Service Design Show

Jillian Powers, Global Head of Responsible AI at Cognizant, is passionate about ethical technology. She discusses the crucial role service design professionals play in ensuring AI is developed responsibly. Jillian emphasizes understanding AI's inner workings without needing a math background. She highlights the need for transparency in high-stakes fields like healthcare and warns against biases in data. With personal insights and practical advice, she inspires designers to incorporate human perspectives in AI to create positive societal impacts.

Wouldn't it be great if... Delivering a great customer experience wasn't just a "nice to have" when there's time left but an actual strategic priority that guides decision-making? I'm sure you know many examples of (expensive) service failures that could have been prevented if the voice of the customer had been part of the conversations inside the company. Of course, this is precisely one of the things we try to achieve with service design. The problem is that we often don't yet have the authority to drive critical decisions. So no matter which arguments we bring forward when push comes to shove, in the end, it's always going to be the "HiPPO" in the room that calls the shots. Wolfram Thurm and his team were also running into this challenge. It was hard for them to get the value of design across so that other business stakeholders would see the benefits for them. Consequently, many times decisions were made that weren't in favor of the customer and the business. To the frustration of everyone involved. Fueled by this frustration and the opportunity to improve, Wolfram set out to find a way to structurally have better conversations inside the organization. After quite a journey, they managed to design a company-wide tool that now allows everyone to make better decisions faster. In this episode, Wolfram shares everything about the tool they created, how they use it, and the struggles they had to overcome to get here. --- [ GUIDE ] --- 00:00 Welcome to episode 155 03:30 Who is Wolfram 06:30 Lightning round 10:00 What are design principles 12:00 Where did it start 17:45 Living the principles 22:45 What's in it for them 26:00 Bottom up or top down 29:30 When do you use them 34:30 The Gojek design principles 37:30 Supporting case studies 40:00 The workshop 43:45 Who owns this 47:45 Second iteration 51:45 Are there shortcuts 57:00 Where do you start 1:00:30 Finding the mandate 1:04:30 Key advice 1:06:45 Closing thoughts --- [ LINKS ] --- https://www.linkedin.com/in/wolfram-thurm-1337b2a7/ Creative Confidence (book) - https://amzn.to/3aIB26U The Shape of Design (book) - https://amzn.to/3RG8zz8 --- [ CIRCLE COMMUNITY ] --- Learn more about the community for in-house service design professionals. https://servicedesignshow.com/circle

Who doesn't want this... To come up with smart solutions for relevant challenges that are immediately embraced by the end-users. Well, in this week's episode of the Show, Victor Udoewa shares a radical approach to the design process that increases the chance you'll actually accomplish this. But first, let's quickly look at why solutions don't get adopted. It's often not due to bad intentions. Many times it has to do with the fact that a wrong judgment call has been made about what's important. Because as a design professional, you're -implicitly- imposing your ideas, values, and norms onto the process. You are in a strong position of power, whether you like it or not. The problem is that this leads to solutions derived from a single -often mainstream- worldview.  Again, this isn't something that professionals set out to do. It happens because of the nature of the current design process. So is there something we can do about this? According to Victor, there is! We, starting with the design professional, have to give up power. The community and the users must lead the design process, from start to end, from top to bottom. But can this truly be done, or is it just wishful thinking? And is there still a role for the professional designer when this happens? Victor has a thing or two to say about these and some other key questions. So if you'd also like to work on more meaningful challenges and come to more impactful solutions, click the link below and soak in this inspiring conversation. It's great to get people on the Show who challenge our common design practices like Victor. And to be able to share these stories with you. Enjoy the conversation and keep making a positive impact :) --- [ GUIDE ] --- 00:00 Welcome to episode 154 04:45 Who is Victor 05:30 Lightning round 08:45 The episode take-away 09:45 What is radical participatory design 15:15 Victor's journey 19:15 The benefits 24:00 Barriers to adoption 27:15 The response from the design community 31:45 The role of the design professional 37:45 Where does it start 41:45 The tensions 45:45 What are good challenges 52:45 The evolution 55:45 Taking the first step 1:01:45 A smart hack 1:02:45 What awaits you 1:05:15 Closing thoughts --- [ LINKS ] --- https://www.linkedin.com/in/udoewa/ Decolonizing Methodologies: Research and Indigenous Peoples - https://amzn.to/3yHlYht Research Is Ceremony: Indigenous Research Methods - https://amzn.to/3ObjtcZ Sand Talk - https://amzn.to/3O4Linp Indigenous Research Methodologies - https://amzn.to/3P6NwEh Applying Indigenous Research Methods: Storying with Peoples and Communities - https://amzn.to/3PcgJxt --- [ BOOKS ] --- Designs for the Pluriverse - https://amzn.to/3P7pDMK Stand Your Ground - https://amzn.to/3RvkvDN Fledgling (fiction, Afrofuturism) - https://amzn.to/3AKbsc9 Art of Gathering - https://amzn.to/3IJum4P Black Futures - https://amzn.to/3AWw4Oe Latinx Rising (An anthology) - https://amzn.to/3uLxs2q A Promised Land - https://amzn.to/3PnjDPC His Name Is George Floyd - https://amzn.to/3yGi1cV Soul of a Woman - https://amzn.to/3IBUtdP The Sum of Us - https://amzn.to/3PrGLMV Thinking in Systems - https://amzn.to/3nZoCdN The Bennet Women (fiction) - https://amzn.to/3P908um --- [ HOW TO EXPLAIN SERVICE DESIGN ] --- Learn what it takes to get your clients, colleagues, managers, CEOs and even grandmas as excited about service design as you are. https://servicedesignshow.com/free-course

