How we taught
ourselves
service design
Service Design 2012
5 May 2012
Sydney, Australia
Trent Mankelow
Optimal Usability

2003:Usability
Focus on a single screen

2004:User Experience
Focus on a single touchpoint
2003:Usability
Focus on a single screen

2008:???
Focus on all of the touchpoints
that make the entire
experience
2004:User Experience
Focus on a single touchpoint
2003:Usability
Focus on a single screen

This is the same
stuff we are
thinking about!

But Where to
start?

How do we
learn?

Experiential Learning Theory – David A. Kolb
1.
Experience
2. Observe
4. Test ideas
and reflect
3. Develop
ideas
Kolb. D. A. and Fry, R. (1975) Toward an applied theory of experiential learning. in C. Cooper (ed.) Theories of Group Process, London: John Wiley

Step 1. Experience

Step 2. Observe and reflect

Step 3. Develop ideas
Version 1:
Too much
detail on
one slide
Version 2:
Split into
two slides

Step 4. Test ideas

Step 5. Start over again at Step 1…
1.
Experience
2. Observe
4. Test ideas
and reflect
3. Develop
ideas

1. Experience
2. Observe
4. Test ideas
and reflect
3. Develop
ideas

In April 2010 we ran a 3-month service design project on
ourselves

We used a blog to document the learnings…
[Screenshot of blog -
http://ouservicedesign.wordp
ress.com/]
17

…together with video diaries

The project resulted in lots of interesting artefacts…

..and led to concrete change in the our own client experience
[Screenshot of Hello book]

It even influenced how we went about our recent office refit

Step 1. Concrete
experience
taught us...

1. It’s crucial to keep iterations short and the scope narrow

2. We had to give ourselves license to fail

3. Don’t underestimate the need to sell internally

1. Experience
Observe
– Read
– Interview 2. Observe
4. Test ideas
Reflect and reflect
– Present
– Write
3. Develop
ideas

There is a lot to read, but it can get a bit repetitive
27

Interviewing luminaries was very interesting
[Scan of page in small black
notebook from Ben Reason,
notes from Peter Morville]
28

[Venn diagram from small
black notebook]
29

If you want to learn…teach. We started with a friendly client…

…Then we ran a ‘breakfast briefing’ – here’s our first in 2006
[Photo of Donna presenting at
a breakfast briefing]
31

Introduction to Service Design breakfast briefing - Feb 2010
[Email invite to Wellington
session, Sold out sign]
32

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXitPLqQDxc

We then presented to in-house teams and industry groups

We also blogged about service design on our website
[Show screen shots of blogs
from
http://www.optimalusability.c
om/category/service-design-
2/]
35

Step 2. Observing
and reflecting
taught us...

4. Comfort – we could do this!

5. It helped to have existing platforms: YouTube, Slideshare, etc

1. Experience
2. Observe
4. Test ideas
and reflect
3. Develop
ideas

Knowledge Club (c. 2007) 2 hours every fortnight
[Pic of Thea running her
comics Knowledge Club]
40

How can we use Knowledge Clubs to learn service design?

Service Design Knowledge Clubs
1. An introductory ‘whistle stop’ tour of 3
papers
2. Service Design Circus: 22 techniques in
120 minutes
3. In-depth on 4 of the most useful
techniques

• 22 service design techniques in 120 minutes
• 5Ws + H
• References
• Examples

We voted on the most interesting / useful techniques…
[Round 1 voting.xlsx]
45

…And ran in-depth sessions on the 4 that were most voted for
[Exploding trousers from
storytelling.ppt]

Some of the sessions were run by guest speakers
Lucha Libre poster from http://rderudooficial.blogspot.com.au/2011/01/nueva-gran-temporada-en-la-lopez-mateos.html

Step 3.
Developing ideas
taught us...

6. It was important to have a safe place to experiment
Photo of wrestling gym from http://www.pueblacapital.gob.mx/work/sites/deporte/resources/LocalContent/181/1/08_img.jpg

7. Sometimes it’s good to be “forced” to learn
Photo from http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/jXJGlFDC4Zn/Mexican+Wrestlers+Lucha+Libre+Prepare+London

8. To develop our service design muscles we had to ‘‘get in the
ring”
Photo from http://www.crackajack.de/2012/02/21/colin-delfosses-congolese-wrestlers/

9. We had to develop our own “fighting style”
Photo from http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/jXJGlFDC4Zn/Mexican+Wrestlers+Lucha+Libre+Prepare+London

1. Experience
2. Observe
4. Test ideas
and reflect
3. Develop
ideas

261,700
New Zealanders had falls in their
own homes in 2010

The societal and economic cost
of all falls in New Zealand is
$1,840,000,000
p.a

ACC asked us to help.
What would you do?

1. We started by designing the approach, together with ACC,
for one of New Zealand’s largest ever co-design projects

2. We ran 3 forums across NZ with approx. 100 staff

The agenda looked like this
SHAPE OF THE DAY
Our task: Big, bold ideas to significantly reduce 9AM
impact from falls in the home
ACC executive welcome
Dr Lou address
Who is falling?
What would Apple do?
Top 5 ideas
Road to reality
Wrap up
4PM

We provided context to get the juices flowing…

…Including info on where and how people are falling

We used a ‘What would Apple do?’ exercise to solicit ideas

3. Ran 3 public forums, which included roleplaying …
IMAGE PLACEHOLDER

…and lots of sketching

4. We also ran an ideas competition at www.ideanation.co.nz

The programme is still running, so watch this space
It gave me such pride in New
Zealand to hear this message.
The initiative is fantastic, and
if it can be a catalyst for
solutions at home, and then
abroad, then that's
tremendous. I'm so excited
to hear what comes out of
Idea Nation.
Top new zealand scientist

Step 4. Testing
our ideas taught
us...

10. We don't "own" service design

11. Clients say "customer experience" not "service design"

12. We need to back ourselves
Photo from http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/jXJGlFDC4Zn/Mexican+Wrestlers+Lucha+Libre+Prepare+London

In conclusion
Photo from http://picturepedaler.blogspot.co.nz/2010/10/new-miss-lavender-blue.html

A few tips
1. Give yourself license to fail
2. Don’t underestimate the need to sell internally
3. Use existing platforms, like blogs and networking drinks, to
help “observe and reflect”
4. Create a safe place to experiment, and keep iterations short
and the scope narrow
5. Sometimes it’s good to be “forced” to learn. To develop
your service design muscles you need to get in the ring
6. Don’t be afraid of backing yourself, and developing your
own “fighting style”
7. None of us "own" service design – it’s too big for that

But if you do nothing
else to learn service
design...

1. Do real projects

2. Be an active part of the community

3. Be patient

1. Experience
2. Observe
4. Test ideas
and reflect
3. Develop
ideas

Thanks!
Trent Mankelow
Optimal Usability
trent@optimalusability.com
Photo from http://hispaniclondon.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/shiro-pose-by-siboni.jpg