Service Design Show

This one was a challenge... I'm trying to summarize the episode you'll hear with Adam Lawrence and explain why you would want to tune in. Ironically, of the key takeaways from the conversation is that words can be very limiting, especially when dealing with challenges that involve complex intangible human experiences. This is why you see many other, richer forms of communication being used in service design. We love to visualize, prototype with LEGO and even act things out. And what we find is that these forms of communication, which look deceivingly playful to outsiders, lead to better and faster decision-making. It's not just about being more effective either; by focusing on words as the primary way of communication, we exclude those who could contribute meaningfully through other expressive means. However, as I'm sure you know, not everyone feels comfortable with these alternative forms of communication, even though they are more effective and inclusive. Many organizations crave certainty, logic, and definitive answers, leaving little room for ambiguity. This brings us back to the conversation with Adam. We delve into why non-designers hesitate to embrace richer forms of communication and the fears and anxieties associated with it. And how can we lead by example to create a pull effect rather than imposing our methods dogmatically onto others. So, all in all, we cover a lot of ground in a conversation where we advocate for using fewer words :) A standout message for me was when Adam said that the riskiest thing a business can do is stick to the status quo. Enjoy the episode, and keep making a positive impact. --- [ 1. GUIDE ] --- 00:00 Welcome to episode 178 06:30 Who is Adam 08:30 Lightning round 12:00 Implicit vs explicit design 17:00 The limitation of words 20:00 It's just faster 23:00 Using richer data 27:30 The tension in design 32:00 Investigative rehearsal 34:00 Subjective value 37:15 Do we get it 39:45 What's stopping us 41:45 Increasing the odds 46:00 Pull vs push change 50:30 Common objections 53:00 Creating a safe space 59:00 Things are changing 1:00:30 Call to action 1:01:30 Closing thoughts --- [ 2. LINKS ] --- * https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamstjohnlawrence/ * http://globaljams.org * https://www.cocreationschool.com * This is Service Design Thinking (book) - https://amzn.to/3NdT0gx * This Is Service Design Doing (book) - https://amzn.to/3qY6zco --- [ 3. CIRCLE ] --- Join our private community for in-house service design professionals. https://servicedesignshow.com/circle

Which do you prefer? A service that simply gets the job done. Or... a service that not only gets the job done but also helps you express your values and identity. If you choose the second option, you're in for a treat. This week's episode is all about decoding the design of meaningful services. But first, let's take a moment to acknowledge that the things we buy often reflect our values. Some of the most successful products allow us to express our identity through them, like driving a Tesla, wearing Havaianas, or collecting Pokémon cards. These products go beyond functionality, becoming iconic symbols of pop culture. They attract passionate fans and loyal ambassadors. Now, when it comes to services, it's much harder to find those with the same pop culture status. Why is that? Our guest, Claire Dennington, has extensively studied this topic and reveals the key: trends. Yes, trends can be a design material for creating services that add meaning and joy to people's lives. So if you want to learn how trends can be harnessed to design services that people want to use and associate themselves with, make sure you don't miss this conversation! I admit when I first heard about using trends in services, I was concerned about their sustainability. But in my conversation with Claire, she explains how trends can actually encourage sustainable behavior, particularly in the realm of services. Enjoy the episode and keep making a positive impact. - Marc --- [ 1. GUIDE ] --- 00:00 Welcome to episode 177 04:00 Who is Claire 04:45 Lightning round 07:30 How it all started 08:30 What is pop culture 11:00 Culture vs. pop culture 13:30 Iconic examples 15:15 Where's the opportunity 17:15 Recognizing meaning 20:30 What's the advantage 23:30 How sustainable is this 26:00 Material properties of trends 28:00 What shapes what 29:30 From sub to pop culture 32:00 Traditional services 33:15 Evolution of trends 36:45 How to start 40:15 Picking the trend 42:00 Relationship to branding 44:00 What excites you 47:00 Developing service concepts 49:30 Closing thoughts --- [ 2. LINKS ] --- https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-dennington-a61871b/ https://aho.no/en/calendar/doctoral-thesis-defence-claire-dennington --- [ 3. CIRCLE ] --- Join our private community for in-house service design professionals. https://servicedesignshow.com/circle