There's no doubt about it... Over the last few years, design has gained a lot of momentum in the business space. It's encouraging to see that design is slowly but surely getting a seat at the table. But at which price has this raise come? And are we willing to pay this price? When you zoom out a bit, you'll quickly notice that it's often the "easy to digest" form of design that is praised, the form where the focus primarily lies on gaining short-term benefits and incremental improvements. While that's a space where design can add value, it's not the space where it shines, according to Tom Foster. In this episode with Tom, I talk about how you can regain the space and time again to work on bigger, dare I say, more meaningful challenges. Now, if you think that's going hard in your organization, mind that Tom has worked in many traditional sectors and is now back in finance. If it's possible there, it might also be for you :) Although I'm excited that design is making huge strides these days, it's sad to see that some of the depth and craft eroded from our practice. This conversation with Tom gave me hope that we'll be able to bring it back. --- [ GUIDE ] -— 00:00 Welcome to episode 153 03:15 Who is Tom 04:15 Lightning round 10:00 The problem with design 13:45 How did we get here 17:45 The place of design 25:00 Where does change start 30:15 The organizational middle layer 33:45 What's driving Tom 37:30 Step in the right direction 40:45 Sharing your vision 48:00 Escaping status quo 53:30 Signs of success 55:00 Lessons learned 58:00 What is the sum 59:30 Final thoughts --- [ LINKS ] --- https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasfoster/ http://sarah-drummond.com/full-stack-service-design/ --- [ HOW TO EXPLAIN SERVICE DESIGN ] --- Learn what it takes to get your clients, colleagues, managers, CEOs and even grandmas as excited about service design as you are. https://servicedesignshow.com/free-course

As a consumer, you use artificial intelligence daily.  Just open any app on your phone, and the chances are that AI is somehow embedded within it. The development of AI so far has been driven mainly by engineers and scientists. But have you ever wondered how service design help to shape this powerful new technology? Well, it's not a question that's on my mind daily... But after the recent conversation with Carly Burton, I'm definitely more aware of the opportunity in front of us. As the product lead for the AI platform at Meta, Carly is on a mission to bring more design(ers) into developing better AI. In this episode, you'll learn why this is important and what might happen when we fail to do so. There are still many unknowns and unanswered questions in this space. And that's precisely the space where design thrives. But we shouldn't wait for the moment that design gets invited into the conversation. So it's really up to us to proactively create these bridges. If you're curious how, then Carly has some inspiring examples that will get your mind going! What I find exciting about the intersection between AI and design is that it's still very much uncharted territory. There really couldn't be a better time to step in and shape it with your ideas. --- [ GUIDE ] -— 00:00 Welcome to episode 152 03:15 Who is Carly 03:45 Lightning round 06:45 How it started 08:45 Challenges & opportunities 11:00 What can design add 16:30 What's at stake 19:00 A common scenario 26:30 The bigger goals 32:00 Pitfalls to avoid 36:15 Accelerating adoption 39:00 Spotting the right opportunities 41:00 The time machine 44:45 Final thoughts --- [ LINKS ] --- https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlymarie00006/ The power of habit (book) - https://amzn.to/3n8K93h --- [ HOW TO EXPLAIN SERVICE DESIGN ] --- Learn what it takes to get your clients, colleagues, managers, CEOs and even grandmas as excited about service design as you are. https://servicedesignshow.com/free-course

