Since 2017 I have worked as service and user experience designer. I have Master's degree in Interaction Design from the Estonian Academy of Arts.
Besides doing design myself, I train and mentor organisations and companies on how to use the methodology and tools themselves for creating user friendly successful services. The recent projects I have done are training Tallinn City Transport managers about human centred service design, training and mentoring four companies at the tourism companies' service design masterclass, Training 10 groups of Estonian librarians to become digital heroes, doing UX for Estonian state portal eesti.ee and Estonian Rescue Board website.
Key elements of service design include:
User-Centricity.Service design starts by understanding the needs, behaviors, and expectations of the users or customers. This involves conducting research, such as user interviews, surveys, and observations, to gain insights into their preferences and pain points.
Holistic Approach. It considers the entire service ecosystem, including all touchpoints and interactions that customers have with a service. This may involve physical and digital aspects, as well as interactions with people, processes, and technology.
Co-Creation. Service design often involves collaboration between different stakeholders, including designers, customers, employees, and other relevant parties. Co-creation allows for diverse perspectives and expertise to contribute to the design process.
Iterative Process. Designing and improving services is an ongoing process. Service designers use iterative methods to prototype, test, and refine service concepts and solutions to ensure they meet user needs and business objectives.
Visualisation. Visual tools like service blueprints, customer journey maps, and personas are commonly used in service design to help stakeholders understand and communicate complex service concepts and processes.
Innovation. Service design encourages innovative thinking to create new and improved services. It seeks to identify opportunities for differentiation and value creation in the competitive marketplace.
Implementation. Service design not only focuses on the creative aspect but also considers the practical implementation of the designed solutions. This may involve considering factors like resource allocation, technology integration, and employee training.
Evaluation and Measurement. Continuous evaluation and measurement of service performance are essential to ensure that the designed services are delivering the intended benefits and meeting objectives. Feedback from users and key performance indicators are used to assess success.
Service design is widely applied in various industries, including healthcare, finance, hospitality, and public services, to enhance the quality of services, increase customer satisfaction, and drive business growth. It is a flexible and adaptable approach that can be tailored to the specific needs and context of each service organization.