OUR THINKING

The questions retail technology teams are actually asking.

We publish what we learn from the programmes we run - the patterns, the problems, and the things worth knowing before they become expensive. No filler.
 
You can also stay updated by following us on LinkedIn. And each month or so we publish our ctrl_freaks newsletter, sign up!
 

 

4 min read

When is "Good Enough" Actually Good Enough?

This article is a practical guide to defining “good enough” in a world of constant tech change.

Read the article
AEO vs SEO

3 min read

Site Speed and AEO – An Unanswered Question

The Enduring Paradox of Site Speed in the Age of Conversational Search The digital landscape is undergoing a seismic shift, one that fundamentally...

Read the article

2 min read

The End of Bodyshopping: Farewell to the Great Desk-Warming Economy

Bodyshopping, that glorious era when tech companies billed clients by the kilo of developer, is finally wheezing its last breath. For years, the...

Read the article
30 years of marking their own homework

2 min read

Marking Their Own Homework – 30 Years of SIs Being Paid Twice

System integrators (SIs) have long played dual roles in enterprise technology projects: not only do they build and deliver software solutions, but...

Read the article
The Black Box

1 min read

The Seductive Peril of the Black Box: Navigating Transparency in the Age of AI

For too long engineers have contended with “black boxes” —technologies whose internal workings are opaque. You see the data go in and the results...

Read the article
Sale! Peak trading inbound.

2 min read

Peak Paranoia is Real. Here’s How to Use It.

Peak Paranoia is Real. Here’s How to Use It. Spoiler: It’s not panic, it’s pattern recognition. But only if you act.

Read the article
Cloud does not mean retail confidence

7 min read

Cloud != confidence: Two big traps to avoid with cloud in retail tech.

Cloud doesn’t equal confidence: Two big traps to avoid with cloud in retail tech. Cloud migration has become a badge of honour over the past decade....

Read the article
De-risking complex retail tech stacks

6 min read

De-risking complex retail tech stacks

The retail tech stack is growing – but so are your risks. Here's how to stop it becoming a mess. The recent Retail Technology Show in London had so...

Read the article
RTS 2025

Reflecting on RTS 2025

We took a moment to unwind after two eventful days at the Retail Technology Show 2025. Reflecting on some interesting insights gathered during the...

Read the article