How can you enable service designers to deliver their best work? That's coming up in a second but first, imagine this... A wedding where the bride and groom have to take care of all the logistics on the big day itself. Everything from arranging the tables to welcoming the band. There will be little time and space to focus on why they are truly there. Yeah, that's why we have masters of ceremony and wedding planners. These people do all the heavy lifting so that the couple can own the moment. Okay, so what does this have to do with design? A lot. Many organizations that hire service design professionals forget (or aren't aware of) that they need support. And this leads to all kinds of problems. Most notably, designers get frustrated by not being able to live up to their full potential, eventually leaving the organization before they can create any meaningful impact. Fortunately, there's a new field emerging that has acknowledged this problem and is developing strategies to cope with it. This field is known as DesignOps. In this episode of the Show you'll hear Michelle Walter, the head of DesignOps at ANZ Bank, share how they actively support their internal designers to thrive inside the organization. You'll learn which business incentive drove ANZ to set up and invest in this new practice. And what it took to get buy-in to grow it beyond its initial stages. Finally, Michelle talks about the two major initiatives that have emerged over the years as the key drivers for success that they are experiencing now. I'd say that every organization which hires service design professionals needs to hear this conversation. But maybe you should listen to it first and then forward it to the right person ;) If I got one thing from this chat with Michelle, DesignOps is a deliberate act that requires a lot of careful thought and planning. It's a true expertise and needs to be treated like one. Enjoy this look under the hood of DesignOps and as always, keep making a positive impact! --- [ GUIDE ] -— 00:00 Welcome to episode 151 03:00 Who is Michelle 07:00 60 second rapid fire 09:00 Growing nurturing and inspiring 10:00 Where did the journey start 15:00 The initial question 19:00 The hiring wild west 21:00 What has changed 23:45 Building a community 29:15 A deliberate act 32:45 The evolution 37:15 Learning program 41:15 What made this work 49:00 Getting feedback 52:45 Lessons learned 56:00 What's next 58:15 Final thoughts --- [ LINKS ] --- https://www.linkedin.com/in/mbwalter/ The Art of Gathering (book): https://amzn.to/3GDGBia --- [ HOW TO EXPLAIN SERVICE DESIGN ] --- Learn what it takes to get your clients, colleagues, managers, CEOs, and even grandmas as excited about service design as you are. https://servicedesignshow.com/free-course

How can service design help in times of crisis? This is one of the questions Max Tkachuk and I explore in this episode.  Max lives in Kyiv and is an active member of the service design community in Ukraine. Being a first-hand witness of the war, Max sees how both the local and international service design communities respond to the situation. In this episode you'll learn about: The state of service design in Ukraine. If service design is relevant in times of crisis. What can we, as an international community, do to help. Which role could service design play after the war. What lessons you can take away from all this. Despite the terrible situation, it's encouraging to hear that at the same time, many good things happing in Ukraine.  I would invite you to listen to this conversation and see how you can potentially contribute, no matter how big or small. Sometimes service design is thought of as a nice to have addon. For me, this chat with Max once again shows that it can (and should) be at the heart of how any service is delivered. Thanks for being part of this community, and keep making a positive impact! --- [ 1. GUIDE ] -— 00:00 Welcome to episode 150 01:45 Who is Max 03:00 60 second rapid fire 07:00 Call to action 08:45 Topic of today 09:30 Historic context 17:00 Design education 22:00 Demand in the local market 25:30 Situation today 30:00 Response of the design community 33:15 How can the community help 36:00 The barriers to integration 39:00 Leveraging international design 44:45 What I do 48:15 Join service.so 52:00 Closing thoughts --- [ 2. LINKS ] --- https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxtkachuk/ https://t.me/maxitkachuk https://service.so https://prjctrfoundation.com https://www.ted.com/talks/philippe_starck_design_and_destiny --- [ 3. DONATE ] --- https://u24.gov.ua/ https://zgraya-help.com/

Dive into the intriguing world of service design with the team from Harmonic Design as they tackle real questions. Discover what challenges they face, their strategies for attracting clients, and the secrets behind successful design projects. Hear insights on the ongoing debate between in-house and external perspectives, and how relationships can shape effective collaboration. They also clarify common misperceptions in the field and reflect on lessons learned throughout their journeys, offering a candid look into the evolution of design practices.

