For decades, branches have been built around transactions — deposits, withdrawals, transfers, paperwork. But digital has quietly eaten nearly every one of those tasks. What remains is the highest-value part of banking: relationships.

Branches have operating hours, operating procedures, and operating manuals — but no operating system for how people actually interact. Teams rely on talent, memory, and improvisation more than any structured, intelligence-driven foundation. And while digital banking has evolved with sophisticated platforms and orchestration layers, the physical branch still functions like an analog island.

In banking, clients don’t see “channels.” They just see moments — and those moments should feel effortless. The next evolution of experience design isn’t about adding more AI features. It’s about designing flow.

Branches are no longer static spaces. They’re living environments where client needs, team rhythms, and technology all shift throughout the day. Design has to adapt — not just visually, but behaviorally.

The future of banking starts behind the counter. AI-driven tools can empower bank employees by simplifying workflows, surfacing insights in real time, and freeing them to focus on what matters most—human connection. When design meets intelligence, even the smallest interactions can transform the entire customer experience.

Should you still be using outdated personas in your product design process? Absolutely not! With generative AI, hyper-personalization is not just possible but necessary. Traditional methods? Say goodbye to inefficiencies and hello to real-time, dynamic insights with synthetic personas. Want to know how Hot Pockets did it?

In recent weeks, the design community has been abuzz with the controversy surrounding Figma’s Make Design AI feature. This innovative tool, designed to streamline the creative process by generating design elements, has faced backlash after it was discovered to produce copycat designs. Figma has since disabled the feature, but the debate over its implications for the future of design continues to rage.

Should you be using Synthetic Personas in your product design process? Absolutely. Here's why:

• Traditional personas become outdated and static.

• Synthetic personas provide dynamic, real-time user insights.

• They integrate real user data and adapt continuously.

• Enhance decision-making across design and marketing.

By now, you are undoubtedly familiar with ChatGPT (ChatGPT Plus just introduced today). Mastering the art of writing effective prompts is an important skill for various applications, including app/web design, marketing campaigns, and design pitches.

Creating useful personas has been a popular practice in the design world for quite some time now. But, as with any popular practice, there are always some negative aspects that we need to be aware of.

What is it about this collaboration that drives such impressive results? It all comes down to three key factors: a shared understanding of the customer journey, the use of data and analytics, and effective governance structures.

Micro-interactions are a crucial aspect of design that often go overlooked, but they can have a big impact on the overall user experience. These small, often subtle interactions can make a big difference in how a product is perceived and used.

The evolution of design's influence on the way we think and how we launch products has created a major shift in how organizations work today. Digital tools have changed how teams work together and being in a single location is no longer required to build great digital products. Some businesses that adopt these new ways of working have seen historic growth, while others that don't may not see tomorrow. ☠️

Let’s address the elephant in the room: design research is never really done. We capture questions from all of our stakeholders, send out surveys, host interviews, and conduct contextual research. But questions lead to answers and even more questions, and even more research.

Moment Maps are like short fiction stories about how you want your customer to experience your brand. The only difference is that these stories are meant to become real.

How do customers become aware of you? What happens in their life where they will need you? How will they use a product or service you offer?

We’ve all been there. Someone says “We need to make this easier” or “We need to make this simpler”. Sounds easy enough but what does making it simpler really mean? How do you know your working towards a simpler experience?

To envision the evolution of the any experience you need to think of your organization as a net of interconnected touchpoints: Clients and employees, technology, products, processes and operations, your business model… all these “relationships” formulate who you are as an organization.