Course · Service Design
Offers that feel effortless
0.1 / What it's about
Good services feel like second nature.
Service design shapes how people experience a service across all channels and moments, as well as what needs to happen behind the scenes to make that possible. The course guides you from the fundamentals through research, journeys, and blueprints, to touchpoints, prototypes, and real-world implementation.
As a running example, you will follow 'Velostation Rhein', a fictional bike rental and repair shop at Basel railway station. You can also complete every exercise using your own service.
Key questions of the course:
QUESTION 1
What makes a service, and who is involved?
QUESTION 2
How do people experience the service today?
QUESTION 3
What happens behind the scenes, and what are the root causes?
QUESTION 4
How is a new service tested, rolled out and measured?
Course framework:
TARGET AUDIENCE
Creators
Students in graphic, UX or communication design, and anyone looking to improve services.
SCOPE
5 × 90 mins
Plus final project; each module can also be taken individually.
FORMAT
Hands-on
Brief input, tools and practice on a real website.
REFERENCE
Cross-references
Connections to Design Thinking, UX & UI design, brand strategy and content & social media.
0.2 / Learning objectives
After the course, you will be designing entire services.
0.3 / Course content
All modules and sections at a glance.
Five modules, each with a core question and a tool. Briefly explained, then practised on a real service.
MODULE 01
What does someone experience before, during and after a service?
MODULE 02
How do people experience the service today?
MODULE 03
What happens behind the scenes?
MODULE 04
How does the new service feel?
MODULE 05
How will the new service become part of everyday life?
0.4 / Procedure per module
Each module follows the same structure.
Each module has the same structure, so you can quickly find your way around and also use it individually.
01
Introduction (10 mins)
An everyday experience.
02
Input (20 mins)
Principles and methods.
03
Tool (15 mins)
Explore the topic in the interactive tool.
04
Exercise (35 mins)
Application to a real service.
05
Reflection (10 mins)
What do you bring to your work?
In each section, you will find a bolded key point and a task for further reflection.
0.5 / Record of achievement
The end result is an improved service.
Final project: improving a real-world service, from research through to the rollout plan.
01
Understand
Identify stakeholders, explore on-site service.
02
Map
Create journey and blueprint.
03
Develop
Design a solution for the most critical disruption.
04
Testing
Play through and improve the prototype.
05
Introduce
Plan the pilot, measurement, and team engagement.
Evaluation criteria: genuine research, comprehensible causes, a solution across all channels, and a realistic implementation plan.
0.6 / Literature and Sources
Good services have role models.
• Stickdorn, M., Hormess, M., Lawrence, A. & Schneider, J. (2018): This Is Service Design Doing. O’Reilly.
• Polaine, A., Løvlie, L. & Reason, B. (2013): Service Design. From Insight to Implementation. Rosenfeld Media.
• Shostack, G. L. (1984): Designing Services That Deliver. Harvard Business Review.
• Kalbach, J. (2020): Mapping Experiences. 2nd edition. O’Reilly.
• Reichheld, F. (2003): The One Number You Need to Grow. Harvard Business Review.
• Nielsen Norman Group: Service Blueprints. nngroup.com
• Service Design Network: service-design-network.org
Please note: The years indicate the editions used here; many titles are available in newer editions and in German.