04
Architecture & Design
Building the Operating Foundation for Sustainable Scale
A clearer operating model that let Forma take on larger projects without losing its standards.
Client
Forma
Industry
Architecture & Design
Services
Scaling Systems
Duration
8 Months
Year
2026
01
Overview
Forma’s reputation for thoughtful design had brought in larger and more complex projects, but the way the studio worked had not changed since it was a small team.
Merrowind helped Forma redesign its operating model so that it could grow its project load while protecting the quality its clients expected.
02
The Challenge
Most decisions still passed through the two founders.
Project timelines were planned differently by every team, resourcing was decided week by week, and senior designers spent much of their time coordinating rather than designing.
The studio was busy, but it was not set up to scale.
03
The Strategy
We began by mapping how work actually moved through the studio, from the first brief to final delivery.
The review looked closely at:
- Decision rights and approvals
- Project planning and handovers
- Resourcing and capacity
- Client communication routines
From there, we designed a lighter operating model that gave teams clear ownership without adding unnecessary process.
04
The Solution
Merrowind helped Forma:
Clarify Ownership
Defined who decides what at each stage of a project.
Standardize Delivery
Introduced a shared project framework with consistent milestones and reviews.
Plan Capacity
Created a simple resourcing rhythm that looks ahead by quarter, not by week.
Free the Founders
Moved day-to-day approvals to project leads, leaving the founders to focus on clients and direction.
05
Impact
Forma now runs more projects in parallel with the same senior team, and project leads make most decisions without waiting for the founders.
The studio has a clearer view of its capacity, which has made pricing and taking on new work far more predictable.
06
Key Takeaways
- Growth exposes the limits of informal ways of working.
- Clear ownership speeds up decisions more than extra process does.
- An operating model should protect what makes a business good.