Service Design Show

Here's a crazy idea... Imagine you had a team of service design superheroes by your side. A team that helps you take on the status quo head-on, challenging organizational inertia with confidence. As service design professionals, we're playing the long game. Change is a journey, and navigating tough times is part of adventure. Over the holidays, I read "The Long Game". In the book, the author underscores the importance of a strong support group to overcome short-term challenges and bridge the unavoidable chasm of doubt. Well, enter the ​Circle community​ – our, or rather your, team of service design superheroes. If you've been following my work, you'll know that we've been carefully building this support group over the last three years. Since day one, the Circle has been an ongoing prototype, and (fortunately) not everything works out as we plan. In this episode, you get a peek behind the curtains as we share the lessons learned from the past year. You'll also hear about our

We've all heard it before... An idea is nothing without execution. As service design professionals, our mission goes beyond doing research and creating future scenarios. We're here to create real, tangible change in the lives of the people we serve. But here's a frustration I'm sure you'll recognize: many insights we uncover eventually never materialize into solutions. It's been a critique of service design for years. Why does this happen? Well, one reason is the handover moments within organizations. Many great ideas die in the transition between people, teams, and departments. Plagued by conflicting agendas, different objectives, and unequal resources. And as service designers, we lack the mandate or authority to see our ideas through to the end. So here's a wild idea: What if there were no handovers? What if service design were the driving force all the way through? In this conversation, we sit down with ​Brad Alphonso​, who's successfully championed this approach within h

In our fast-paced society, we often find ourselves rushing through life. Whether meeting work deadlines or juggling personal commitments, speed and efficiency seem to rule the day. Our interactions with others have become transactional, focused on accomplishing tasks rather than building meaningful connections. Have we lost the art of genuine communication, leaving us feeling pressured and stressed, constantly chasing happiness? Sometimes, it definitely feels so. So what if we paused for a moment? What if we took the time to listen to one another without judgment or hidden agendas? Listening not to prove a point but to understand. Our guest this week, Johnnie Moore, introduces us to the concept of Unhurried Conversations. What started as a simple experiment has grown into a movement. Johnnie shares the origins of this movement, what it is at its core, and how it can be integrated into our busy lives, even in work settings where busyness often defines success. Unhurried Conversations act as a magical lubr

Design has failed... There's a growing narrative that design has fallen short, failing to tackle important business challenges and truly impact customers' lives. But let's dive deeper. Was this a predictable narrative from the start? In recent years, design often found itself working within confined parameters, struggling to fit into an agile, time-boxed, and predictable fashion. Trying to responsibly and get in line with the rest of the business. I've seen many talented service design professionals work their *ss off, still trying to deliver the best work within these boundaries. But the odds were always against them. Perhaps it's our optimism or the sheer challenge that leads us to believe we can reshape design to fit within these constraints. We tried, and to some extent, we succeeded. But when we're honest, the result often resembles a watered-down, marginalized version of what design is truly capable of. So, it's not surprising to come across critiques regarding the impact of

ResearchOps, it's a real game-changer... To drive home why, let me share a personal story. I've been producing this podcast for six years now. There are at least 60 steps that need to be completed before a conversation reaches your ears. Over the years, I've put different systems in place to make the production process run smoother. But here's the interesting part: Today, I spend about the same amount of time on each episode as I did in my first year. So what's changed, you ask? Now that I've standardized and documented the entire process, much of the logistical overhead is out of the way. I use that time to focus on our guests and the quality of our conversation -- the magic happens there. So, what does this have to do with research? Well, what if we applied a similar approach to research? We all know that there's no service design without research. However, getting the time and resources needed for proper research is tough. Research is still often seen as an expense to be minim

There is no way around it; you have to lead... Here's the elephant in the room: Being in a leadership position can be a lonely and isolated endeavor. As service design professionals, we often find ourselves in situations where people look up to us on what to do next. They put their trust in us to set out the course and direction. Great, right? Well, if you're the one who has to carry the weight of making the correct call each and every time, it can easily lead to unhealthy situations and potentially burnout. Not to mention that the challenges we work on are simply too complex to solve in isolation. But it doesn't have to be this way, as our guest, Amelia Diggle, shares in this episode. In our conversation, Amelia shares some unconventional leadership practices that promote collaboration, effectiveness, and even fun, from working out loud to deep listening and mindfulness. Amelia's insights offer a much-needed, refreshing perspective on compassionate leadership. As you'll hear, regardless

