associated with a single project:
Fill in the form: where we specify the permissions that you can see below, the subject, the recipients and we include our comments to give it context.
Receive email: stakeholders, within our organisation or external users, will receive an email to access the approval screen and give their feedback.
Review file (s): here we can leave comments in the text field or leave sticky notes in the file itself, we can also add files if necessary as well as give our approval or rejection eventually.
Control approvals: in Twona (AMS) there is a direct access in the upper menu to the approvals with the necessary indications to know the status of the process.

Once you work this way, there comes a time when you wonder how you were able to manage so many approvals without making mistakes.

This is how we manage the packaging materials together with the comparisons tool (X-RAY) and everything offered by the artwork management software, Twona, but that’s another story.

I wonder how you resolve this process today and I invite you to leave us your comments.

Do you miss any relevant information or step for your approvals?

PS: Do you want to give it a try?? www.twonas.com/getapprovals (limited usage applies)

November 30, 2022January 24, 2023

Top 3 Compliance Risks Involving Packaging (and How to Prevent Them)

The packaging world shakes hands with a plethora of different industries; Pharmaceutical, Fast Moving Consumer Goods, Food & Beverage, Cosmetics, etc. Each industry has its own unique working environment, including unique hazards that come with each. But any industry that deals with packaging shares some overlapping risks. Here are the top three compliance risks for packaging, and one potential solution that can take them all on.

The Three Monsters:

1. Recalls

Anyone involved in the packaging world knows the dreaded word “recall.” Some have had the misfortune of dealing with this problem head on, and others have only heard through the grapevine about the steep consequences that must be faced when dealing with a recall.

A recall is peculiar in that one seemingly microscopic misprint can make the difference between a successfully launched product and millions of dollars worth of logistics rollback and untold damage to quality and reputation. The consequences of recalls have short term immediate impact as well as long term ramifications, such as sanctions.

2. Process Risks

A process risk, while often less blunt than a recall, can have more subtle and extended impact, which makes them more dangerous in that they are easier to overlook. Process risks involve a failure to follow established processes. In the packaging world, an example of this could be as simple as skipping a step in the validation process for the design of a new pamphlet.

Photo by UX Indonesia

process with postits — Photo by **UX Indonesia**

When process risks become habitual the potential for heavier risks (such as recalls) increases, productivity can decline, and the quality of output can suffer, overtime causing damage to the bottom lineand more importantly to the vital structures that keep companies afloat.

3. Illegal Practices

The risk of illegal practices is in many ways self explanatory. Everyone would like to believe that their company is immune to such risk, but illegal practices are not exclusively intentional. More often than not illegal practices take place unknowingly and are a result of the mismanagement of processes or resources.

In terms of packaging, unintentional illegal practices can take the shape of mislabelling, mismanagement, and nonobservance of legal requirements.

What causes these risks?

While there are varying factors that enhance the probability of the risks above, it is clear that the three risks share some common threads. Miscommunication is a likely cause in many errors attributed to recalls, process risks, or illegal mishaps, and can be an ill-fated result of disorganization with an individual or team, lack of transparency for the proper parties, or workflow inconsistencies. Time Pressure is another phenomenon that those involved in packaging design are intimately familiar with. The rush to get to the shelf can often mean that safekeeping processes are overlooked and corners are cut to decrease the amount of time it takes to start seeing a return on investment.

Photo by Kenny Eliason

Photo of a sand clock — Photo by **Kenny Eliason**

Completely eliminating these risks may not be possible, but companies can create some mitigation strategies to lower the probability of these occurrences.

One Solution to Rule Them All – Online Artwork Management Tools

While the root causes of compliance risks may seem intimidating at a glance, the good news is that these issues can be prevented with proper support. In today’s technological age there is a wide range of Artwork Management Systems (AMS) that boost communication efficiency and workflow organization through a plethora of verification, workflow management, and proofing tools. By using an AMS, companies are able to support the artwork design process by eliminating old manual processes and lengthy back and forth email exchanges with different parties.

