Friction can be a feature.

The language of frictionless design promises that good tools disappear. But some of the work we care about should not disappear. A consequential decision deserves enough time to become understandable.

We have been testing pauses that clarify rather than obstruct: a moment to see what changed, a prompt that makes an assumption visible, a handoff that names who is responsible next. These are small design choices with a larger purpose.

The question is not how to remove every point of resistance. It is how to tell the difference between needless effort and useful attention.