Chapter 1: The Frustrations of Modern Technology

This week, I encountered a few situations that sparked some serious reflection on technology. It all began with my tennis club membership renewal, which I effortlessly processed through an app. Yet, just eight days later, I received a notification indicating that the renewal had not been completed. Confusion set in—had I paid or not? I had already played tennis at the club; surely I hadn’t done so without an active membership! A flurry of emails revealed that my membership was indeed not renewed. Time to take action.

Shortly thereafter, I faced another challenge related to my work. As part of my responsibilities, I needed to register an event for an upcoming festival through a website. I diligently completed each section, ticking boxes and answering numerous questions. Of course, I had to create an account and set a password first—standard procedure, right? I carefully noted my password and ensured I refreshed the page to avoid losing my progress.

After meticulously checking my information, I clicked the ‘submit’ button and anticipated a confirmation email. A few hours later, I received it—success! Or so I thought. Much like my tennis club issue, the third-party service handling the registration had dropped the ball. They failed to process my submission correctly, putting my registration at risk. Thankfully, I’m determined to play tennis regularly, so I would have fought tooth and nail to get my membership sorted out.

The crux of the matter is that technology must function effectively. It should be seamless, efficient, and, above all, trustworthy. User-friendliness is also a critical factor.

I can hear your thoughts already. The day after receiving my confirmation email, I got another message stating my registration was incomplete and I still needed to fill out 70% of the form. What? How could I have received a confirmation if there was still work to be done? It was clearly an automated email, and the system that generated this correspondence needs serious improvement. The irritation was palpable.

After a series of emails with one of the event organizers, we finally registered the event—two days later, rather than the advertised twenty minutes.

I am so fed up with visiting websites only to be unable to finalize account setups or event registrations due to technical glitches. Recently, I attempted to secure tickets for an outdoor event I had longed to attend. With lockdown restrictions lifted in the UK, I was eager to participate. Upon discovering tickets were available, I quickly added them to my cart, only to be met with a message stating, "Tickets cannot be added to cart." Perhaps the site was experiencing high traffic; I thought I’d try again. I refreshed the page repeatedly throughout the day, but by then, one of the event dates had sold out.

Resorting to more traditional methods, I called the venue and spoke with a helpful representative who was unaware of any website issues. Within thirty seconds, I had successfully purchased two tickets, and a confirmation email arrived before I hung up. Success!

Technology is remarkable—when it functions properly. Henceforth, I will make a beeline for the contact page and pick up the phone. However, finding a contact number for larger organizations, like banks or utility companies, is a daunting task. It’s often impossible. Once I manage to track down a number, I’m usually met with a recorded message urging me to use their website or app for assistance.

Yes, I am aware that these resources exist, but more often than not, the specific help I need is nowhere to be found.

When I find a company that allows me to speak to a real person without navigating through endless menus, I stick with them. Oh, the joy of conversing with someone who can genuinely help!

The kind lady at the venue transformed my day, preventing me from wasting the rest of it attempting to book tickets on a faulty website. Unfortunately, I later had to call my bank regarding an issue with my tennis membership being charged twice.

Thank you for reading. A selection of my work can be found here, and I truly appreciate your support.

Chapter 2: Seeking Solutions in a Digital World

Exploring how innovative ideas can reshape our experiences and address the frustrations we encounter in our daily technology interactions.

A discussion on the various types of ideas that can lead to transformative changes in our technological landscape.