Design Methods For Delivering Services: Assessment Answer

Design can be defined as the process of deploying creativity and linking it with innovation to bring ideas into reality. A designer takes the ideas of the users of products and services and transforms them into reality to match the intended purpose(s). The designer uses prototypes during the early stages of design to cut on cost and to get real world feedbacks before designing on larger scale. Collaboration is important between the partners or users with the designer to ensure that the design process is successful.

Service design involves making the usual services that we use to be easier, usable and even desirable through establishing touch points with the end user of a service. The process involves close coordination between the staff, customers and the designer in order to have a better understanding of the behaviors such as likes and dislikes. Service design may also involve re-designing the whole service to come up with a better one can satisfy the customers’ needs better.

To bring uniformity in design the design council came up with ‘Double Diamond’ model. The model has four phases that is: Discover, Define, Develop and Deliver (Wilson 5). The first phase is the discovery phase where the designer gets to identify the needs of the user and come up with fresh ideas. At this phase they determine what seems interesting and what might inspire new ideas such as user research, design research groups and market research. In the second phase the designer tries to make clear ideas of what is required and define goals arranging them in order of priority. The challenges are highlighted and solutions are suggested. The process basically entails project development and management. In the third phase solutions are created and the prototypes tested. This process helps the designer to refine the ideas. The objectives of this phase are coming up with working prototypes through brainstorming and coming up with clear methods and testing them. In the fourth phase the final product or service is launched with final tests being done and seeking feedback from the end users.

There are several tools in the design process. First is User Journey Mapping is important as it involves the observation of the end user, like how the user interacts with the new service. This process makes it possible to understand which parts of a service are good for the user or which part does the user define as ‘pain moments’. This feedback is important in knowing which areas to improve and which ones are strong holds to the new service. On the other hand user diaries help a designer to understand the end user through gathering more user background information. Conducting the research over time gives qualitative results that can be depended upon which can help identify the user needs and inspire a designer. Service Safari helps in understanding the experience of the new service in the real world first hand. As a designer get firsthand experience provides insights on areas to improve especially during the first stage of design. To get a better understanding of the user experience user shadowing can be an effective method. Through observing how the users interact with the new service it becomes easy to identify the barriers and discover innovative opportunities.

User persona helps in creating virtual character with attributes and characteristics of several users to get a clear and understandable mental picture of the user needs. Through the user persona method it can become easier for the design team to come up with ideas and evaluate them against the user needs at the developing phase of design. The design team can come up with quick ideas and solution to a problem through brain storming. The team can be able to identify the user needs and come up with designs and be able to arrange them in order priority according to the user needs especially in the developing phase.

A design brief helps the designing team to understand the problems that they will be dealing with in the design process. Here the goals are set as guidelines, the budget and the timeline(Wilson 20). The possible risks that may arise are identified and are avoided to ensure smooth flow of activities. A service blueprint helps create clear visual representations of the user’s journey and interactions hence bringing the concepts into development through a rounded understanding of the service elements. Experience prototyping helps in testing the new services through specific user touch points. The Business model canvas on the other hand accesses how a service meets user needs and highlights areas of improvement. Design scenario ends the entire process of design be identifying possible areas of design in the future.

References

Wilson, Travis K. Drafting and Design: Basics for Interior Design. , 2011. Print.