In our work with lenders, we often see technology partners asking for requirements, delivering them and moving on. On the surface, it’s logical to think that delivering exactly what’s been asked for is delivering a premium service.
At Nimo we’ve found over time and with many dealings with our clients that this isn’t always the path to the best outcomes.
When our prior experience tells us there’s a better way, it becomes our responsibility to pause, and question more deeply to uncover the opportunities.
Yes, this can create a moment of discomfort with our lenders. But often, that moment leads to clarity, innovation, and results that exceed client expectations and fortify partnerships.
At Nimo we call this type of thoughtful pushback, Positive Tension.
It came from experiencing how transformative it could be to pause and ask: “Is this really the best solution?” Not just for our lenders, but for their customers, their brand, and the bottom line.
So what is positive tension?
Positive Tension is the purposeful, constructive friction that occurs when we question what’s being asked versus what’s truly needed.
It exists at the intersection of customisation and simplicity, ambition and practicality, business needs and borrower outcomes. It’s that uncomfortable—but ultimately rewarding—space where ideas are stress-tested, assumptions are challenged, and better solutions emerge.
Rather than just being a yes-team, we become strategic collaborators. We don’t challenge to block or pause—we challenge to progress.
How Does Positive Tension Work in Practice?
Positive Tension shows up in real, everyday interactions with our lenders. Here’s what it looks like in action:
The Branding Dilemma: One lender came to us with a request for a highly bespoke interface. It matched their internal design language but created complexity for users. Through Positive Tension—and real borrower feedback—we landed on a solution that delivered a seamless, intuitive borrower experience while still reflecting the brand.
The Risk Layering Trap: Another lender wanted to introduce extensive risk controls. They were well-intentioned, but not regulatory requirements. The impact? User friction and drop-offs. By applying Positive Tension, we reframed the conversation around evidence-based risk management, preserving compliance while removing unnecessary blockers.
MVP (Minimal Viable Product) Over Perfection: in trying to perfect the process, assumptions can regularly block progress, leading to stalled projects or deployments. By baking Positive Tension into our approach from day one, we work with our lenders to safely launch an MVP, refine it with real users, iterating based on reality—not potentially well-intentioned yet misguided assumptions.proactive, think broadly, consider impacts across your whole business and engage early and frequently.
External integration with other vendors
When digitalising your lending processes, it’s important to update any vendor contracts, or engage in new ones, as soon as possible and gain a clear understanding of your lending requirements.
Having these conversations early and connecting vendors with your platform partner, means the process of digitalising won’t be held up by delayed discussions, contracts that haven’t been signed, or APIs that need to be built. Early and clear communication will also help keep vendors engaged as the project unfolds and keep vendors on board with any developments, operational or technical changes, and any shifting responsibilities, accountabilities, expectations and outputs.
The Benefits of Embracing Positive Tension
Being willing to challenge—and be challenged—isn’t always easy. But here’s some examples of what we’ve seen Positive Tension unlock:
- Clarity in Complexity: By stripping away internal politics and focusing on the borrower, we simplify what matters most.
- Faster, Smarter Delivery: Asking the hard questions early reduces delivery risk and costly rework later.
- Evidence-Driven Outcomes: Decisions are anchored in data and experience—not assumptions.
- Better Alignment Across Teams: Marketing, Risk, Product—all speak a common language rooted in user outcomes.
- True Partnership: We move beyond vendor-client dynamics to become co-creators of solutions that work.
Why It Matters Beyond Nimo
Positive Tension shouldn’t be unique to Nimo—it’s a collaborative mindset that all industries can benefit from.
In today’s landscape, many financial institutions feel the pressure to deliver digital solutions quickly, yet struggle to launch. Internal silos, outdated assumptions, and a fear of rocking the boat can stall progress.
A relationship built on trust—where challenge is welcomed, not feared—can unlock stronger solutions through thoughtful exploration of alternatives. When there’s mutual respect and openness, those exchanges become productive dialogues, not confrontations.
That’s what we’re inviting the industry to consider.
Final Thoughts
If you’re a senior decision-maker wrestling with stalled projects, misaligned teams, or a backlog of digital ideas that never made it to market—lean into the tension.
You don’t have to have all the answers. That’s what we’re here for.
At Nimo, we’ve turned tension into transformation—time and again.
This is what we love doing with our clients.
If you’re ready to embrace digital transformation, what are you waiting for?