What is Service Design

Services

What is Service Design

Service… what? Service Design? What’s that? How do you eat it?

Have you been wondering the same thing? Okay, okay, so you probably didn’t think it was something you could eat. But hey, you never know.

As a service design company, our mission is to spread the word about both Service Design and another thing called Design Thinking (we’ll get into that topic in a couple of weeks so do come back and visit again ;). That’s why this week, it’s back to basics with a brief overview of Service Design and a bit little about why it’s important to understand for today’s businesses and especially… (you guessed it) services.

Now, we’ve been on this mission to spread the word about Service Design and Design Thinking for over 7 years. And nearly every single time we meet a new friend, their first statements are, “You’re a service design company? What’s that?”

Here’s our go to response:

An easy way to think about it is by starting with the word “design.” What comes to mind when you think of things that are designed? Computers? Logos? Clothes?… Things.

Now, instead of designing a thing, like say a logo or product, Service Design is about intentionally creating experiences. Or designing for experiences.

Think about Disney, Apple or Starbucks. These companies have all invested millions of dollars into designing for specific types of interactions and experiences for both their customers and team members alike. And, since then, they’ve been doing pretty darn well (for the most part… everyone’s got ups and downs, no one’s perfect).

Seriously though, check it out for yourself. Here’s a great (brief) article by Colleen Reilly in Forbes about the Experience Economy. A concept that has been gaining ground since 1998 when the term was first introduced by B. Joseph Pine II and James H. Gilmore. #WeLoveResearch

So, ready to find out more about Service Design? Watch this week’s #CollaboClip.

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Also, leave us a comment if you found this video helpful or if you have tips of your own that you’d like to share. We’re always on the look out for fresh ideas from all you geniuses out there!

Thanks for watching. And remember, the only way to design a better world is together.

So, let’s design better together.