Challenge

Lloyds Banking Group wanted to explore how it could create long-term value for both customers and the organisation in a rapidly changing social and economic landscape. Traditional measures of success were increasingly inadequate for addressing systemic challenges such as financial wellbeing, digital inclusion, and sustainability. The design function needed to demonstrate how it could contribute to the bank’s broader purpose of helping Britain prosper — not just through product delivery, but through strategic foresight and responsible innovation.

Approach

Martin initiated and led the development of Prosperous Design, a futures-led initiative within the Design Strategy and Foresight team. Using design research, trend analysis, and scenario exploration, the work examined what “prosperity” could mean for individuals, communities, and the organisation over the coming decade. The team mapped future drivers of change, identified tensions between business growth and customer outcomes, and framed opportunities for the bank to design responsibly for long-term impact. This approach connected strategic foresight with service and organisational design, enabling cross-functional dialogue between sustainability, innovation, and business leadership teams.

Outcome

Prosperous Design reframed how the organisation discussed value creation — positioning design as a strategic capability that links customer outcomes with business resilience. It influenced internal thinking on financial wellbeing and responsible growth, laying groundwork for later initiatives aligned to the FCA’s Consumer Duty principles. The work demonstrated the role of design in shaping strategic direction, helping leadership teams balance short-term objectives with longer-term societal impact.