All design sectors broadly have a similar workflow and approach. As we deep dive into a particular sector, it becomes essential to understand every step and service we can come across. If you are a customer who wants to revamp your packaging or develop new packaging, this will help you to understand which services you would like to avail of and how you can expect the workflow from the design agency.
Often customers get confused with design services and how different services collaborate with each other during the projects. Understanding workflows will help both designers and customers to iron out clear briefs and scope of work. Once, customers understand the workflow well they can expect better timelines and deliverables mapped against each milestone.
POWER OF 4
Packaging Design has the main 4 services which are very important to understand.
All 4 services are dependent on each other hence it becomes very crucial to understand the design workflow.
Branding is a marketing practice in which a company creates a name, symbol or design that is easily identifiable as belonging to the company. This helps to identify a product and distinguish it from other products and services.
Graphics Design is a craft where professionals create visual content to communicate messages by applying visual hierarchy and page layout techniques. Designers use typography and pictures to meet users’ specific needs and focus on the logic of displaying elements in interactive designs, to optimize the user experience.
Structure Design is engineering a protective layer for the product. It is the process of creating a form, material, shape, and experience for target consumers by providing functionality and aesthetics to differentiate the package in the market.
Development is the execution stage of packaging at the manufacturing level. At this stage, packaging goes through feasibility checks and multiple tests & trials to proceed ahead for mass production.
WORKFLOW PHASE -1
It is better to divide the entire process into two-three phases. The first phase is the core of the packaging design process. This determines how your packaging will look and feel both structurally and with graphics. This is the first checkpoint where customers can see physical samples through prototypes. This also helps designers to validate their designs.
It is not necessary that a design agency gets all the services as the scope of work. Most of the brands have their brand identity already developed. In this case, Graphic & Structural designers have to understand the attributes and convert them into their designs.
This workflow explains how three services which are Branding, Graphic Design, and Structural Design go hand in hand. Every second milestone requires collaboration and deliverables for different teams to work on it. This will help the customer to understand where the teams can have overlap for better uniformity in design solutions.
This is an example, explaining how design ideology is transferred from one service to another. It is a butter packaging which started from branding then moved to structure design to graphic design and finally to prototyping which helps in validating the designs.
Sometimes the course of the workflow can be dynamic and design teams have to adapt accordingly. Workflows of different services can be sequential or parallel depending on the scope of work.
WORKFLOW PHASE -2
This phase emphasizes the executional course of packaging. Generally, new product development goes through all the services. It is not necessary for a design agency to get all the services hence the collaboration can become difficult. Most of the projects coming to the design agency end after Phase-1.
Development requires a set of staff who has forte and experience in manufacturing packaging and knows the nitty-gritty of the process. Customers also shy away from the development phase as it requires CAPEX investment and resources for vendor management.
Here is the typical sequential flow which is generally followed for new product development.
The development phase is the most challenging and time-consuming phase as the packaging has to pass different levels of tests and processes at the manufacturing set up. The packaging goes through multiple trials and tests to validate the design for mass production. Often there are revisions in engineering that have to be pre considered while developing timelines.
Development timelines are dependent on design, substrate & manufacturing processes.
OFF THE SHELF
Development just does not mean starting from scratch it also plays the crucial role of identifying vendors and providing consultancy for the right substrate and form. Some customers don't need to design the package from the start and can take the help of the development team to find an appropriate off-the-shelf solution for their current needs. In that case structure design is not required and the project can start from development directly.
This is an example, explaining how off the shelf solution workflow works. It is again a butter packaging which started from finding correct off the shelf packaging and applying graphics on it. This approach helps in faster GTM if there is less order quantity.
The process does not end here, there is a further quality checking process that comes after development. But these two phases are important for designers and packaging engineers to understand as there will be good involvement of their time and effort in this.
Remember that workflows can be dynamic and with every project, a different approach needs to map out to judge better timelines and effort.
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-Amita
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