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The first thing I hear consistently from people who are new to packaging projects is that they want a high level road map that helps them understand how to navigate each step of the process. 

So, as a packaging expert who has managed countless projects, here are the key milestones to plan for as you kick off your packaging project.

Step 1: Project Kick Off. 

While it may seem obvious, the first step to any packaging project is a kick off meeting with your packaging partner to help them understand the scope of the project, your expectations around the design and what the packaging needs to accomplish from both a marketing and logistical perspective. 

This is your opportunity to give your partner all the information they need to ensure your product roll out comes to life the way you want it to. Be sure to touch on all the following topics:

What needs to go in the package?

What are you envisioning in terms of package size, shape, and material?

How much wear and tear does the package need to be able to withstand?

What sort of unboxing experience do you want to achieve for the end customer?

What is your target cost per unit? 

What is the overall timeline and when do designs need to be locked to meet the final delivery deadline?

Step 2: Design Review.

The next step after the project kickoff is design review. When initial designs are ready your packaging partner will schedule time to present a proposed prototype. If you haven’t already provided your supplier with samples of the product going in the package, now is time to make sure you have the product on hand test fit. You never know how many iterations of design review it will take to reach a final design with so it’s a good idea to factor in as much time as possible for this phase of development. 

Another important thing to keep in mind as you are reviewing prototypes is that while your sample may be produced locally, mass production may take place overseas.  Be sure to confirm that the prototype matches final production items.

Step 3: Testing

The testing phase is your chance to put your prototype through everything that your mass produced packages will encounter. If you are on a tight timeline it may be tempting to skip this step, but perhaps the most important expert tip I can offer is this: don’t!

Until you have put your prototype through the paces, you can’t be sure that your product will show up at its final destination undamaged. In many cases you’ll find that you need to make adjustments like tweaking the structure of the package or adding a protective film to the product to ensure the product gets into your customers’ hands in good-as-new condition.

Step 4: Artwork Approval

Once you have finalized the packaging structure your partner will typically send you die lines that your creative team can use to build final mechanical files. After providing final mechanicals you should expect to receive either a digital or physical proof showing final artwork.

Typically, the most critical thing to manage at this stage is making sure the colors on the package match your designs. The best way to do this is to provide your supplier with a sample of the color you want them to match and to assign someone to be on site during print production to approve packages within a specified range of color.

Step 5: Mass Production

Congrats! You have reached the final step when all the hard work and planning you put in is about to pay off. At this point, you should be able to sit back and relax. Something may come up that ignites a momentary fire but as long you followed all the steps above, it should be a small fire. 

Follow the steps above and it should be smooth sailing from here on out!

Good luck!