In this series, learners gain a holistic understanding of how packaging moves from concept to production by exploring the interconnected disciplines of structural design, graphic design, and pre-press. The session provides a practical, end-to-end view of how packaging is designed, engineered, refined, and prepared for manufacturing—highlighting the critical cross-functional alignment needed to ensure accuracy, efficiency, and production success.
Susie Stitzel
Director of Product Management for Design & 3D Solutions
Esko
Susie Stitzel is Esko’s Director of Product Management for Design & 3D Solutions. Susie has more than 25 years of experience in the design, prepress, printing, and packaging industries. Her roles have covered a wide spectrum of the industry, including design and prepress management, customer training and support, product management and strategy development. Susie is completely passionate about packaging – to the point that her family will no longer shop with her. She has assisted universities and schools with their packaging curriculum and has enjoyed serving on the Advisory Board for the School of Packaging at Michigan State University. Susie is a frequent speaker at industry events, including the HOW Design and FUSE conferences, the Paperboard Packaging Council, the Brand Protection Conference, the Sustainable Packaging Coalition and for the Product Development and Management Association (PDMA). She can be reached via e-mail at: susie.stitzel@esko.com.
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5.1 Supply Chain and Design Overview – Learning Objectives
Students will explore the complexities of the packaging supply chain and gain a clear understanding of its phases.
5.1 Supply Chain and Design Overview – Video Lesson
Open to view video. | 3 minutes
Open to view video. | 3 minutes
This lesson focuses on the supply chain's role in the prepress process. It discusses how material sourcing, lead times, vendor relationships, and logistics can affect the overall prepress and printing timelines. You will understand how supply chain efficiency and coordination are vital to ensuring the availability of materials, which directly impacts print schedules and costs. Additionally, this lesson provides a broad overview of the prepress process and its significance in packaging production. You will explore the role of prepress in ensuring that designs are print-ready and how it acts as a crucial bridge between the design and production stages. It highlights the importance of accuracy, efficiency, and quality control in the prepress workflow.
5.1 Supply Chain and Design Overview – Assessment
5 Questions | Unlimited attempts | 11/14 points to pass
5 Questions | Unlimited attempts | 11/14 points to pass
5.2 Structural Design - Learning Objectives
This lesson introduces the core principles of structural design, covering the information designers must gather, the workflow from requirements to prototyping, and common challenges such as equipment limitations and right-sizing. Students will learn how structural design supports efficient production, transportation, and product protection.
5.2 Structural Design - Video Lesson
Open to view video. | 5 minutes
Open to view video. | 5 minutes
In this lesson, you will dive into the structural design considerations for packaging. This includes understanding how packaging must be designed for functionality, durability, and aesthetic appeal. The focus is on how structural design affects the prepress process, including die lines, folding patterns, and materials selection that all need to be optimized before printing.
5.2 Structural Design - Assessment
5 Questions | Unlimited attempts | 11/14 points to pass
5 Questions | Unlimited attempts | 11/14 points to pass
5.3 Graphic Design - Learning Objectives
This series covers the fundamentals of graphic design for packaging, including how consumer behavior shapes design choices, the workflow from branding to proofs, and key technical requirements like file formats, resolution, and regulatory compliance. Students will also learn the importance of collaborating with structural designers for accurate die-lines and how to avoid common pitfalls such as layout errors and improper ink choices.
5.3 Graphic Design - Video Lesson
Open to view video. | 8 minutes
Open to view video. | 8 minutes
This lesson addresses the critical aspects of graphic design specific to packaging. Students will explore the challenges of adapting design elements for different packaging formats, ensuring color consistency, and dealing with printing limitations such as ink coverage and resolution. Understanding how graphic design interacts with printing technologies is crucial to avoid costly mistakes during production.
5.3 Graphic Design - Assessment
5 Questions | Unlimited attempts | 11/14 points to pass
5 Questions | Unlimited attempts | 11/14 points to pass
5.4 Pre-Press and Layout - Learning Objectives
This lesson introduces the essential components of pre-press and layout, covering required inputs, key processes like pre-flighting and trapping, and the workflow for building accurate die-line–based layouts. Students will also learn techniques for optimizing sheet use and strategies for preventing common production issues such as ghosting, bleed errors, and uneven ink distribution.
5.4 Pre-Press and Layout - Video Lesson
Open to view video. | 12 minutes
Open to view video. | 12 minutes
The final lesson focuses on layout considerations, teaching learners how to optimize the arrangement of graphic elements, text, and images on a page for maximum print efficiency. This includes managing print space, bleed areas, margins, and how the layout process can affect material usage, printing costs, and overall production efficiency. Students will be introduced to industry-standard pre-flighting tools and techniques used to identify potential issues such as missing fonts, incorrect file formats, and improper color profiles before sending files to print.
5.4 Pre-Press and Layout - Assessment
5 Questions | Unlimited attempts | 11/14 points to pass
5 Questions | Unlimited attempts | 11/14 points to pass
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