packaging design – TwonaBlog

June 5, 2023

Ensuring Regulatory Compliance in your Packaging Artworks

If you follow us in Social Media (if you do not, this is the time! Follow now) you would have seen a quick poll we had where we were asking what are the main challenges you face when launching a new product. Majority of the responses went about “meeting all the regulations”. Indeed, due to the highly regulated industry, pharmaceutical packaging is not a simple one to tackle, and it makes it essential for packaging artwork coordinators to have a good understanding of the complex regulatory requirements governing pharmaceutical packaging. So, what it is exactly you need to pay attention to?

Labeling Requirements

One very important aspect of pharmaceutical packaging compliance is adhering to labeling requirements, which are likely to differ from country to country or region to region. It is crucial to familiarize yourself with the specific regulations governing your target market. Some common labeling elements are:

Drug Name and Strength: to be clearly and prominently displayed on the primary packaging.
Indications and Usage: accurate information regarding the approved indications for use of the medication.
Dosage Instructions: recommended dosage, frequency, and administration route.
Storage Instructions: appropriate storage conditions to maintain the drug’s stability and efficacy.
Expiration Date: expiry date prominently displayed to ensure patients use the medication before it becomes ineffective.

Warning Statements

It is important to include warning statements where applicable, to communicate potential risks and ensure patient safety:

Contraindications: Clearly state any circumstances under which the medication should not be used.
Side Effects: comprehensive list of potential side effects and instructions for managing them.
Allergies: any known allergens or substances that may cause an allergic reaction should be highlighted.
Drug Interactions: if interactions with other medications, supplements, or substances are identified, these need to be mentioned.
Special Populations: these are specific instructions for groups such as pregnant or breastfeeding women, children, or elderly patients, amongst others.

Package Inserts

Package inserts or leaflets provide a wealth of information to patients and healthcare professionals. If you incorporate an insert or leaflet in your product packaging, consider the following:

Information should be organized in a clear and legible manner, using appropriate font sizes and layout.
Comprehensive Product Information: the information provided should not leave doubts to interpretation and should not leave the patient with questions about usage or contraindications.
Provide detailed instructions on dosage, administration, and any special considerations.
List potential side effects, their frequency, and steps to take if they occur.
Include contact details for reporting adverse events or seeking additional information.

Working with Regulatory Agencies

Finally, one way of making sure that you remain compliant with packaging regulations is having a good relationship with regulatory bodies and agencies that lead in your area of operation. You can achieve this by staying up to date with regulatory changes and engaging with the regulatory agencies early in the process to seek guidance and clarification, in a proactive manner. In order to do this, you will need to identify the right contacts in the regulatory agency, and maintain open communication lines so that when you have comments, queries or concerns, you do not loose valuable time trying to find the right person to answer. Also important is to be acquainted with their submission timelines, so when you need to submit artworks and documentation for approval, no deadlines are missed and approvals are provided in time. This is very relevant since failing to reach approval deadlines can mean that your product will no go to market when planned, with the implications of costs and process loss that this entails. When submitting these, not only timing is important, but you should also pay attention to the accuracy of all materials (artworks, texts,…) so that there is no way they are sent back/rejected. Finally, it is important that you realize that being in this industry means that you will be audited periodically; this means that maintaining comprehensive records, documentation, and an organized system for tracking changes on your artworks is of main importance!

Although the landscape of pharmaceutical packaging regulations is complex, using best practices and understanding these key areas would make your work much easier, ensuring that you safely and effectively delivery medications to patients worldwide.

May 22, 2023May 22, 2023

Transparency in packaging

If you are following packaging trends this year, one that stood out to me was the use of transparent packaging. With all the information that normally comes together on a product packaging, I feel that using a transparent one can be a big challenge for brands. However, I can see how using it also has a few advantages, which may outgrow the difficulties when it comes to sales and brand adherence.

Why would you should consider using transparent packaging, you ask? I bring you a few ideas on why this may be important for your product:

design award pasta https://competition.adesignaward.com/design.php?ID=52197

Having a clear packaging allows customers to “peek” into the product before purchasing, so they are able to better identify product ingredients, colors, texture, format… which can help verify that it meets their expectations and guide their buying decision. What you see is then what you get, there is no room for interpretation.
A transparent packaging transforms the product itself in a visual element of the packaging design. For the beauty and cosmetics markets, where the product is often visually appealing, creating an idea of luxury, having transparent packaging can help drive more attention on to the shelves. But other industries have jumped to this wagon lately and food brands have for instance. also been more creative in how they were showing their product inside the packaging, making it stand out in a fun way. See example of Pasta Nikita.
Transparency can create a sense of honesty and openness between the brand and the customer, building up trust in the brand. It gives an idea to the buyer that there is nothing to hide and that your brand believes so much in their product they are showing it to you “naked” from other elements that will distract you from the product itself.
If you are looking at making your product look and feel premium or high-end, transparent packaging is a way to go, as it often gives products a sleek and modern appearance. This can communicate quality and sophistication, which can translate into your ideal customer base and your product price tag.

