Case Examples
Building a Modular Product Platform to Reduce Complexity and Accelerate Innovation
Case Details
A global leader in healthcare education products set out on a three-year journey to introduce and anchor modularization across the organization. The program spanned the full spectrum—from strategic direction to the design of modular product platforms and into the daily processes that keep them alive.
Because modularization is often seen as an abstract idea, it was made tangible through teardown workshops, customer-centric configurators, and concrete examples drawn from practice. Development and digital teams were deeply involved, learning how to apply modularization themselves and building capabilities that would last.
At the heart of the journey was a user-centric mindset: simplifying the portfolio and development processes without reducing customer value, and proving how modularization can both cut complexity and accelerate innovation while keeping market needs in focus.
Problem
- Slow development cycles
- High portfolio complexity
- No modularization approach
- Siloed teams
Objective
- Scalable modular architecture
- Less complexity, same customer value
- Enable teams to apply modularization
- Faster innovation & time-to-market
Results
- New modular portfolio architecture
- 30% less complexity
- Pipeline of product improvement ideas
What made the Difference
Critical Success Factors
Challenge
Solution
Modularization seen as abstract concept
Made modularization tangible with real products and concrete examples
Fear of losing customer value and uniqueness
Applied design thinking, starting from customer value and working back—not just from the technical side
Siloed organization with fragmented knowledge
Brought together cross-functional teams, shared knowledge, and built one joint approach
Customer Voice
"We started out skeptical, but soon saw how modularization really works for us. We learned a lot, enjoyed the collaboration, and now have tools we can keep using."
Turning Market & Tech Signals into a Product Feature Pipeline for Parcel Logistics Systems
Case Details
Parcel logistics is changing fast. New packaging materials, automation options, and service models are reshaping what systems must deliver.
The question was how logistics systems need to evolve in concrete features that reflect both customer needs and technological possibilities. International parcel trends and future scenarios were analyzed, and the system was broken down into subfunctions. Each was compared with customer requirements and competitor products to pinpoint where differentiation and new design options could emerge. Customer visits played a central role. In hubs across Europe and Asia it became clear what operators truly need and where systems reach their limits.
The outcome was a focused feature pipeline and a development roadmap, supported by market volume estimates and revenue forecasts for individual customer groups.
Problem
- No clear view of international parcel trends
- Uncertain impact of new parcel formats on systems
- Fragmented customer requirements across markets
Objective
- Understand how parcel and technology trends affect logistics systems
- Derive concrete product requirements from these trends
- Validate priorities directly with customers
Results
- Detailed fact base linking parcel trends to system requirements
- Validated technical feature pipeline with clear priorities
- Market volume estimates and revenue forecasts
What made the Difference
Critical Success Factors
Challenge
Solution
Parcel trends unclear, only anecdotal signals.
On-site audits and customer visits delivered quantified parcel profiles.
Impact on system performance not measurable.
Technical system was broken into functions; mechanics analyzed with KPIs like throughput and rejects.
Limited basis for product and investment decisions.
Roadmap framework tied technical impact to revenue priorities.
Customer Voice
"What stood out was the level of technical guidance — clear recommendations on how to adapt our system. The site visits made the insights credible. And along the way, we discovered new customer requirements and revenue opportunities."
From Ideas to Actionable AI: Detailing Shopfloor Use Cases - Ready to Implement
Case Details
Plants had seen many slide decks about what artificial intelligence could do. What was missing was a realistic view of where it truly makes sense, how results can be measured, what it costs, and who to build it with.
Each idea was enriched with the essential details to judge viability—data availability and quality, required tools and integrations, estimated effort and cost, and partner or make-or-buy options. For every use case, the outcome was a clear go or no-go with reasons, grounded in the current state of the art rather than promises. Examples included work-plan analysis, a maintenance knowledge base or energy-consumption forecasting.
Equally important, shopfloor teams gained a practical understanding of artificial intelligence: what is achievable today, what is not, and when a problem is better solved by process or system improvements. This creates confidence about where to start and how to implement.
Problem
- Many AI ideas, but vague and not concrete
- Frustration due to unclear value and feasibility
Objective
- Distill many ideas into a few implementable cases
- Enable teams to understand and identify AI use cases
Results
- Shortlist of high-value, ready-to-implement use cases
- Clear descriptions with impact, tools, and costs
- Stronger capability across teams to apply AI
What made the Difference
Critical Success Factors
Challenge
Solution
Ideas were superficial, lacking technical depth for implementation.
Detailed descriptions defined functions, data needs, front- and backend design, costs, and partners
Domain experts knew their machines but had little access to AI concepts.
Explained cases in a way that was understandable without mathematics
Too many vague ideas created confusion and no clear priorities.
Validated and filtered ideas into a handful of realistic, high-value cases, enriched with concrete examples
Customer Voice
"We were tired of consulting slides on AI — this time it was different: technically detailed, realistic, and a real learning experience for our experts, showing what we can implement and where the limits are."
From Experiment to Business: Building a Concrete Path into Additive Manufacturing
Case Details
A traditional toolmaker had experimented with additive manufacturing technology but lacked a concrete plan on how to expand it into a business field.
The question was not only about running a machine, but how to industrialize AM: which applications make sense? which customers and partners are needed? what investments are required and how to build AM as part of the company’s portfolio?
Through a broad application screening, industry-specific knowledge, and fast, detailed analysis, the foundation for a realistic strategy was created.
The result was a clear plan for expanding the business field — with prioritized applications, partner ecosystem, and investment roadmap – giving the company confidence to move forward – and that delivered in few weeks.
Problem
- AM experiments existed, but no plan for industrialization
- Unclear which applications, customers, and partners to target
- No roadmap for building AM into a business field
Objective
- Screen a broad range of AM applications in toolmaking
- Define how to industrialize AM as part of the business portfolio
- Design the required ecosystem of customers, partners, and investments
- Create a fast, detailed plan to expand the business field
Results
- Shortlist of viable AM applications with industry-specific use cases
- Business model and ecosystem defined with customers, partners, and investments
- Roadmap for scaling AM from single experiments to industrialized business
What made the Difference
Critical Success Factors
Challenge
Solution
Lack of clarity on how to move from experimenting to scaling AM.
Structured application screening combined with industry benchmarks delivered a focused set of opportunities.
No business model or ecosystem for AM adoption.
Linked technical evaluation with business cases — combining engineering depth with cost, value, and ROI perspectives.
Need for speed and actionable detail, not abstract concepts.
Delivered a pragmatic, detailed roadmap with concrete steps, enabling immediate implementation.
Customer Voice
„I was impressed by how quickly we moved from ideas to a clear business model with investment plan and ecosystem design. The tech expertise in the details, and pragmatism made the difference.”
Our Strength
Why we are different
- We are paid to HELP – not to generate Powerpoint.
- We go into the technical details that matter for problem solving
- We customize our approach and don’t believe in one-size-fits-all.
- We help with implementation and love simple, practical and pragmatic solutions
