In product organisations, having the most innovative ideas isn’t enough if you can’t turn those ideas into market-ready products before someone else does. When Gunnebo Safe Storage (GSS) set out to launch their first connected locking solution, the potential was huge. There was just one problem: speed.
Boldly enough, GSS decided to solve this by adding Friktion.
GSS had invented a high-security lock that combined reliable hardware with sophisticated software capabilities. However, their product development processes were not designed for fast-paced software development and integrated systems. The processes that served them so well for traditional safes and locks were now slowing them down.
The launch date was approaching fast. And to make things worse, there were rumors of a competitor working on a similar solution.
At Friktion, instead of rolling out one-size-fits-all solutions from a distance, we test our solutions in context with the people and problems that matter. These small, real-world experiments help us uncover what works (and what doesn’t) before scaling. It’s how we build solutions that stick—not just in theory but in practice.
Here’s what we did at GSS:
With a laser focus on value, we helped product management draw the line between must-haves and nice-to-haves. Our framework for analysing and negotiating what to cut and what to keep turned scope reduction into a strategic act, not a game of deadline Tetris.
This wasn’t about pushing things around. It was about cutting the fluff to build a leaner, meaner product. On purpose.
To increase the flow from idea to delivery, we hunted down handovers and hinders between functions. This cleared the way for a steadier, more predictable pace of work with fewer surprises.
As an added bonus, estimating work got a whole lot easier. With better flow, we could move from wishful thinking to probabilistic forecasting. And start making smarter bets.
We designed a planning rhythm that respected the realities of hardware but also helped leadership navigate the uncertainty of software and shifting customer expectations.
To bridge the gap between strategy, architecture and development, we aligned tightly on goals and stayed flexible in solutions. That created trust and space for talented people to do their thing.
—Olof Sandberg, Product Manager Locking Solutions
In just twelve months, GSS launched their first ever connected high-security lock. A historic first for this traditional hardware company. And they managed to launch this category-leading product before their biggest competitor.
But that’s not all. We also used the insights gained from helping GSS crack this one challenge to create something much bigger: a custom-made model for a new product development organisation built to move faster and adapt quicker. Tested and proven in GSS’s specific context.
—Kate Clark, VP Locking Solutions
At Friktion, we’re not here to write playbooks no one reads or bury teams in bureaucracy. We’re here to help brave companies face their friction, work through it, and come out faster, stronger, and ready to lead.
Gunnebo Safe Storage didn’t just get to market first. They changed how they work—for good.