We must have him on the Show... That's what crossed my mind when I came across Jaryn Miller's recent LinkedIn post. Jaryn is the service design manager at Headspace Health. You might know Headspace from their popular meditation and mindfulness app, but these days they do a lot more. So I reached out to Jaryn with an invitation, and luckily, he said accepted. Our conversation took us on a profound personal journey. It became clear that Jaryn is on a mission—a mission to foster inclusivity and equity within the healthcare system in the USA, leveraging the power of design to do so. A critical challenge we face as a community is that, often unconsciously, we are still designing for "the majority." This approach has harsh consequences, as individuals who fall outside the average user profile feel unrecognized in the system or, worse, experience harm. It’s our responsibility to change this. Yet, advocating for change is not enough. We must put in the effort and summon the courage to resist the path of least resistance. If this seems daunting, I totally get it, but rest assured. In this episode, Jaryn shares practical steps you can integrate into your daily design practice to promote inclusivity. While our conversation primarily focuses on the US healthcare system, the insights shared hold relevance for any environment where inequalities persist. This is a must-watch episode for those seeking to deepen their awareness of the (unintended) consequences of the services we design. I'll admit that discussing important yet weighty topics such as racism and systemic harm is not always easy. I'm grateful to Jaryn for guiding us through this dialogue. Enjoy the episode and continue making a positive impact. - Marc --- [ 1. GUIDE ] --- 00:00 Welcome to episode 176 05:00 Who is Jaryn 07:00 Lightning round 09:45 What do we need to know 11:15 Jaryn's story 15:30 How did we get here 17:30 Manifestation of disparities 19:45 The role of design 22:00 Being the other 25:00 The north star 27:15 Small things you can do 30:00 Biggest objection 33:00 Importance of leadership 34:30 What success looks like 37:00 Think of the inverse 40:00 Personal journey 43:45 The vision 47:00 Building community 48:30 Closing thoughts --- [ 2. LINKS ] --- * https://www.linkedin.com/in/jarynmiller/ --- [ 3. CIRCLE ] --- The service design team you wish you had around you each and every day. https://www.servicedesignshow.com/circle

How can you enhance your collaboration skills? One of the charms of service design is that you always need to involve people from many different disciplines to achieve meaningful outcomes. And as the challenges that you're working on become increasingly complex, effective collaboration becomes more crucial than ever. However, not all forms of collaboration are created equal... Understanding the differences between them can make the distinction between a smooth journey with great results and a road filled with difficulties and frustration. You may have come across terms like interdisciplinarity, multidisciplinarity, or even transdisciplinarity within the context of service design. These concepts represent different ways of working together, and chances are you are already engaged in one of them, whether consciously or not. To shed light on these concepts, I had the opportunity to learn from Elrica Degirmen, our guest in this week's episode. Elrica explains the significant differences between these terms, and in our discussion, we strive to clarify them in simple terms. Because when you understand the strengths and weaknesses of each approach enables you to become a more effective collaborator, equipped with the knowledge to navigate various situations. So, are you curious about the benefits of working in a multidisciplinary team? Wondering when a transdisciplinary approach is most appropriate? Interested in transitioning from an interdisciplinary to a multidisciplinary way of working? It might feel a bit like we're geeking out on service design terminology but I guess sometimes that's totally fine and even helpful :) Enjoy! - Marc --- [ 1. GUIDE ] --- 00:00 Welcome 03:30 Why this topic 04:30 Three definitions 08:00 Why does it matter 09:30 Picking the right one 13:00 Moving into transdisciplinarity 16:00 Putting it into practice 18:30 The roadblocks 21:30 First step 25:45 Finding the time 28:30 Beyond service design 35:30 New insights 37:15 Lesson learned 39:15 Closing thoughts --- [ 2. LINKS ] --- https://www.linkedin.com/in/elrica-feride-degirmen/ Original research paper (PDF): https://go.servicedesignshow.com/ixfx0 --- [ 3. CIRCLE ] --- Connect with and learn from fellow service designers across the globe. Join our growing community! ⁠https://www.servicedesignshow.com/circle