But what really makes an AMS so interesting for organizations? You can find some of the well-known benefits below.

Organize communication and create one source of truth

Create one centralized artwork repository containing all versions, which is accessible at any time.
Eliminate back and forth email exchanges and communicate about the project within the project itself.
Allow for internal and external feedback and approvals, tracking status, comments and confirmations to be accessed in one single place.
Record full audit trails of what happens with the project from briefing to print.

Increase workflow visibility

Identify & eliminate bottlenecks in your workflow process, see where improvements are needed most.
Track KPIs & gain actionable insights, visualize your workflow and prevent process errors.

Streamline approvals

Share files of any size, no more inbox limits.
Request feedback approvals from internal and external stakeholders on the right version.
Return annotated files and attach new ones for changing purposes.
Visualize all approvals from one single place.

Give you the power of proofing

Gain a clear view of changes in packaging done through different versions (text & graphic) and reduce the need to inspect manually.
Red line overlapping documents and also x-ray side by-side comparisons.
Download proofing reports.
Comment directly on documents, where multi-user notes combine together.

Automate and integrate to eliminate redundant tasks

Set automatic notifications.
Integrate with other tools to speed up processes.

Do the reasons above sound like something that would make your process easier, and give you the peace of mind that your company requires? If the answer is yes, you may be a good fit for an AMS.

Compliance Risks are Nothing to Fear

Compliance risks are an ever present obstacle that anyone in the packaging industry must stay vigilant against. But that doesn’t mean that they are insurmountable. With proper workflow transparency and consistency, compliance risks are easily mitigated. If you’re ever in fear, you can depend on AMS and other solutions to save the day.

Published by Twona: Twona is a multi-faceted packaging specialist company with 20 years of experience in software solutions and packaging design. Twona’s flagship product Twona AMS has helped companies worldwide organize and streamline their packaging design process. You can start a free trial of Twona AMS today by clicking the following link , or request a demo now.

November 14, 2022February 3, 2023

System Connectivity – inspiration to manage your Artworks

Nowadays we have tools that help us manage our Artworks. The two major ones being:

Artwork Manager – guarantees the correct identification of our Artworks, avoiding duplicity, and respecting fundamental rules for the industry (Good Manufacturing Practice (#GMP) , offers a unique identifier, traceability, archive of all files, … amongst others
Quality tool that allows us to review the final product through comparison. These comparisons can be at the graphical level between two artwork versions, or review of a text with the design, i.e. content check.

Both tools have evolved over time to improve and cover all possible use cases and maximize processes on a tool level. The next step would be to talk about #connectivity at a few levels:

Connectivity with external parties – allow third parties (e.g providers, printing companies, clients) to interact with our tools. An example is an #approvals system where we ask for feedback about a specific Artwork. External users can approve/reject these and leave their comments and attach files, completing the review process.
Connectivity amongst the different tools we use, a.k.a #integration. This is controlled through automation platforms, from a wide range of programs, which we can make “talk to each other” to generate a specific action. The possibilities are countless, some examples of this potential are: automate your inbox; administer a project; Artchive and make security copies of work ; notifications and alerts; monitoring ; client support; reports, graphics and control panels; web design; accounting and invoicing;

If your current system is isolated from the external world, or you think integration of your applications is possible, this is the time to change your AMS and open your eyes to the sea of possibilities that integration platforms have to offer.

October 4, 2022February 3, 2023

Remote work is here… to stay?

Photo by Nelly Antoniadou - image of small scrabble like letters in black wooden pieces, saying Work from home — *Photo by Nelly Antoniadou*

Unfortunately, change sometimes comes hand in hand with a crisis, of different types. The last change in the working environment had as a catalyst a sanitary crisis.

Even though it is of course true that not all jobs can be performed remotely, a great percentage of these only require a computer connected to the internet. Although it did not go without difficulties, imagine how this pandemic would have looked like for us 20 years ago!

Would have you been able to do your job from home 20 years ago?

