I realized some time ago that service design is the key issue to improve and develop processes and customer satisfaction. After I found this definition and concept, it felt that different pieces found their places – I love developing customer experience and always try my best in understanding and identifying customer needs. I was thinking that SID program might help me to develop more.
The first course “Design thinking” was much more than I expected. After the lectures I have a huge passion to figure out more of the design thinking methods and I have now gathered a good set of tools for that.
Idris Mootee (2013, 33.) defines the design thinking as following:
Design thinking can help people from diverse backgrounds to find connections between people, places, objects, events and ideas. According to Mootee (2013, 69.) the empathy helps to approach the innovations with a human-centered perspective. Empathy enables us to communicate and understand:
- Current and future needs
- Behaviors
- Expectations
- Values
- Motivations
Design thinking itself is a powerful driver for future opportunities and innovation management. I also really like that in design-thinking processes, ideas are usually evaluated democratically, and persons can freely express their viewpoints in order to practically develop the concepts.
During the lecture we learnt different cases of Service innovation by the lecturer Katja Tschimmel, who was really inspiring and also introduced the group the Mindshake’s Evolution 6^2 tools, which we also implemented during two intensive study days. I can warmly recommend you these tools!
I think this work was useful, as the group has professionals from diverse backgrounds and only it gave me many new ideas! My favorite tool was the insight map, which also supports the human-centered approach and empathy with the end users. For me, that seems to be essential tool to develop new or existing services.
I also liked the opportunity mind-map and storyboard. We also, got to try the Lego and Post-its. My classmates have written in this blog about other interesting tools, so I better not to repeat their words – as I agree with them about the usability of those tools.
According to Tim Brown (2008, 90-92.) the basis is deep understanding of the consumers’ lifestyle and value building. I think this check list will be useful for integrating the design thinking as part of the work flow.
1. Think outside the box; Involve design
thinking in the very beginning – it can help exploring new idea!
2. Human-centricity; observe and consider
human behavior, needs and preferences – what do your customers need and want? Reflect
the results with the innovation models – do not forget the empathy!
3. Trial and error; have the courage
to create and test prototypes
4. Co-creation; you can also expand
the ecosystem and develop together with other stakeholders and customers to
create new added value for all parties
5. Blend different projects; this
might be revolutionary – projects can be of different size, disciplinary, units
etc.
6. New funding approaches and opportunities;
Well, money still runs the project world.
7. Hunt for talents!
8. Give the process some time; enable
the design of the whole cycle, which might take a while.
https://www.nngroup.com/articles/design-thinking-team-building/
So – let’s start the work and hope to have a learning journey full of inspiration, innovations and meaningful encounters. Right?
Posted by Suvi Ruippo – 1st year SID student
Sources
- Brown, T. 2008. Design Thinking. Harvard Business Review, June, 84-95. http://www.ideo.com/images/uploads/thoughts/IDEO_HBR_Design_Thinking.pdf
- Gibbons, S. 2016. Design Thinking Builds Strong Teams. https://www.nngroup.com/articles/design-thinking-team-building/
- Mootee, I. 2013. Design Thinking for Strategic Innovation: What They Can’t Teach You at Business or Design School. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. https://laurea.finna.fi/Record/nelli01.2550000001111847
- Tschimmel, K. 2019. Master Class on Practical Design Thinking, Laurea University of Applied Sciences, SID, Espoo, Finland. 6.-7.10.2019.
- Tschimmel, K. 2018. Evolution 6² Toolkit: An E-handbook for Practical Design Thinking for Innovation. Mindshake.
Service Innovation & Design 
I found Tim Brown’s checklist over the points generating deeper understanding of the consumers’ lifestyle and value building very illuminating. I have learned multiple ways to apply design thinking in product as well as service development projects but this check-list gave me a more comprehensive view over the ecosystem that rules more or less the design process. At least in my work, we do need to find suitable funding instruments as well as talented professionals before even kicking-off any design processes. Furthermore, through my work I have learned that in order to create something truly innovative and unique, numerous iteration rounds and multiple prototypes are needed. In addition to steel nerves, this requires time – and money. For example, creation of a care robot for the elderly took over five years – and we only reached the final prototype in that time. But already the care robot prototype won several innovation awards and has now been successfully launched for the markets. To sum up, Brown’s checklist is worth checking-out!
Thank you Suvi for an inspiring blog post! I have the same experience that you had when I heard (and now learned) about design thinking and human-centered approach. It just makes sense to work together as a team with people from different backgrounds! I also enjoyed the Design Thinking course and the tools we used in our group works but I have to say that I found the Insight map a bit difficult to grasp in such a short time we had. But I’m sure it will open up to me more during the learning process. Like you said in your text, it’s important to give the process some time 🙂