Week+9

Tools and Methods of Service Design According to Sylvain Cottong

· Ethnography, User studies and Personas o Forms of market research which involve identifying and understanding the context in which users would be using the service design · Customer Journey Map o Identifying the experiences of a customer along the duration of their experience with the service design o Aims to discover user emotions, thoughts etc.  · Service Blueprinting o A description or modeling of the important elements of a service design o It should cover the actions and processes that involve a user in the design o It should consider both front-stage and backstage elements (elements which are both seen and unseen by the user, respectively) · Ideation, Context Mapping and Participatory Design o Involves users in a workshop in which the design is simulated o The goal is reveal any of the user’s needs that have not already been met · Service Prototyping o An attempt to simulate the design as if it were in the real world o Uses actors to act out possible scenarios in which the design may be used o Useful to the test the capabilities and limits of a design

Scenarios

Realistically, any scenario that users are heavily involved in is a scenario where service design is useful. Using the methods of service design, any number of mundane, daily activities such as going to the bank or eating at a restaurant can be improved. However, I feel that the most practical application of service design is for the activities that are more time consuming and generally considered to be more important, such as going to the airport or completing your annual taxes.

For example, a scenario in which service design would be particularly useful is going to the ministry of transportation in order to get a driver’s license. There are many of the aspects within this process, including arriving at the ministry (which can be difficult if you don’t already have a license), waiting in line for processing, and passing a test if you are applying for either a g1 or g2 license. Each of these aspects should be considered on a customer journey map, and could be improves using participatory design, as they are processes that heavily involve the user

References

Cottong, Sylvain (2009). User Design, Service Design & Design Thinking. Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/sylvain/ux-design-service-design-design-thinking