One remarkable part of a service design process is to find right questions to be asked from customers. The quality of answers and the deep of insights depends on questions.

You can always use 5 Whys –technique to dig deeper but it does not work if there is a lack of time. That is why the time spend on thinking of the right questions is spend wisely.

Like Albert Einstein said if you have one hour to solve a problem use 55 minutes to find the right question to be asked. Then the answer comes quickly.

Service design process is iterative not linear process. It means that it is ok to go back and forth and round during the process. If some of the questions do not work the questions can always be modified.

The important thing is to find underlying needs. Key findings can solve the jobs to be done. E.g. a student want to graduate in time because she wants to get a good place to work and earn some money to buy a pony. Here the jobs to be done are good work place and a pony. The degree is a tool to achieve the goals.

I participated a project that aim was to improve student services at Laurea. I really enjoyed to chat and interview the customers i.e. students. We worked as teams. After few interviews we wrapped up the insights together and then continued. The sharing part helps you to find the patterns in answers. Clustering is a way to find the big themes behind the answers.

Text and picture by Laura Rinta-Jouppi SID student 2014

Thanks for all the team members from Laurea and Design Agency Kuudes Kerros. It was a pleasure to be a part of this project.