What is Service Design?

While most UX designers are familiar with the technical terminology surrounding their day-to-day work, few are exposed to understanding “Service Design”, the umbrella term that encompasses UX design.

What is Service Design? 

At its core, Service Design is the broader term that encompasses all aspects that go into the design of a service. Service Design is a foundational approach to organizing the components that go into providing a service while providing quality and seamless user experience. In order to gain a fuller grasp of UX design, it’s important to gain a broader understanding of the mechanisms of Service Design. 

What are the components of Service Design?

• People - The individuals that surround the creation and usage of the service
• Props - Any tangible or intangible entities that go into the performance of the service
• Processes - The rules, standards, and regulations associated with the service

Service Design encompasses solution, object, symbol, and of course, UX design. 

• Solution design relates to the backend/frontend alignment and workflow design of a service. 
• Object design relates to product and industrial design. It’s important to note that product design is a much more tangible way of looking at how to develop a product in a business setting. It’s a common misunderstanding that product and service design are mutually exclusive. Although a good Service Design can integrate a product design if it happens to be exhaustive enough.
• Experience design refers to UX platforms, interaction design, and understanding the synergies between the user, customer, and employee.

But how does Service Design help me, a UX Designer?

A good UX platform should seem seamless and properly integrated within the workflows of a business. Understanding the Service Design of a business helps a UX platform optimize service efficiency, improve customer satisfaction, and create more value by finding the synergies behind various existing business models. 

By accomplishing these goals, and tailoring a UX interface to an exhaustive Service Design, a business can help their service feel more purposed. Additionally, your UX skillset can naturally develop to be more adaptive and reactive to business and customer needs. 

As with learning any new skill set, understanding the foundations always helps in the latter end of the learning process. Through developing an understanding of Service Design, UX designers can more effectively grasp the various aspect of their work and naturally adapt to changing business models. 

Looking to get started mastering the fundamentals? Avocademy helps with understanding these frameworks. Schedule a free mentoring session with a UX designer today!

Author
Krishna is a learner, creator, and lover of having great conversations with everyone! He loves avocados when he can get the chance to add them to a warm piece of toast or burrito bowl!