Packaging Science

Technical writing can be defined as such, "Technical writing is the process of communication in a professional setting to ensure the most efficient transfer of information in the most clear and concise way possible so that there are no misunderstandings."

In packaging science, it is crucial that the data conveyed through writing is as clear and accurate as possible. In this field, there are countless measures and data points that are all crucial to the end product and must be documented accurately to avoid error, misunderstanding, and in turn profitability. 

In relation to ASTM standards, we see that all of the data and instructions located in the document are of high quality and meticulously written. By holding them to this standard of professionalism, they ensure that there are no misunderstandings.

1. Memos

Memos are a brief and straightforward way to communicate information to a group of people about something in the workplace (“How to Write a Memo in 8 Steps”). In packaging, memos can be used to informally communicate test results, send new package designs, compile research about competitors, or communicate a variety of other information to an employee's direct manager. Memos are generally attached to an email and sent directly to those who would benefit from reading them (most likely a boss or whoever else requested the information).

2. Proposals

A proposal is a comprehensive document that outlines the details of a potential project “including timeline, budget, objectives, and goals” to persuade stakeholders to provide funding ("6 steps for writing a persuasive project proposal"). In packaging, these documents could encompass designing a completely new package, replacing a material in a current package, changing suppliers for monetary or performance reasons, altering the production or shipping process, or even changing graphics. Proposals are most likely to be sent to the employee's direct boss and follow the line of command, so it should be written formally and include all the information that stakeholders would need to decide whether to move forward with the proposed project.

3. Technical Design Documents

Technical design documents are a detailed way to describe and plan a change to a design that can include flowcharts, diagrams, and descriptions ("How to write technical design docs"). In packaging, these documents would include drawings of a package design or labelled images of prototyped designs, flowcharts of manufacturing systems or how machinery will be organized on the floor, and the flow of materials from suppliers and the product to consumers. These are collaborative documents that are likely to be messy and informal.

4. Lab Procedures

Lab procedures are a step-by-step guide for manufacturers to follow to ensure that products are produced/tested according to the company's specifications ("How to Write Standard Work Instructions for Manufacturing"). In addition to manufacturers, lab procedures can also be sent to lab technicians to ensure that they complete testing in the correct way. If manufacturers or lab technicians don't follow the correct procedures, the company can lose a lot of money and waste a significant amount of time. These documents need to be easy to skim and only include the important information. The primary readers have industry-related knowledge, so terms generally do not need to be defined, and it can be assumed that they know the basics of the packaging field.

5. Lab Reports

Lab reports are formal reports that summarize the purpose, methods, materials and results of a series of tests and discuss and draw conclusions from the collected data ("Writing Lab Reports"). While these formal documents are not used often in the industry in favor of a less formal memo report, they are used enough to warrant discussing. These reports should be written like the reader does not know anything about the testing, so every facet of the test should be discussed. 

The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) publishes testing guidelines and procedures for a variety of product types, including packaging. The style guide can be used for those that wish to develop their own test standard for a specific product that isn’t covered by the existing standards. The writer can also refer to other standards for details of samples or how to set up machines to avoid repetition. 

Purpose: To instruct industry professionals doing tests to assess the fragility of a product regarding shock events in transport or other scenarios.

Author: Members of ASTM who write test standards to explain how various tests are done for packaging and a multitude of other products. 

Audience: The primary audience is professionals working for a company who are deciding how a test will be done for their product and determining if their equipment works for the standard. The secondary audience is people (like trained testers working in a lab) who may need to refer to the document briefly for setting up the testing machines or certifying that their samples meet the testing criteria. Other people who might examine the document include students in an academic setting or those who are designing the product (not the package). 

Like ASTM talked about previously, TAPPI (Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry) is an organization that researches, develops, and publishes standardized procedures and writing for professionals within the Pulp and Paper Industry. 

The purpose of TAPPI T494's purpose is to instruct industry professionals on how to use a specific piece of equipment to determine the four tensile breaking properties of paper and paperboard. This standard was written, approved and published by TAPPI. There is no specific author as the standards for these procedure have to be tested multiple times, and approved by various sources at TAPPI to ensure that the information being conveyed to the audience is accurate, and easy to comprehend. The intended audience for this piece of technical writing are industry professionals and lab techs who are trying to decide how to most accurately uncover the tensile properties of paper or paperboard.