I used to say that 50% of service design is about communication. Today I think the percentage might be even higher... Just think about all those moments where you need to collaborate with someone to get something done. Yes, that's like always. *** Learn more about the Circle: https://servicedesignshow.com/circle/ *** Sometimes what you need is the attention from your co-worker other times, it will be time or money from your CEO. Whatever the case is, when you fail to show the benefits your work has for the other person, you won't get very far as a service design professional. But as you know, communicating benefits is easier said than done. Let's take the common journey map, just as an example. Should you show the entire map with all its richness and potentially risk losing people in the complexity? Or should you just show a small part of it but risk that people will oversimplify things? This balancing act between what you tell, how you tell it, and when you tell it happens all the time. And it's one of those things that can make or break your day, project, and sometimes even career. As this is such an important topic, we decided to explore it in more depth in our recent Circle community session. We discussed ways that help you find that perfect balance in your story. And also things definitely you want to avoid when communicating the benefits of your work. In this episode, Heydn Ericson, who hosted the session, shares the most important guidelines that emerged in our session with you. You'll hear, that there are many small and practical things you can do to increase the chance that you'll land your message. It's empowering once you have the awareness. Enjoy the conversation and keep making a positive impact! --- [ EPISODE GUIDE ] -— 00:00 Welcome to the Show 03:00 Who is Heydn 03:45 Why this topic 09:30 Getting specific 11:15 Do we need this 13:15 Is it on us 15:30 Signs of success 18:30 Study their PowerPoint 22:45 Make it digestible 31:00 Little stories 36:30 How are you seen 39:15 Part of our identity 42:00 Advice for introverts 43:15 Quick recap 46:30 Closing thoughts --- [ CIRCLE ] -— Join our community of in-house service design professionals at the Circle. www.servicedesignshow.com/circle/

Every service design project starts with an initial conversation. From there, you build trust, confidence, and the relationship to do great work. But getting that first conversation started can often be one of the hardest things. Especially when you consider that many organizations still aren't aware that service design exists, let alone how they can benefit from it. Of course, you could sit back and wait for the moment when the organization is ready. But this approach will mean that while waiting, you'll miss out on many great opportunities to put your skills to good use. So is there an effective way you could proactively get your foot in the door and pitch service design to an organization that doesn't know it needs it? Yes, there is! And it's more than one... In this week's episode, Matthew Marino, founder of the Paris-based studio User.io, shares the different approaches they have been experimenting with over the years. You'll learn about the use of concept projects, the trojan horse approach, and how to compound outcomes. All are great additions to your toolbox and will surely help you open more doors. The examples Matthew shared encourage me. In the end, you can turn everything into a design challenge, even pitching service design.  That makes it way more fun, and you already have the skills to solve this challenge successfully. Enjoy the conversation, and thanks for being part of this community. --- [ GUIDE ] -— 00:00 Welcome to episode 149 03:00 Who is Matthew 03:55 60 second rapid fire 06:35 Episode theme 08:20 Service design doesn't fit 10:35 Good entry points 14:05 Sustaining change 20:20 The fuzzy part of design 23:50 Connecting the dots 28:50 The concept car 39:50 Compounding projects 44:20 How to get invited 46:35 Learn the language 50:35 Evaluating projects 53:35 Wrapping up 55:05 Relevant resources 55:50 Closing thoughts --- [ LINKS ] --- https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrmarino/ https://user.io/en/work/refact-en/ https://user.io/en/work/service-lab-framework-en/ Good Services (book): https://amzn.to/3kV4V55 --- [ HOW TO EXPLAIN SERVICE DESIGN ] --- Learn what it takes to get your clients, colleagues, managers, CEOs and even grandmas as excited about service design as you are. https://servicedesignshow.com/free-course