Complete Product Portfolio & Brand Transformation
Innovative, user-focused industrial cleaning solutions.
In 2020, Nilfisk engaged V2 Studios to create a new vision for the cleaning company, which had no established in-house design function.
Beyond this vision, part of our team integrated into Nilfisk's team as their sole design partner to deliver their Next Generation portfolio - providing empathic research, industrial design, user interface design, marketing assets and branding across more than 40 products.
- Future strategic vision
- Portfolio strategy
- Corporate visual identity
- Product design brand language
- Portfolio-wide empathic user research
- Industrial design for 40+ products
- Global engineering collaboration
- User interface strategy
- UX design, testing & implementation
- Value proposition definition & copywriting
- Marketing visuals & communications
- Industrial design & UX guidelines
Future Vision Strategy
We started with a global deep dive into every aspect of the business and its customers – from customer training, to service and sales teams, looking to understand internal decision making, manufacturing processes and new product development pipelines.
Tasked with showing what the future could look like, rapid vision work produced three strategic directions including multiple machine vision concepts ranging from commercial vacuum cleaners to autonomous scrubber dryers and industrial pressure washers.
We integrated learnings from our global deep dive to improve intuitive usability, ergonomics, ease of service, minimised training and manufacturing refinement, while treating sustainability as a key pillar.
The selected direction defined the principles of a product brand language strategy, acting as the north star for the portfolio going forward. The business called it Next Generation.
Research, industrial design, marketing assets and branding across 40 products in 6 categories.
Extensive Global Insights
In-person user interviews
50+
International shadowing sessions
75+
Online surveys
450+
We supported Nilfisk’s in-house research team with a foundational body of insights spanning the whole portfolio, to ensure all designs were deeply rooted in user needs. Across the globe, in hundreds of locations and scenarios, we watched machines being set up, used, cleaned down and serviced at all hours of the day and night.
Delivering the Vision: Next Generation
We collaborated with research, product management, R&D, UI and Software teams across the US, China and Europe to define industry-first solutions across commercial and industrial floorcare. We integrated learnings from our global insights work to deliver intuitive usability, improved ergonomics, ease of service, minimised training, more refined manufacturing and sustainability built in as a key pillar.
The first Next Generation machines entered the market with clearer interfaces, simpler operation, smoother servicing, and a coherence customers could feel immediately.
Simple and Intuitive Interface
Designed specifically to overcome high labour turnover and reduce training time.
Ergonomic Adaptability and Modularity
The physical build of the machine prioritises both operator safety and facility versatility, ensuring one machine can cover multiple unique environments.
Sustainable and Resource-Efficient Engineering
Built to decrease its environmental footprint and lower daily operational costs while maintaining high cleaning standards.
Rapid In-House Development
Our streamlined design and prototyping process allowed us to efficiently mock up and test several elements of machines at full scale.
Compact and Manoeuvrable
Research from the outset clearly indicated a need for a machine with a smaller footprint that could navigate high-footfall and more complex environments. A new drive format resulted in an extremely tight turning circle and allowed in-aisle turning.
"The driving dynamics are fantastic. It's the best steering I've ever witnessed."
Customer test participant.
"While leading a major new development project for Nilfisk (CS7500), I worked closely with V2 Studios and their design services. They were very easy to work with and provided lots of great design ideas for the machine."
"I appreciated the close collaboration to understand the machine functions and provide the best, realistic ideas. Besides design, they also pulled in some third-party consultants to help optimise the ergonomics of the machine. I consider this above and beyond what I have normally experienced with an industrial design firm."
Tom Suelflow, R&D Manager, Nilfisk
An ergonomic review of existing machines found that smaller users could not safely reach controls, and many users reported physical pain after long shifts.
We conducted a comprehensive study using a full-scale prototype rig and a broad anthropometric sample of users, informing key design decisions as we developed the machine from the operator cockpit out.
Extensive research on commercial vacuums highlighted three key areas for improvement:
Time-Saving Features
Extensive research highlighted the need to save time throughout the cleaning process, resulting in faster cable management and more reliable accessory storage.
Enhanced Ergonomics
Improving operator comfort through ergonomics - reducing the need to bend down, introducing more comfortable fold-up handles, lowering weight and refining control positions to reduce hand strain.
Product Lifespan
Improved ease of part replacement and access to maintenance elements such as filters and bags.
Our UX team designed a tiered system of physical and digital interfaces to span the whole product portfolio, creating user experiences which are:
Simple & Intuitive
Integrated on-machine training and simplified preset modes for trainee or less-experienced operators.
Familiar
Reusing digital assets, controls and architecture to create strong alignment between machines.
Safe
Control hierarchy focused on keeping operators 'eyes up' through tactile, easy-to-reach buttons, paddles and dials.
Adaptive
Accommodating different operator, supervisor and service skill levels through user-profile login.
"In my experience working with vendors, suppliers, and partners, I would classify V2 as a true partner."
"They possess exceptional talent for transforming ideas and concepts into functional, aesthetically pleasing, and value-driven designs. As a project manager, I have consistently found their communication to be clear and their delivery to be reliable. It was akin to collaborating with an extension of my internal team."
"V2’s design style aligns closely with our mission, and they consistently exceed expectations in delivering the most exceptional designs possible."
Steve Bryskie, SW Project Manager
Wordmark
Graphic design and final execution of the wordmark, taking cues from the original logo to create a contemporary execution which evokes trust and incorporates key brand assets.
POS & Exhibition Spaces
Concepts, plans and final artwork production for point-of-sale and exhibition spaces.
Corporate Visual Identity
Templates for corporate presentations and social media guidance.
Icon Library
An aligned visual style across physical and digital touchpoints.
We developed a strategy with a nod to brand heritage, driven by:
Durability
Specifically selected texture values for different areas of the machines to reduce wear, improve ease of cleaning and extend material life.
Sustainability
The selected 'Nilfisk dark' shade accommodates the use of recycled plastic content and hides dark scratches.
Usability
Bright blue touchpoints draw attention to key everyday features and controls, while bright orange highlights indicate safety warnings or no-touch areas.
Feasibility
With some machines using multiple manufacturing processes across A-surfaces, it was important to select shades which could be recreated across roto moulding, injection moulding, powder coating, wet painting, screen printing and on-screen UI elements.
Six years on, these strategies are still in use by Nilfisk across an optimised and growing portfolio.