Is design facing a leadership crisis? If you’re nodding in agreement, you’re not alone. As service design professionals, we know the power of our craft to create meaningful change. Yet, we often struggle to find the support necessary that allows us to have a long-lasting impact. And when those around us in leadership roles fail to advocate for the value of design, progress stagnates, and burnout becomes all too common. But here’s the good news. You can lead the change today, regardless of your job title or position. So, how do you start leading in an authentic way that aligns with your values and the realities of business? Our latest guest, Sarah Clearwater, interviewed design leaders to find out. She shares her insights in this week's episode with us. If you want to grow the impact design has on your organization and are tired of waiting for others to pick up the torch, tune in to this conversation! Yes, taking on a leadership role can be daunting. But what’s the alternative… Keep pushing for positive change! - Marc --- [ 1. GUIDE ] --- 00:00 Welcome to episode 175 05:15 Who is Sarah 06:45 Lightning Round 09:00 What is Design Leadership 10:15 What is the status quo 14:15 Practice vs functional leadership 17:45 How did we get here 21:00 Being context-aware 25:00 The lightbulb moment 26:30 Reflection is a key practice 31:15 Limiting biases 33:00 How does leadership manifest 35:30 When the interplay breaks down 36:30 Maturing beyond the craft 40:15 Go where the energy is 43:00 Setting boundaries 46:30 Growing in increments 47:15 Understanding our position 49:15 The quality of our stories 53:30 You have the potential to lead 56:00 The absence of leadership 58:30 Direction rather than a destination 59:30 Why not start today --- [ 2. LINKS ] --- https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahclearwater/ https://go.servicedesignshow.com/design_leadership_report --- [ 3. CIRCLE ] --- Join our private community for in-house service design professionals. https://www.servicedesignshow.com/circle

What does it take to unlock the full potential of service design? That was the burning question in my recent conversation with Jung-Joo (JJ) Lee. As you know, service design's true value goes beyond delivering specific artifacts or running workshops. However, the prevalent narrative around service design in recent years suggests that it is a codified process with specific outcomes that can be applied to almost any situation. While this storyline might make it easier to initially "sell" service design, it doesn't consider the systemic value being created, the need to contextualize service design to fit diverse cultures, and the time it takes to deliver meaningful outcomes. When we stick to this one-dimensional narrative, we end up doing service design on a surface level, wondering why the underlying issues we're trying to address remain unimpacted. The longer we maintain this approach, the greater the risk of service design being dismissed as another short-lived fad: "We've tried it. It doesn't work." As service design professionals, it's up to us to change this narrative. And that's precisely what this episode is all about. JJ, who has witnessed firsthand how people adopt the "textbook" version of service design, shares practical tips on holding yourself and your clients to higher standards. Join us as we delve into ways to contextualize service design for diverse cultures, move beyond a process-oriented approach, and focus on creating intangible value. It might not be easy or pain-free in the beginning, but in the end, everyone wins. Although we explore cultural differences between countries and continents, the lessons we discuss in this episode apply to all companies and organizations, regardless of location. Let's keep making a positive impact together! - Marc --- [ 1. GUIDE ] --- 00:00 Welcome to Episode 175 05:45 Who is JJ 08:30 Lightning Round 12:15 The plurality of service design 19:15 Understanding of SD in Asia 23:15 Story from South Korea 26:00 What was missing 29:15 Role of design maturity 35:00 What does this mean for us 39:15 The end of the double diamond 42:00 Evolving our practice 47:30 Have more courage 51:30 Closing thoughts --- [ 2. LINKS ] --- https://www.linkedin.com/in/jung-joo-lee-154660a/ To Have or To Be? (book) - https://amzn.to/3H4i7jN --- [ 3. CIRCLE ] --- Explore our community for in-house service design professionals. https://servicedesignshow.com/circle

