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What else is there?
Reflections of an experienced lead designer in the age of everything-AI and how to navigate innovation, creativity and the road ahead
This year marks 14 years of working in tech. Lately, whether it’s through my full-time job, where I help organisations improve or build their internal digital products, or my own projects, I keep wondering: is the tech industry just running in circles solving things with solutions that already exist? Are there even any interesting challenges left?
After years of designing and working with different teams, I’ve come to realize that most digital products fit into familiar patterns, and it’s not about inventing entirely new paradigms but about refining and repurposing what’s already there.
The most interesting problems aren’t always about innovation in the traditional sense. They’re about understanding the overlooked details — the moments when a system creates confusion, frustration, or unnecessary friction. It’s in these gaps that design has the greatest opportunity to make an impact. When we stop focusing on the features and start focusing on the experience, we see how even small adjustments can create a sense of ease and empowerment for users.
