Episode 2: Diagnosing Friction

Friction in complex, high-stakes delivery is rarely invisible - it just shows up in ways we often misdiagnose.

In this episode of Flow by Design, host Tom sits down with Keith Howells, CEO of Project4 Learning Lab, to explore how friction manifests across the four critical operational flows: knowledge, innovation, product, and team flow.

Together, they map out the subtle early warning signs of systemic failure - such as hidden digital queues, priority thrashing, decision U-turns, and team burnout - and examine why traditional management approaches often fail to address them.

Keith shares practical countermeasures designed to catch friction at the source: from visualising work and setting WIP limits to improving decision quality, stress-testing early assumptions, and fostering the psychological safety needed to bring issues to light early.

Whether you're managing multi-tiered supply chains or scaling complex R&D, this conversation offers actionable frameworks to stop fire-fighting and build an operating environment designed for continuous flow.