The three basic principles of service design

Each service design project consists of three important parts.

Research
More specifically design research, such as context mapping and interviews. A service design’s scope is large by nature and the questions are complex. Much knowledge is stowed away in the heads of the various people that are involved in the service.

Orchestration
Ordering platforms in space and time, in journeys or on maps. This is at the core of service design, the orchestration: what will be the central concept and what will be the recurring theme? And then: how do we create it?

Organisation
Your organisation must be able to offer and support the required user experience. How will responsibilities change? Which new tasks will appear? Which new skills will be needed?

The orchestration of touchpoints, places, processes and people

To explain service design in one sentence we use Cheryn Flanagan’s definition: “Service design is the orchestration of touchpoints, places, processes and people, which together support the complete user experience.” Service design requires customer experience maps, stakeholder maps, service blueprints, and more. For example, we made a customer journey for Swapfiets to see where improvement in the system was needed. And for Schiphol, we conducted research into the traveler experience and the work experience of the Marechaussee for optimum border passages.

Fabrique, thoroughbred service designers

At Fabrique we see strategy, communication, interaction and transaction as one whole. We have been building and designing websites, apps and printed publications for our clients for years, and have been combining them into clever journeys. Our teams of designers and researchers keep the helicopter up high and make sure no tool, platform or application becomes an island. Together they make up the total customer experience.