If you go back in time … do you remember the amount of paper that was used at the time, that needed to be archived… a large room with the photocopiers, maybe even a fax… using telephone for everything, and access to an intranet with servers in the same building?

I have been working from home for a while and I feel confident that I have all the documentation I need and that the servers we use are on the cloud. If you work with Artworks and think there is some room for improvement for your process or moving to more modern technologies, I invite you to have a look at us.

There are many pros and cons about remote working depending on your activity and job environment . Working remotely you avoid unnecessary travel back and forth to your office, although it is true that sometimes that commute also helped “disconnect”. You remove distractions with chit chat and extra long breaks to talk to people. But the job is more isolated, and sometimes there are meetings where an email was enough (although that also happened in the “real” world).

In my view, there is still a process before the job environment adapts to this new paradigm, where there are many possibilities: mixed formats and phased approaches for new hires, etc.

Similarly, it is important that regulation comes to place for those remote / home workers based on what this means for their economies: support for extra expenses (utilities for instance). If you are working from home and are new to this topic, make a search around legislation that has been approved/promoted in this respect .

This article is not a fear monger about what would happen if we are forced again to all work/stay at home; on the contrary, the article is a praise to the fast adaptation of many companies in a difficult situation, demonstrating how agile they could be to make sure they could work as usual in a changing world, from one day to the next.

Do you think remote work has come to stay?

September 17, 2022January 24, 2023

How we manage our marketing projects

Photo by Twona
Image of Twona AMS system showing artwork uploaded and options for artwork details, project, preview and communication with messages — Photo by *Twona*

A few months ago, we were contacted by the marketing team of one of our Pharmaceutical clients to check if our solution could help them process their work, collaborate, and get approvals in a simpler manner than what they currently do. Our response was that yes, of course it can! You know why we know it? Because we use it ourselves!

In my role as Marketing manager, we use Twona to process our design deliverables. Like in many other companies with a small department, we used to handle everything through Slack/Google Chat or email, and store the files in drive. Since our type of work is very similar to what our clients are using for packaging designs, we also needed a better way to discuss things that are not lost in a myriad of chat messages, approvals of the work, and an organized archive of all the versions and easy tracking of the final approved one.

Using the system has proven a much better way to manage all this process.

Everyone in the team has access to it, and can find the latest version of a logo, a linkedin graphic or a brochure. Our project structure and naming convention help with this, even if the file itself would be called something generic, it is easy to find it with the search functionality.
We created a simple project workflow that fits our needs as a small team. Now, I get an overview of all the open projects, which ones are for review, or need attention, and can manage and rearrange the priorities better.
There are clear deadlines and assignment of responsibilities.
When the team is low on work, they can easily take older, less priority projects without these being forgotten, and without losing time.
Everyone involved gets notifications when something comes their way, so either to take a look at the information before a briefing meeting/discussion, or to go review the uploaded designs.
All communication related to a project and all files linked to it are in one place, so if we want to go back to something, it is always available.
Creating new design requests based on earlier files is much faster now, without having to re-attach all files to an email or include links. Also we can hide attachments that are no longer relevant, avoiding risk of using the wrong information.
We have no limitation on what to store so also high resolution and raw files can be included, in case someone else needs to work on those later.
We are able to send files safely for review through the tool to external parties such as partners or printers, always knowing that we are choosing the right files.
As we can leave annotations in the files, or attach other documents, the designers know what to change, and anyone (this is our choice) can access the feedback, so if a person is sick, someone else can take up the work without much of an issue as all the files are there, and all the notes/changes requested are also included in one place.
We can review that all changes requested have been made, or that the printer has not introduced anything strange when sending the final print proof, by using the native comparison tool.

Moreover, the team is happy with using Twona AMS for our own marketing projects, and it was a quick and simple transition for us.

We have made small adjustments as we progressed and introduced different types of projects, to be able to put projects on hold, or make material available for our partners, amongst others.

If you are considering a more organized way to manage your communication and collaboration around marketing projects, check out Twona and see if it can be of help for your team too!