In the final weeks and days prior to launch, the new product development (NPD) process comes under its greatest strain. Typically, activities have already started to run over time during the concept and feasibility phases despite best efforts to remain on schedule. The race is then on to move each product through the key activities of pack copy generation, final artwork sign-off and first production and print runs. In this race to launch ODIN Sprint can mean the difference between winning and losing.
ODIN Sprint is part of a suite of modules, which make up ODIN – a platform used for managing all new product development activities within a business.
ODIN Sprint is designed to provide a combination of pre-defined best practice workflows with industry-leading software capability to rapidly reduce the time and cost associated with the brand artwork and graphics process. Importantly, it also provides simplified processes at SKU level to easily implement artwork-only amendments. ODIN Sprint delivers highly efficient graphics process management to FMCG brand owners. The module provides control and visibility of the process and structured storage of all artwork files.
Business benefits
Your business will benefit from:
- Improved speed and reduced cost in the graphics process
- Reduced errors in ever-increasing packaging complexities associated with sign-posting product nutrition
- Greater brand/sub brand awareness and control within briefings
- Right-first-time approach
- Improved briefing reducing costly artwork re-works
- Support for greater volumes of artwork-only NPD
- More accurate metrics to support continuous improvement of the process
Bringing ODIN Sprint to life
Kraft is a leading global brand owner with sales in excess of $1bn. LU biscuits, founded in 1850, is one of the greatest success stories in the French food industry. Kraft has worked with SBT on the LU brands since 2005. The application of the ODIN Sprint module has been rolled out across much of Western and Eastern Europe as Kraft has realised the benefits from having a more controlled launch process, online artwork annotation and flexible critical paths.
Improving operational activities through:
- Intelligent imports to take information from other applications if required
- Control and automated application of print briefs
- Ability to collaborate and annotate graphics files online, in real-time, in either a linear, parallel or mixture of both sequencing
- Artwork template configuration and semi-automated graphics creation
- A highly flexible additional approval cycle for reworks
- Check-list functionality for key activity sign off
- Simple ‘to do’ items home page
The Sprint solution includes the following sub modules:
Brief Generator: a key element of the design process for all new products is the format and content of the many briefs used. ODIN Sprint provides a proven set of industry best practice brief templates for adoption by a brand owner. Standard brief templates include generic and SKU specific print specifications, design briefs, photography briefs, graphics briefs and master copy document briefs. These briefs are used in combination with the graphics workflow to collect and disseminate information.
Online Annotations: the ODIN Framework supports the use of online collaboration. This enables ODIN Sprint to include a state-of-the-art solution for enabling electronic artwork development and sign off. A graphics file can be dispatched to a number of users in parallel rather than a serial form and all stakeholders see annotations in real-time.
This online approval engine provides all users with the capabilities to view assets and comment on graphics files using a collaborative and highly functional tool set. You can also review previous artworks, just highlight the changes that have been made subsequently to the file or toggle between them. This substantially cuts time to market as clients only need check the difference between the previous and subsequent file as opposed to checking the entire file. These annotations and approvals are all managed using ODIN Sprint Graphics Tracker system.
Graphics Tracker: the approval of graphics particularly requires flexibility in the workflow dependent on the nature of the requested changes. Graphics Tracker meets this challenge by incorporating a simple-to-use configurable approval processor. This provides the approver with a very quick method to add a further set of approval stages for sign-off within the best practice template. This has proved invaluable in ensuring ODIN Sprint delivers a workable solution.