Let's face it... In many organizations, human-centered design, unfortunately isn't yet woven into the cultural fabric. This means that design often still needs to earn its stripes before it gets fully accepted inside an environment that's dominated by a different mindset. And the stakes are high. Either design's influence grows, and investments shift toward it, or it risks fading into insignificance. Right now, there's a strong debate going on in our field: How can we earn this respect without losing our design essence, the very source of our effectiveness? ​Scott Zimmer, our guest this week, brings a wealth of insights on what it takes to persuade organizations to make substantial (financial) investments in design. Through his experiences in executive leadership roles, he successfully championed design, building environments where it was regarded as an equal partner rather than a replaceable resource. In this conversation, we delve into the strategies for building bridges between business

This can't be true... It was a revelation that left Mauricio Manhaes in disbelief. A disturbing pattern emerged during his research on what it means to cultivate a design-driven culture in everyday work. Doing research is much like connecting dots, where individual stories often lack groundbreaking insights. However, unexpected patterns can suddenly emerge when you look across these stories. And that's exactly what happened when Mauricio interviewed some of our field's most accomplished, experienced, and respected professionals. These professionals were generously sharing their work journeys and challenges. But when Mauricio zoomed out and started to reflect on the stories, he realized these challenges weren't rooted in a lack of skills or resources. A deeper, systemic issue is at play, limiting design and designers from living up to their full potential. Mauricio has recently published his findings and came on the Show to share them with us. Join us to gain insights into what might be

It's the magic ingredient (and blind spot)...Trust. It's not a topic that gets much attention in the service design space, but it's the secret sauce you need to get people on board with your ideas. Trust is the linchpin whether it's your colleagues, clients, or CEO. That's why, in this week's episode, we dive into what it truly takes to cultivate a deep sense of trust with those around us. The good news? You likely already have all the skills required. While trust is universally important, it's especially relevant for us as service design professionals. Most of the time, we do not control the budget or have full decision-making power. We're heavily reliant on partners to turn insights into action. It's fair to say that building partnerships is a daily necessity for effective service design. The challenge (and frustration) arises when we struggle to secure genuine buy-in within these partners. Sure, we can get heads nodding in agreement when we present our plans or ideas. Bu

It's not a walk in the park... In fact, calling it challenging is a major understatement. What we, as service design professionals, often need to tackle some could described as brain surgery. But I bet they didn't teach you that in service design school. They certainly didn't for me. But why the analogy to brain surgery, you ask? According to our guest, Perrin Rowland, who serves as the Chief Experience Design Officer at one of New Zealand's largest banks, a significant part of our role involves rewiring the organizational neural pathways. This rewiring is necessary because many established organizations lack the infrastructure needed to fully leverage the potential of design. It's simply not their modus operandi; it's not how they've reached their current status (quo). Consequently, these organizations don't align with the core design principles, which leads to misaligned beliefs, behaviors, and practices. This misalignment often results in disappointment when design attempts

What's the impact? What happens when you can translate the value of service design in a way your business leaders understand? Does your daily work transform? How does it influence your projects? Does it open doors to new challenges? Does it boost your career? Many theories abound, but why not hear it straight from the pros who are bridging this business-design gap? In this episode, six service design professionals share their journey. And here's a spoiler: improving your business communication skills isn't just crucial for client-facing roles; it's invaluable whether you're freelancing or working in-house. Thank you for being part of our community. Your work matters, and remember, we've got your back! - Marc [ 1. Episode Guide ] 00:00 Welcome 03:30 The graduates 04:30 Kate (agency) 11:15 Vinatha (in-house) 19:00 Afi (independent) 27:15 Anu (in-house) 34:45 Jane (in-house) 41:15 Cristina (public sector) 49:45 Closing thoughts [ 2. Selling Service Design wit

