What I do
Service Design is concerned with the design of how things happen. It’s sometimes referred to as the design of the gaps in between other things. Service design tries to build services that simply allow someone to do the job they are trying to do.
A service either works, or it doesn’t.
I help organisations design and deliver services that work by:
- Fixing existing services
- Creating new services
- Thinking through possible consequences
- Moderating creativity and decision-making workshops
- Talking about design and sustainability
Fixing existing services
Most organisations offer services to their clients, customers or patrons. Many ‘products’ are in fact ‘services’ because the thing that is offered is not a physical object, but a set of interactions between the organisation and the customer.
If you’re already delivering a service and have the feeling (or evidence) that something isn’t working quite right, then we can take a look at it together and see what needs to be done.
We can make a plan and work on fixing the existing service.
Creating new services
Most organisations are interested in continuously improving the way they serve their customers. This normally involves developing new ways to better meet their need and help them do the things they are trying to do.
If you are developing a new service, have an idea that needs further work or testing, or you’re having trouble making progress with an idea, we can work through a series of activities to open up the possibilities.
Thinking through possible consequences
Sometimes, you just need someone who has no idea about you, your business, your particular field of activity to look at your question with a fresh set of eyes. Someone to test your logic.
Normally in a workshop format, we can work through a set of activities and questions that will help you get some clarity on things that are unclear and test the logic that you used so far.
We can identify the possible intended and unintended consequences of future actions and make decisions about which actions you should take.
Moderating creativity and decision-making workshops
Workshops offer a time and scope-limited way of working on a specific activity in order to achieve a defined result. They are particularly useful for removing barriers to progress.
In creativity workshops we work specifically to expand our scope of thinking/activity to identify the maximum number of possibilities. This allows us to discuss options, argue different perspectives and build understanding of what we might be able to do next.
In decision-making workshops, we are concerned with reducing the options available to us in order to be able to consider our choices and make a decision about what to do next.
Talking about design and sustainability
Design offers a powerful combination of attitude, intent and practices to realise a multitude of possible futures. the design of services is one place where we can be particularly effective in building the kind of future that we want.
If you would like someone to talk to or to give a talk about design, service design and sustainability, I’d be happy to speak. Send me your question, assumption, starting point.