“What is service design?” I’ve asked this question several times and not once have I received an answer that wasn’t filled with design jargon and littered with abstractions. I sensed there was a communication problem between service designers and their clients/non-designers. For a professional simplifier like myself an unclear but interesting concept like this is like catnip – it just begs to be drawn.
So I infiltrated the Service Design Fringe Festival in London to find out what this mystery practice entails and how I could explain it to lay people. This is the end result of my research. Download the hi-res version of the infographic here.
If you want to use the illustrations, PowerPoint version and the infographic for work, please purchase the hi-res content bundle :).
Like what you see? Want to work with me/us to turn customer journeys, stories, employee ideas etc into highly shareable visual stories? Or need something explained that no-one seems to get? Email me at virpi(at)businessillustrator.com or tweet me at @voinonen
I love it- let’s stay in touch! @barbaraateaconsultants
Thanks Barbara :). Feel free to drop me a line if you have a topic/message that is a bit difficult to communicate.
Brilliant, deep and amazing rendering of true stories…!
Thanks Joseph! I’m sure there were many interesting stories I missed that would have deserved an infocomic streatment.
I love this! Thank you!
Though I must confess I’ve never met anyone who thought service design was confined to the world of digital. I’ve met that prejudice about UX, yes, but not service design. Great to learn that!
You’re welcome! The digital-real world distinction was one of the pain points I identified at the event I went to in London. But I’ve also heard that service design people in different countries/cities might encounter slightly different problems. Maybe depending on how the profession has managed to position itself in a specific place?
well illustrated… and entertaining 🙂
Thanks Michael. I try not to bore people ;o)
Great story, well done, delightful. = )
I’m sort of retired now, but was always an avid supporter of ITIL and CORBIT methodologies, and Edward Deming. Bruce Thomson in New Zealand.
Thanks Bruce! I’m aware of ITIL but CORBIT is new to me (checked the Wikipedia entry for CORBIT – if there ever was something that would need a cartoon explanation..:o). I’m a bit hazy on different methodologies for building IT systems, but for a layperson it looks like none actually take into account how people actually behave. Then again if iteration is included in the methodology then maybe that’s not that big an issue. Is iteration/feedback loop and improvement included in these..? I assume it is?
[…] then drew the woes into a cartoon infographic using examples and quotes from the professional event. I sprinkled it with some humour and then […]
bravo!
Really nice and funny. But the high-res link doesn’t work
Oops! Fixed! Thanks for letting me know 🙂
Very cool! But from the comments someone mentioned corbit? Do you mean COBIT? Its a useful methodology for IT management. Auditors in particular think it’s wonderful.
Wonderful illustration!! Loved this.
Thanks Sudhindra! It was fun to create.
Virpi, what a great storytelling ability you have, thank you for sharing your gift with us in such a delightful, simple, and honest way