As mentioned, brands will still need to make sure that they fit all required information into their (transparent) packaging. Here are some ideas on how to make this work:

Use labels in a strategic way, place them where they don’t obstruct the view of the product such as the side or bottom of your packaging, or use smaller labels (using expansible ones).
Print onto the packaging: using screen printing or an inkjet printer that can print directly onto plastic or other materials you can include the information directly into the packaging with color contrast.
What about clear stickers or holograms? These can be attached over the packaging to provide the necessary regulatory details without obstructing the view of the product. This approach can be effective for adding required information, such as product expiration dates or manufacturing details that may be necessary to add at the end point of the printing process, and do not need to have a beautiful design, but be practical.
Use QR Codes to bring customers to less relevant information. Using QR Codes is one of the Smart packaging initiatives that many companies have started using. With limited space, and lots to tell, technology can be your friend and a simple click can bring you to a wealth of information about the product. Think of adding details about the ingredients, giving ideas on recipes to combine with the product, or including information on a contest. Rather than cramping your package with all this, you can easily refer to it on a QR code and direct people to your website.
Use packaging inserts: if online seems a little bit too fancy or your target audience is not that tech savvy, there is always the option for old fashioned paper inserts. Usage instructions, warnings, ingredients, an upcoming event, or a contest… all can be advertised through an insert included inside of the packaging or attached to the outer side of the packaging, as long as it does not obstruct the actual product view.
Use textured packaging: with embossing or debossing on your packaging you will be able to add a texture to it, making it a product customers will want to touch and hold. It is unusual, and it brings an extra sense into the product experience, touch.

There are probably more ideas on how to make a transparent packaging work and still make sure you follow the regulations and include all mandatory information, without losing quality and attractiveness on your product. If you are using something else than the suggestions above, will you let me know? I am really interested in learning more on how to make a product stand out without cluttering the packaging and making your brand show transparency and trustworthiness through it. You can also share examples of transparent packaging that are working out for you/other brands you admire, or that simply made you laugh.

If you are interested in the topic and want to read more about “How seeing products on, or through, the packaging influences consumer perceptions and purchase behavior” take a look at the Oxford published paper here. Enjoy!

May 12, 2023May 12, 2023

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?

April 17, 2023

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

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?

April 13, 2023

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

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

April 5, 2023

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:

Workflow and Version Management: This allows you to create and manage artwork projects, track progress, and maintain a clear version history.
Approval Management: Streamline the approval process by involving all relevant stakeholders, both internal and external, with configurable parallel or serial approval processes.
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.

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.
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.
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:

Your team size
The number of users who will be accessing the platform
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.

April 5, 2023April 5, 2023

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

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.

March 21, 2023

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.

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.

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.

March 10, 2023

Connecting your AMS with APIs

In today’s world of tech wonders, companies require robust and efficient systems to manage their workflows, and packaging design for pharmaceutical and food companies is no exception, specially considering the complexity in the process and the number of stakeholders involved. In order to streamline the process of exchanging information during the different steps of the workflow when more than one system is involved, companies can use REST APIs.

What is a REST API?

REST (Representational State Transfer) API is an interface that allow different software applications to communicate with each other over the internet. REST APIs use HTTP requests to send and receive data, making it easier for software applications to exchange information and interact with each other.

One-directional and Two-directional communication

REST APIs can facilitate one-directional or two-directional communication between different software applications. In one-directional communication, data flows only in one direction, for instance sending an approved artwork to an ERP system. In two-directional communication, data flows both ways, allowing for a more robust exchange of information between different software applications, for instance obtaining a Material Number and providing an approval over a packaging material.

Benefits of using REST APIs for packaging design

REST APIs provide several benefits when it comes to packaging design for pharmaceutical and food companies:

Streamlined workflow: REST APIs can facilitate a streamlined workflow by enabling different software applications to share data with each other. This reduces the risk of data corruption by ensuring a single source of truth. It can also reduce the amount of time and effort required to manage the packaging design process.
Increased efficiency: REST APIs can reduce manual data entry and other repetitive tasks. This can lead to faster turnaround times, improved accuracy, and reduced costs. A good example is a Pharma company working with a CMO. Each have their own AMS and both insist in using their own for quality and audit purposes. Without an API connection, data needs to be entered in both systems, usually triggered by email communication, while an API connection can automate the data sharing process reducing in less manual work.
Improved collaboration: REST APIs can facilitate better collaboration between different teams involved in the packaging design process. For example, designers and printers can use different software applications to work on different aspects of the packaging design process, and REST APIs can be used to share data between these applications, making it easier for team members to work together.

