Struktur Design: Intelligent problem-solving from Sweden

Design that works. As simple as that may sound, the reality is that there are numerous factors that play into the determination of a certain design as ‘successful’. That’s something the award-winning team behind Struktur Design is acutely aware of when crafting solutions for the business needs of their clients and the benefit of their end users.

With over 30 years of experience in sectors ranging from forestry and mining to MedTech, the Struktur Design team is a tightly-knit group of industrial designers (and problem-solvers). Whether they’re faced with big or small challenges, the team always consider functionality, longevity and quality to create the best solution possible. Even when clients don’t quite know what the solution should look like.

“Sometimes we’re brought on board to meet more obvious client needs, like designing an ergonomic and functional joystick for a construction machine, or a smart, sleek-looking conference phone for a boardroom,” explains founder and CEO Johan Gustafsson. “However, at other times, the issue may be more abstract than that. And in those cases, we must first identify what the real problem is, which is something we do in tandem with clients”.

Covering the basics

In any project, the start-up phase is crucial. This is something the team prides itself on – spending time getting to know the core values of the client and user habits. By taking this approach, the Struktur Design team can see the bigger picture and use their specialist skills to define the task at hand. After all, it’s about the product as much as the market.

“Before we start creating, we tend to study how a product is generally used as this can give us helpful insights and reveal unexpected hurdles”, tells Nikita Golovlev who is a partner at Struktur Design. “This is where our expertise shines bright, shadowing users to see for ourselves how things work. It’s where the real design process begins.”

“We also look at our clients’ vision for the future and use that to frame a solution around the experience of a potential product. Essentially, we create with two receivers in mind. One is the client and business itself and one is the end-user of said product,” adds Gustafsson.

The Struktur Design team creates carefully crafted designs with the user in mind.

Flexibility is key

Struktur Design’s adaptable style of working helps the team discover new, perhaps unexpected USPs for clients to latch onto. It’s an organic approach that brings together the best of two worlds – design that works as well as profitability for the business. As part of this, it is also important for the design to sit in line with the business’ values and suit its means of production.

“We don’t offer any pre-packaged services, even our team is customised to suit specific projects and client needs,” says Golovlev. “I’d say our flexibility and understanding of the bigger picture are the main reasons why clients choose to team up with us. They know that the final product will be a true reflection of their business and that is something incredibly valuable”.

Meet the bear

Asked what animal best describes Struktur Design’s values and personality, Gustafsson explains that the business is much like a bear. “A bear is powerful yet reliable and caring, just like us. We care deeply about our clients’ and users’ situations, and we do everything with intelligence and softness,” he says.

The team at Struktur Design has a clear idea of what success looks like. Receiving awards like the Red Dot, IF Award and Good Design is one form of assurance, but the ultimate proof of great design is that clients’ products are loved by users and contribute to the economic growth of their business.

To sum up the team’s approach – there should always be a balance between a product’s functionality and longevity. Because when design really works, all aspects benefit, be it ergonomics, the environment or business growth. And that is something that the team behind Struktur Design has done successfully for decades – and will continue to do into the future too.

Web: www.strukturdesign.se