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Go beyond the basics of service design and learn what it truly takes to deliver services that make a positive impact on people, business and planet.
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Exploring The Materials of Service Design / Simon Clathworthy / Ep. #204
What are the materials of service design... A seemingly simple question, but one that I believe has the potential to reshape our understanding of service design.
Historically, design has always been about shaping and manipulating materials to give form to things around us.
It's only in recent years, with the popularization of design thinking, that design has drifted away from its roots and heritage of a craft.
The focus shifted on -sometimes mindlessly- following a flawed double diamond process.
Even though people over the recent years have tried to raise the question of what the materials of service design are, the conversation never really caught on.
Something tells me that's about to change with the release of the book "The Materials of Service Design." (links below)
This book, in my opinion, marks a turning point in the history of our field. Yes, I absolutely feel it's that important, and no, I'm not getting any commissions on the book sales.
It offers a fresh, materials-based perspective that adds a much needed nuance and richness to how we think about service design.
Imagine being able to have constructive conversations about designing with time, relationships, culture, and all the other materials that make up services.
Imagine understanding the properties of these materials deeply enough to co-create a shared library of service design patterns.
The implications are huge.
This approach once again makes it clear that services can't be designed by a single person; they require the involvement of experts from many areas.
It also challenges us to reimagine how we teach service design.
All in all, it really does open up a world of new questions and possibilities.
As you hopefully can read, I'm excited about the direction and trajectory that could take us.
So, join Simon Clatworthy, co-author of the book, and myself as we dive into this exciting new perspective of a materials-based approach to service design.
--- [ 1. GUIDE ] ---
00:00 Welcome to Episode 204
04:30 Beyond the Toolkit
08:00 The 4 Unexpected Materials
11:00 Lost Essential?
16:30 Service Design vs. Design Thinking
20:00 Skills for Designing Services
24:00 Unveiling the Book's Materials
30:00 Data as Material: Conversations
34:00 Shaping Conversations
42:00 Time: A Material to Master
44:30 Measuring Time in Design
46:30 Specialization in Service Design
49:00 The Rise of Service Design Specialists
51:00 Co-Design: Your Service Design Team
54:30 The Responsibility of Design
58:00 Implications for Service Designers
1:01:00 Beyond Designers: Service Experts
1:06:00 The "Taste Buds" of a Service
1:07:00 A Library of Service Materials
1:09:00 Aesthetics of Service Design
--- [ 2. LINKS ] ---
https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-clatworthy
The Materials of Service Design (Book) - https://go.servicedesignshow.com/yl2ym
50% discount on the print copy with code: BLOM50 (valid until 31st July 2024)
How to Read A Film by James Monaco (Book) - https://a.co/d/8Rv0ZE5
--- [ 3. CIRCLE ] ---
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The Secrets to Effective Design Leadership / Marzia Arico / Ep. #203
What does it take to become a great design leader...
Regardless of whether or not it's in your official job title, you're already leading to some degree.
You are leading because your work is to deliver change.
Change because we want to break free from outdated mental models that can't solve today's challenges.
But what kind of leadership is needed to transform our organizations from the dehumanizing machines they are today into adaptable living beings?
Returning guest Marzia Arico has some valuable perspectives on this.
With a PhD in Organizational Studies and experience leading complex projects at LiveWork, she has many juicy insights to share with us.
In this episode, we explore the emergence of a new, more empathetic leadership style that's quite different from the traditional notion of leadership.
We discuss how to present ourselves confidently in our work, even when imposter syndrome is lurking around the corner.
And we also delve into whether we should be explicit about the change we seek make or take a more trojan horse approach to influencing things.
This is a must-listen episode for anyone who wants to step up, take charge, and offer an alternative to the current leaders who aren't doing what's required today.
This conversation is a powerful reminder that we are all setting an example. Each and every day. So let's be intentional about what we want to put into the world.
Take care and keep making a positive impact.
~ Marc
--- [ 1. GUIDE ] ---
00:00 Welcome to Episode 203
03:30 Welcome back Marzia
04:30 Machines to Living Beings
11:30 What made her want to make the change
17:00 How to quickly build your confidence
21:30 From Machines to Living Orgs
30:30 Onboard with How, Not What
33:30 Conversation with the oblivious
40:00 Empathizing with the machine
42:00 The example of technology
46:00 Fast-tracking to leadership
47:00 Being strategic when you talk
50:30 Discussions to ponder
51:30 Food for thought
--- [ 2. LINKS ] ---
https://www.linkedin.com/in/marziaarico
https://design.mavericks.substack.com
https://strategicdesignbook.com/
--- [ 3. CIRCLE ] ---
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Can Design Help Us Break Free From Broken Systems? / Fang-Jui Chang / Episode #202
Why is it that we rarely question the systems that govern our day-to-day lives?
Imagine building a rocket ship while still believing the sun revolves around the earth. Even though this sounds ridiculous today, it's not that long ago that this was the accepted notion. When Galileo first made the claim that it was actually the other way around, he even got jail time.
Yeah, people don't really like it when their fundamental beliefs are put up for scrutiny. Our history is full of "truths" we later debunked.
Okay, so what does this have to do with service design What if you're currently designing services that are based on flawed beliefs? There's certainly reason to think so.
