Building the foundation for a next-generation structural design platform
Branch 3D (StructureCraft) set out to bridge the gap between traditional 2D structural engineering workflows and the spatial precision of 3D modeling — creating a hybrid platform where engineers could design, analyse, and visualise complex structures within a single, coherent environment.
The engagement was foundational — establishing the UX patterns, interaction model, and design system that would underpin the platform's long-term development. The challenge was twofold: designing for users who think spatially but work in 2D, and setting conventions robust enough to scale with the product.
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- Establish foundational UX patterns and a design system for the hybrid platform
- Define 3D interaction models for navigating and editing complex structural models
- Align early design decisions with long-term usability and scalability goals
- Partner with product, engineering, and project management across a compressed timeline
Understanding structural engineers' workflows
Structural engineering workflows sit at a unique intersection of precision, regulation, and creative problem-solving. Engineers work across multiple tools — often switching between 2D drafting, analysis software, and 3D visualisation — and carry deep mental models of how geometry, loads, and connections behave in space.
Understanding this meant understanding not just the software gaps, but the cognitive model engineers bring to their work — and where a hybrid 2D/3D environment could support rather than disrupt that model.
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Where existing tools leave gaps
The structural engineering software landscape is dominated by tools that excel in analysis or drafting, but rarely both — and almost never in a fluid, spatially-integrated environment. Tools like Revit and Tekla are powerful but carry significant UX debt. Newer entrants like SketchUp and Rhino offer 3D fluency but lack engineering-grade analysis integration.
Branch 3D's opportunity was in the space between — a platform purpose-built for the hybrid workflow that engineers increasingly need, without the legacy constraints of older tools.
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Establishing the foundational design language
A short engagement demanded clear priorities. Rather than designing individual screens, the focus was on establishing the patterns, principles, and component conventions that would make every future design decision faster and more coherent.
- Clarity over density. Structural models can be visually complex — the interface needed to surface what matters without adding to the cognitive load
- Precision-first interaction. Engineers expect exact control. Every interaction pattern needed to support accuracy without slowing the workflow
- 2D and 3D as one. Rather than treating them as separate modes, the design system needed to make the transition between planar and spatial views feel seamless
- Scalable from day one. With a long product roadmap ahead, every component and pattern needed to be extensible — not just fit for purpose today
Design process
The process began with deep dives into the existing product and competitor tools, followed by rapid concept exploration in Figma. Early explorations focused on the core interaction model for navigating structural geometry — how users select, manipulate, and inspect elements in both 2D and 3D space.
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Defining how engineers navigate complex models
One of the most significant design challenges was establishing interaction patterns for 3D structural models — navigating, selecting, and editing geometry in a way that felt intuitive to engineers rather than to 3D artists or game developers.
The conventions of engineering software differ meaningfully from those of DCC tools. Selection behaviour, camera navigation, manipulation handles, and feedback mechanisms all needed to be considered through the lens of structural engineering workflows rather than borrowed wholesale from adjacent domains.
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Laying the groundwork for long-term scalability
In a compressed engagement, the work delivered a coherent design foundation — interaction patterns, component conventions, and a visual language the Branch 3D team could build on with confidence. Early alignment between design, engineering, and product meant fewer costly pivots later.
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- Foundational UX patterns for hybrid 2D/3D structural modeling
- 3D interaction model for navigating and editing complex structural geometry
- Design system components aligned with long-term scalability goals
- Cross-functional alignment across product, engineering, and project management
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What this engagement taught
Working within a compressed timeline on foundational work demands a particular discipline — the ability to make principled decisions quickly, communicate them clearly, and resist the temptation to over-specify what should remain flexible for the team that follows.
The structural engineering domain also reinforced a recurring theme across complex technical products: expert users have deeply held mental models, and the designer's job is to understand those models before attempting to improve on them.
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Where Branch 3D goes from here
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