As service designers, we often face the challenge of sustaining momentum for change after the initial excitement of a project. It's easy to get caught up in the research and ideation phase, but true success only comes from making a tangible impact on our customers. If you've ever struggled with getting your insights to stick, you're not alone. Recently, Lisa Salamone hosted a session in our Circle alliance where members shared their experiences on sustaining momentum. We discussed practical tips on how to increase the chances that people follow through on your work. By applying these tips and strategies, we can ensure service design doesn't become mere "corporate entertainment" and makes a real difference. So I invited Lisa for a chat on the Show to share the key takeaways from that session with you. One thing that stuck with me from this conversation was the importance of how you start a project. Going slow to go fast is crucial. Enjoy the episode, and keep making a positive impact :) - Marc --- [ 1. GUIDE ] --- 00:00 Welcome 03:00 Who is Lisa 04:15 What's in store 05:30 How do you recognize this 08:00 What can you gain 09:15 The challenge 12:30 How did we get here 14:30 Is it our job 17:00 Setting up for success 19:45 Understanding the problem space 23:00 What is the Circle 25:00 Finding advocates 32:15 The beginners mind 34:30 Reusing existing knowledge 37:30 Lesson learned 40:30 Closing thoughts --- [ 2. LINKS ] --- https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-salamone/ --- [ 3. CIRCLE ] --- Join our private community for in-house service design professionals. https://www.servicedesignshow.com/circle

Have you ever thought about... what a sustainable service looks like? Nowadays, we have a pretty good idea of what sustainability means for products, but I would argue not so much for services. The language around sustainability resides very much in our material world. We talk about carbon emissions, reducing waste, and moving towards circularity. But services aren't made up of atoms. Our design "materials" are things like time, experiences, relationships, processes, etc. So this brings us back to the question of how do you design services that serve our planet just as much as they serve our organizations and customers? In this episode, Anna van der Togt, Lead Sustainability at Livework, shares how they approach this topic. Join us to explore what sustainable insurance might look like and how it would change the relationship between service providers and their customers. We also discuss how to get your clients to open up about investing in sustainable services. Because most of them won't be able to articulate right now that they need or want this. As you'll hear, there are still many unanswered questions, which makes exploring this topic so interesting. :) Here's a question to get your mind going: As a service design professional, you also deliver a service to your clients. How can you rethink your own practice to make it more sustainable? Enjoy the conversation, and keep making a positive impact :) - Marc --- [ 1. GUIDE ] --- 00:00 Welcome to episode 173 05:30 Who is Anna 07:15 Lightning round 11:15 Where are we today 16:15 Is there waste in services 20:15 Which levers do we have 23:45 Suppliers and customers 27:00 What's missing 29:15 How did we get here 32:15 Design materials of services 34:30 Reactions of clients 39:30 Sustainable service examples 43:15 How could the conversation change 44:45 The role of service design 46:45 What is holding us back 49:15 Looking down, up and wide 52:30 Impact on our practice 54:45 Questions to think about 56:15 Closing thoughts --- [ 2. LINKS ] --- https://www.linkedin.com/in/avdtogt/ The Value of a Whale (book) - https://amzn.to/3UEuc4Q --- [ 3. CIRCLE ] --- Join our private community for in-house service design professionals. https://www.servicedesignshow.com/circle