It feels like an absolute no-brainer... Involving our users in the design process. We've all seen the outcomes of services that neglected this step. In the best case, these services that looked great on paper just get no adoption in the market. In the worst case, they cause harm to certain communities. Within service design, we know that co-designing solutions is a way to minimize this risk greatly and to deliver services that meet the needs of our users. Yet, involving users in a meaningful way is easier said than done. The challenges can be overwhelming, like ensuring that co-design happens before the key decisions are made. So, what does it take to good co-design? Well, in this episode, Marc sat down for a chat with Emma Blomkamp. Emma is a respected expert in our industry around anything and everything co-design. Emma's insights on good co-design go beyond processes, touching on its often-overlooked mental aspects. Because knowing the right steps in a co-design process is meaningless if it leads t

In this episode, we dive deep into DesignOps and its rapid adoption by leading companies worldwide. Personally, I'm a strong advocate for DesignOps. I feel it holds the potential to unleash, or at least significantly contribute to, the full power of design within organizations. The fact that you're reading this tells me that you probably also feel design needs to operate at a more strategic level and not be confined to surface-level challenges. DesignOps plays a crucial role in creating an environment where design and design professionals flourish. It bridges the gap between an organization's existing operations, often misaligned with a design-driven approach, and a future where design seamlessly integrates with how business is done. As you might have experienced yourself, most organizations lack the supporting systems, processes, and tools for design to thrive. Design's voice is often muffled amidst the organizational noise. Being in such a scenario can be incredibly frustrating. You recog

Imagine not just designing one service... But shaping your entire organization so that it keeps improving the services it offers, continuously. Yes, it's a much bigger challenge, yet the reward of creating a highly service-oriented organization is immeasurable. But let's be real, redesigning an entire organization isn't a task for the faint-hearted. You're tinkering with an established system that has steered the company for years, propelling it to where it is today. In my view, we don't have a real choice though. How much longer can we design services that eventually fall short of their potential due to organizational roadblocks? Continuing this way not only wastes time and money but also breeds frustration. Your hard work might not have the desired impact, causing doubt to loom over service design's legitimacy as a field with stakeholders. They say that you eat an elephant one spoon at a time. In our context, if the elephant is the challenge of reshaping our organization to be more s

What does the good life mean to you? And can you design for it? I had the pleasure of speaking with Diana Albarran Gonzalez recently, who firmly believes in the power of design to shape a better future for individuals, organizations, and our planet. She challenges the prevailing Western-centric and industrial philosophies that often prioritize extraction and exploitation over our collective well-being. To transform our design practice and prioritize the greater good, we must embrace diverse perspectives, ways of knowing, and cultural contexts. These alternative approaches may not always be viewed as objective or scientific, but dismissing them limits our potential to create a positive impact. So in this week's episode, Diana shares her insights on enriching our current design practice by integrating multiple perspectives. Discover how this shift can be liberating, empowering and align your solutions with the local cultures and environments. Conversations like these help me to break free from echo chambe

Okay, this might sound a bit strange... But whether or not you can drive change within your organization has little to do with the quality of your work. Often it's the (lack of) enabling factors around you that determine how impactful you can be. So in this week's episode, we take a step back from our core service design practices and focus on the external conditions that influence our work. During a deep dive session in our Circle community, Ben McCammon shared a valuable health check framework he uses as a team lead. This framework outlines 12 essential success factors that often get overlooked in the midst of day-to-day work. Ignoring these factors can have detrimental long-term effects, leading to team frustration, attrition, and doubts from senior leaders about the team's value. So a lot is riding on making sure that these success factors are always in good shape. Join us as Ben walks us through four key elements of the framework, providing insights and practical advice for creating an en

In this episode, we dive deep into the insights and experiences of Patrick Quattlebaum, co-founder of the renowned service design agency Harmonic Design. With Harmonic's recent 5th anniversary, I seized the opportunity to discuss what Patrick learned along this journey. You'll hear inspiring perspectives on the challenges of running a service design agency, the essence of effective leadership, and the future of our field. We also delve into the highly anticipated sequel to his co-authored book, "Orchestrating Experiences," which has become a classic in our industry, transforming how companies approach customer experience. Coincidentally, as the book also celebrated its 5-year milestone this year, we explore how the landscape has evolved since its publication and the new chapters Patrick would include. Prepare for some surprising insights. This conversation is unlike what you're used to on the Show, mainly thanks to the Harmonic Design team's collaboration in helping me shape the

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 certa

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 l

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 pat