Do you remember when banks used to chain pens to desks? It was a wonderfully honest bit of design, a small object quietly announcing, “We do not trust you to behave normally, but we will take your money anyway”.

This is design friction...

And in 2026, the chain has simply moved into the phone. Face scan, passcode, app approval, “unusual activity”, then a chatbot that cannot help when it matters. The security logic is often sound, but the feeling is wrong. Protection should feel like reassurance, not an interrogation.

Then comes the more profitable friction. Credit funnels that look generous until the exit narrows, insurance add-ons served at the exact moment your brain starts imagining disaster, and “support” products that feel like judgement with interest, particularly for vulnerable consumers like the recently unemployed.

Trust is not built in brand decks. It is built, or broken, in the tiny moments where a system decides whether you are a customer or a suspect.

Welcome to the wonderfully broken world of banking, which still hasn’t solved some very basic design problems in 2026.

2025 showed us something uncomfortable. Sustainability isn’t stalling because people don’t care. It’s stalling because effort is still doing the work that design should be doing.

Targets stayed intact. Outcomes lagged. Reporting expanded. Delivery didn’t.

Before we rush to solutions and soundbites for what is already an overloaded feed of waffle and AI work slop on Linkedin; and yes Satya Nadella; people need to get use to this term in 2026. It is worth pausing to look at what actually happened last year. Not what we hoped would happen, and not what looked good in a slide deck, no more condescending bullshit, but look at what showed up in the results.

2026 has to be the year we stop rewarding promises and start designing for execution. Defaults over lectures. Proof over slogans. Delivery over ambition.

This is not lower ambition. It’s higher realism.

In recent years, two distressing trends have converged, shedding light on the profound impact of banking practices on the mental health of consumers during times of financial hardship. We explore the devastating consequences of both aggressive debt collection tactics and unethical lending practices, revealing how these practices have become significant drivers of fatalities among vulnerable individuals. As we delve into this deeply troubling issue, it is essential to acknowledge the human toll exacted by the banking industry's pursuit of debt collection and the consequences of unethical lending.

In a move that echoes the seismic shifts of the digital age, textbook publishing is undergoing a profound transformation. The herald of this change, characterized by a "digital first" approach, is rewriting the playbook that has governed the industry for more than a century. The implications of this shift extend far beyond the realm of traditional publishing, with ripple effects felt in the domain of Vocational Qualifications and the broader landscape of education delivery and accreditation.

Embarking on a journey towards a better future, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) offer a guiding light amid the complexities of our world. However, the challenge lies in translating these goals into a language that resonates with everyone…

Have you ever wondered why some people never seem to achieve their goals, no matter how determined they are? It's a common struggle that many individuals face, and there are various reasons why success eludes them…

OpenAI, the trailblazing force in the AI landscape, has found itself at the epicentre of a seismic shift, thrust into disarray by the abrupt ousting and subsequent attempted reinstatement of its CEO, Sam Altman. This weekend saga has not only exposed internal power struggles but also illuminated the intricate balance between OpenAI's non-profit roots and its burgeoning for-profit ventures, sending shockwaves through the tech world.

In the wake of the pandemic, the recruitment landscape is undergoing a significant transformation, with companies grappling to navigate the new normal. One emerging trend that has gained momentum is the decline of the digital nomad. Once hailed as the epitome of work-life balance and flexibility, the digital nomad lifestyle is facing unprecedented challenges due to the recovery from the global health crisis.

Traditional development financing alone will fall short of the resources required to achieve the SDGs. However, in the digital age, an emerging player in the financial landscape holds significant promise to bridge the funding gap and support the SDGs: digital currency infrastructure…

At the midway point of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) program, and the majority of the population and the planet on the cusp of experiencing record breaking temperatures in the 50s, with the Global Goals week fast approaching in September, it is imperative to recognize that these goals offer more than just opportunities for progress…

As the world reaches the halfway mark of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) program, the urgency to accelerate progress and avoid the SDGs becoming a mere epitaph of missed opportunities looms large…

… You may think you are going to change the world,

But the reality is, only the stage has changed,

And here you all are like puppets entangled in strings,

Strings with a new name,

Only now your strings have become threads…

Welcome to the era of social media, where everyone’s got an opinion, a platform, and the desire to be recognized. But wait, not so fast! Enter the blue tick verifications—the holy grail of online validation…

We’ve all been there, that impending action of pressing the snooze button, when we just need an extra five or ten minutes in bed, labouring on the potential procrastination of events, tasks, or actions that we know are just around the corner.

Transdisciplinary learning holds immense potential in the realm of quantum marketing, enabling marketers to transcend disciplinary boundaries and unlock innovative strategies that captivate consumers.

Ignorance is bliss, until you hit the ground, and by then it’s already too late to change. In today’s fast-paced political landscape, the choices we make at the ballot box have the potential to shape the course of our societies.

The possibility of the United States defaulting on its debt has raised concerns worldwide. With the US debt ceiling at a staggering $31 trillion and the looming threat of default on June 1st, the potential consequences extend far beyond American borders.

Minding my own business, on an unusually peaceful evening, I came across an interesting tweet from Professor Brian Cox. It reads as follows:

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has transformed the world, revolutionising industries and enhancing various aspects of our lives. However, without proper regulation and legislation in place, AI's unchecked growth can pose significant dangers and threats to specific industries.

The 4th of October 2021 was a red letter date for many people worldwide, well ok nearly 3 billion users across continents found themselves in the worst possible predicament of social darkness, which for many felt like a lifetime, but in reality lasted 6 hours. For many of us, we were left in the precarious situation of a social media blackout, a paralysis of engagement, a permanent mute of our communication…