How do you scale service design from 10 to 100 inside an organization? That’s what you’ll hear in this conversation with Doug Powell. But first, let me tell you a personal story. My car was leaking oil. It started with small drips but got worse over time. The idea of having to take the entire engine apart wasn’t something I was looking forward to. So we tried to “solve” the issue by tightening nuts, double-checking every seal, and adding fresh oil. As you might have guessed, the problem of course didn’t go away. The car still drove, but my driveway was getting messier by the day, and the fact that I knew that I wouldn’t want to take it for a long drive didn’t sit well with me. So after putting up with the band-aid solutions for a while, it was time to do the unavoidable and take the engine apart. It was messy, it wasn’t cheap, but it had to be done. The good news is that I’m still driving that car today. Similarly, many organizations have “leaking engines” in the form of career frameworks that have grown organically over time and don’t account for the role of service design. And before you say that those are just documents HR likes to look at, let’s not underestimate how important these career frameworks are. They determine salaries, promotions, and responsibilities. So while it’s tempting to keep improvising and avoid the hassle of updating career frameworks, this approach only works for so long. Eventually, you’ll need clarity and structure to scale your team and attract new talent. That’s where Doug comes in. In our conversation, he shares lessons from standardizing and formalizing design roles, responsibilities, and titles at IBM and Expedia. You’ll also hear about HR's role in this process and how you can turn this seemingly unsexy task into a design challenge that excites everyone. Regardless of whether you’re a small or a big team, the insights Doug shares will help you be one step ahead when trying to scale service design… rather than having to fix things when they eventually break down. For me, this conversation was a good reminder that the success of service design within an organization isn’t so much about knowing how to get the most out of our tools and methods. Instead, it’s about making it part of the organizational operating system. Enjoy the conversation and keep making a positive impact :) - Marc P.S. If you’re open to sharing (parts of) your career framework, I’d love to collaborate and grow the maturity of our practice. Just reach out to me! --- [ 1. GUIDE ] --- 00:00 Welcome to episode 172 06:00 Rapid fire question round 10:00 Topic of today 12:00 The backstory 19:00 What is a career framework 24:00 Where can we improve 26:30 Partnering with HR 31:00 It's up to us 33:30 Designer career playbook 39:30 Connecting to existing systems 44:30 Things that need fixing 48:15 Being the outsiders 50:15 From 10 to 100 51:30 Sharing knowledge 55:30 Lessons learned 58:15 The opportunity 59:30 How might we 1:01:15 Closing thoughts --- [ 2. LINKS ] --- * https://www.linkedin.com/in/douglaspowell330/ * Notes on an Execution (book) - https://amzn.to/3Zt5g0I * Design Career Frameworks: The Messy Plumbing of Scaled Design Programs (article) - https://go.servicedesignshow.com/mubuc --- [ 3. CIRCLE ] --- Join our private community for in-house service design professionals. https://servicedesignshow.com/circle

I almost can't believe it... Colleagues for the entire org are lining up and asking for service design. That's what Niamh Parsley said when I asked her about the biggest change that happened in the last two years.  Niamh is the Senior Design Manager at the world's #1 music streaming service, Spotify. When Niamh joined Spotify, only she and one colleague were waving the service design flag. But today, over 50 design professionals across every area of the company are spreading the practice. How did they do it without hiring an army of service designers? In this episode, Niamh shares how they grew service design inside Spotify, the challenges they faced, and their goals for the upcoming years. You'll learn about the critical role of the internal community, the breakthrough caused by the career framework, and surprising tactics that made service design famous. If you're on a similar journey to grow demand for service design within your organization, you'll definitely want to hear Niamh's insights! I'm grateful to Niamh for sharing her story with us so openly and providing a peek behind the curtains of a high-profile company that impacts our daily lives. Enjoy the conversation and keep making a positive impact :) - Marc --- [ 1. GUIDE ] --- 00:00 Welcome to episode 171 04:30 Who is Niamh 05:30 Lightning round 07:15 Niamh's journey 12:15 The article 15:30 How is SD organized 18:30 Internal guild 24:30 Career framework 30:15 Challenges 36:00 Impact on staffing 37:30 Biggest win 42:00 What's next 46:15 One piece of advice 47:30 Closing thoughts --- [ 2. LINKS ] --- https://www.linkedin.com/in/niamhmp/ https://spotify.design/article/backstage-tickets-to-the-world-of-service-design-at-spotify Mismatch: How Inclusion Shapes Design (book) - https://amzn.to/42jAWby --- [ 3. SELLING SERVICE DESIGN WITH CONFIDENCE ] --- Learn how to get buy-in for service design from your clients, stakeholders and co-workers. https://servicedesignshow.com/confidence