Challenges of implementing REST APIs

While REST APIs can provide several benefits, implementing them can also be challenging:

Compatibility issues: Different software applications may use different data formats, which can make it difficult to share data between them. When such compatibility issues arise, the time and effort required to implement a connection tends to grow.
Security concerns: REST APIs can create security risks if not implemented properly. Companies must ensure that their APIs are secure and that data is encrypted to prevent unauthorized access. A good API connection implementation will always secure protocols to encrypt the data while in transit.
Maintenance: REST APIs require regular maintenance to ensure that they continue to function properly as the different systems involved change over time. Companies may need to allocate resources to maintain their APIs and ensure that they remain up to date with the latest software updates.

REST APIs offer several benefits when it comes to optimising your packaging design workflow. By enabling different software applications to communicate with each other, REST APIs can streamline the process, improve efficiency, and facilitate better collaboration between different teams while reducing manual work and reducing risk.

If you want to know more, check out our public API documentation to see how it can help your process.

March 9, 2023

The Golden DTPr for Pharma Packaging

Desktop Publishing (DTP) specialists play a crucial role in the packaging design process for pharmaceutical products. Sometimes they are called Artworkers, Artwork Specialists or Packaging Specialists. They work with complex design guidelines, technical requirements, and regulatory specifications, and are responsible for creating packaging materials that are both visually appealing and compliant with industry standards. In many cases they also act as Artwork Coordinators to ensure everything goes as planned in the workflow. In order to thrive in this highly regulated and demanding industry, DTP specialists need to possess a specific set of skills and aptitudes.

1. Extreme Attention to Detail

One of the most important skills that a DTP specialist needs to have in the pharmaceutical industry is an extreme attention to detail. Packaging design for pharmaceutical products is a highly regulated field, and even the smallest mistake can have serious consequences. Nobody wants to deal with a product recall or worse, a patient related issue. DTP specialists need to be able to work with complex design guidelines (150 page design guidelines are not uncommon) and technical specifications (working with many different manufacturers across the world), ensuring that their work meets all of the relevant standards and requirements. They also need to be able to spot errors and inconsistencies in their own work, as well as the work of others, and correct them before they become major issues.

In addition to technical accuracy, DTP specialists also need to have a keen eye for design. They need to be able to create packaging materials that are visually appealing and easy to understand for a wide range of audiences, from doctors and pharmacists to patients and their families. This requires a deep understanding of typography, color theory, and layout, as well as an ability to balance form and function in their work.

2. Ability to Work in Unstructured Environments

Another key skill for a DTP specialist in the pharmaceutical industry is the ability to work in unstructured environments. Unlike other industries where workflows are well-defined and standardized, the pharmaceutical industry is highly complex and dynamic and the structure is not always there (unfortunately many organizations still use Excel to manage projects). Workflows are often influenced by many stakeholders, including regulatory bodies, marketing teams, product development teams, and more. Furthermore, many of these stakeholders are external to the team: printers, customers, CMOs, etc. DTP specialists need to be able to navigate these complex workflows, adapting to changes and unexpected challenges as they arise.

This requires a high degree of flexibility and adaptability, as well as an ability to work well under pressure. DTP specialists need to be able to prioritize tasks, manage their time effectively, and communicate clearly with all of the stakeholders involved in the process.

3. Ability to Communicate with a Wide Range of Stakeholders

Finally, a DTP specialist in the pharmaceutical industry needs to be able to communicate effectively with a wide range of stakeholders. This can include everyone from regulatory bodies and marketing teams to product development teams and vendors. In many cases, these stakeholders may not have a deep understanding of the complexities of packaging design for pharmaceutical products or they will have a deep understanding of their specific needs but not of the entire process, which can make communication challenging. Have you ever tried to explain a printing technical requirement to a regulatory affairs professional?

DTP specialists need to be able to translate technical jargon and complex concepts into language that is easy to understand for non-experts. They also need to be able to build relationships with stakeholders, establishing trust and rapport that can help them navigate the complex workflows and regulatory requirements of the industry.

The Golden DTP specialist in the pharmaceutical industry need to possess a specific set of skills and aptitudes in order to thrive in this demanding and complex field. If you are looking to insource your design process or hire a freelancer, make sure they have at least these 3 top skills.

If you cannot find the right candidate, check out our Studio and we can lend a hand.