PRESENTATION GUIDELINES FOR PACKAGING TECHNOLOGY STUDENTS

THE WRITTEN SUBMISSION

Guidelines for the Written Submission

It MUST start with a short executive summary (no more than 300 words) describing the main feature/s of your entry. This summary will be used by the markers and furthermore by the Student Gold Pack Judges to evaluate your ability to clearly understand the major packaging challenges relating to your chosen project brief.


This is a very important and compulsory requirement for your project. Make sure it works for your submission. It is not a 'teaser' to sound mysterious - or even a flamboyant and an overly elaborate introduction of your submission.

It should be a concise, positive description of your packaging idea and concept, stating its main features and how it meets the challenges of the project brief with excellence. Think of how your project would be described in the Student Gold Pack Winners brochure to let someone understand what your proposed packaging solution is and why it has won the award.



The balance of the written submission must be no more than twenty (20) typed pages, single line spacing, excluding diagrams and costings and technical specifications (which should be clearly referenced to in the appendices).



The written submission should be well presented and clearly laid out in a professional manner. The following areas should be considered and discussed in relation to your proposed packaging:



• Marketing Aspects: (included in preliminary report)
Brief background to the market category, brief outline of competitors offerings, application of the 4P’s of marketing to your pack proposal, assessment of how the proposed graphics and pack format meet the marketing objectives, brief outline of current and proposed sales volumes/targets.



• Product Assessment:
(included in preliminary report)
A brief assessment and description of the packaging performance needs of the product, potential hazards, fragility, spoilage, compatibility etc.



• Packaging Specifications:
(included in preliminary report)

The specifications of the current/existing pack should be outlined and those of your proposed solution. The proposed pack solution should consider primary, secondary and tertiary packaging. Explain each pack element and the material selection for each and why the material was selected etc.



• Printing & Graphics:

Print methods explained and selection of method justified, use of colours and design elements to optimise printing, special varnishes or coatings explained and justified



• Manufacturing:


Basic description of manufacturing process of converting the empty pack, with a more detailed description and flow chart describing filling, finishing and collating the packed product for distribution. This section should demonstrate your understanding of efficiencies, challenges and compatibility in the manufacturing and filling process.



• Supply Chain Performance:


Demonstrate your understanding of how the pack flows through the supply chain from converting to ultimate consumer use or consumption of the pack. Ease of handling, distribution, merchandising, consumer use. Optimisation of pallet efficiency should be considered and explained with a pallet layout patter/diagram.



• Pack Testing & Quality Management:


Consider and briefly explain the testing and quality control measures that would be used to ensure adequate performance of the packaging concept (i.e. production line, lab environment, travel testing)



• Legislative Criteria:


Consider and explain the legislative requirements for your chosen product and how these are applied to your packaging concept. A picture of the legislative requirements in your label print layout is most helpful to communicate this.



• Costings:


Basic understanding of costings to be discussed to demonstrate your overall understanding of this, focusing specifically on: is the proposed concept economically viable within its market category? Cost of packaging vs. proposed selling price of the product, i.e the impact of your proposed solution on profitability for the product.



• Environmental Considerations and EPR Targets:


Demonstrate your understanding of Design for Recycling (NB: Refer to PACKAGING SA’s Design for Recycling Booklet – link available on TIPS, HINTS & REFERENCE TAB), the 4R’s of sustainable packaging, communicating with consumers about recycling, highlight the EPR requirements for your chosen product and packaging concept and how well your concept meets these targets.



• Innovation:


Give a clear communication/explanation of your original or unique idea and demonstrate how you are solving a packaging problem with unique thought and concepts. (beware of cut and paste solutions from the internet).



• References:

Remember this is not an academic report (eg for degree purposes) but a practical assessment of functional packaging. Large quantities of research quotes are not needed. Emphasis is on relevance of any quotes / references used to the topic. Show references used in the report text as well as a list at end.

MARK ALLOCATIONS:
You will be awarded marks for the assignment as you progress. Marks will be allocated to your initial packaging concept, your response to project related questions in RBA 2 and/ or RBA 3 and submission of a limited scope preliminary report ( not mock up) before your final report submission. Dates for these events are in your class schedule or will be announced in classes.

Marks earned during the progress of your assignment will count 25% of the total. Your final written and mock-up submission will count for 75% of your final academic mark.