So, in this week's episode, we explore what these beliefs could be. For that, I have invited Fang-Jui Chang from the Dark Matter Labs to join us at the Show.
In the conversation we dive into the hidden systems we take for granted, like ownership, currency, and even government.
Fair warning: This episode will challenge your assumptions. It might even feel a bit like mental jiu-jitsu at first (it surely did for me). But once things click, a whole new world of possibilities opens up. And judging by the news, I would argue that we need a radical new perspective on how our world operates in many areas.
So join me for a conversation that will challenge the way you see the world, question some fundamental "truths" and give you some fresh insights along the way.
This is one of those episodes where I had to let the ideas marinade a bit. It's all too easy to dismiss them because they seem incompatible with how our existing worldview. But defer judgment, and you might be surprised what happens.
Take care and keep making a positive impact.
~ Marc
--- [ 1. GUIDE ] ---
00:00 Welcome to Episode 202
04:00 Who is Fang-Jui
07:00 How she got into SD
10:00 Lightning Round
12:30 All beings thriving
18:30 Outdated systems fail
23:00 Asking a river permission
30:00 What we took for granted
38:30 How to prevent overwhelm
46:00 Moving forward without panic
48:00 The skill that will help
51:30 what we can to help
1:01:00 where to reach them
1:01:30 One thing you can remember
--- [ 2. LINKS ] ---
https://radiclecivics.cc
https://darkmatterlabs.org
https://twitter.com/darkmatter_labs
https://www.linkedin.com/company/darkmatterlabs
Please get in touch with the Radicle Civics team via radiclecivics@darkmatterlabs.org if you are interested in building proof of possibilities in your cities or communities and funding the work.
--- [ 3. CIRCLE ] ---
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https://servicedesignshow.com/circle -
What it takes come out stronger from a crisis / Lilli Graf / Ep #201
My daughter dared me to 15 meters free-fall... I was on a climbing track with her, and this was one of the "attractions." Of course, she had taken the plunge without shedding a sweat.
So, there I was standing on the edge, ready to take the jump, while everything in my body was screaming NO. I hesitated, terrified... but backing out was not an option. Especially not when a 10-year old girl is cheering dad on from the ground.
Sometimes, you just have to leap into the unknown and trust that things will turn out alright.
Our guest this week, Lilli Graf, also took a massive leap. She left a safe job at a respected design agency to go independent and start her own business. Why? Because she knew 'less bad' isn't good enough anymore when it comes to our climate crisis.
Her journey in the last few years has thrown up many challenges. So, I wanted to know what kept her going, what she had learned so far, and what she would have done differently, looking back.
Of course, we also had to talk about what pushed her over the edge to make the leap in the first place. This episode is about way more than climate solutions (though those are fascinating).
It's about YOU... As service design professionals, we champion change. We push our clients to step into the unknown. But how often do we do that same?
I hope this honest and open conversation will inspire you to leap more often. What fascinated me is how well Lilli's story shows the ripple effect of our choices. From childhood to career, it all connects.
What will your next ripple be?
--- [ 1. GUIDE ] ---
00:00 Welcome to Episode 201
03:00 Who is Lilli
04:00 how Lilli heard about SD
05:15 Lightning Round
06:15 Community needs to reflect
11:15 Why Lilli needed to Step Back
13:30 Moving to the sustainability spectrum
19:30 World that's not going to be here
22:30 Black foot tribe
25:00 The responses / the results
29:15 Crisis to nature and to ourselves
33:15 How do I preserve this life?
39:15 What Imma Collective is doing
45:00 The biggest challenge
49:00 Do it with Joy and patience
50:30 The journey most proud of so far
51:30 One piece of advise
54:30 How to embark in this journey too
--- [ 2. LINKS ] ---
https://www.linkedin.com/in/elisabeth-lilli-graf/
https://www.immacollective.com/
Change by Design by Tim Brown (Book)
Everyday Utopia: What 2,000 Years of Wild Experiments Can Teach Us About the Good Life by Kristen R. Ghodsee (Book)
--- [ 3. CIRCLE ] ---
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Your Burning Questions Answered / Marc Fonteijn / Ep #200
Recently, I turned 43... I don't really celebrate my birthdays anymore.
Don't worry; I have an amazing wife who makes sure there's always cake.
But I do always try to take a moment and reflect on my past year because “The only time you should ever look back, is to see how far you've come.”
Well, today, it's not just about my journey; it's about ours.
We've hit a massive Service Design Show milestone: 200 episodes!
That's a new interview every two weeks for over 8 years.
And by now, we've clocked in over 500.000 listens to our conversations. Truly mind-boggling.
Especially when you consider how niche our field is (still). It tells me what I do matters to people like you.
Honestly, if I had to, I'd still do this show just for my own learning... but knowing you're out there makes it so much better.
To celebrate, I'm flipping the script. For this episode, it's me answering YOUR questions. Some are about service design, some get a bit personal...
Here's a sneak peek:
Is Journey Management the next big thing?
Will service design disappear?
How does the Show make money?
How do I keep sane working solo?
You might be surprised by some of the answers.
Guess, there's only one way to find out...
This episode was a lot of fun and quite a challenge to produce. Let me know if you like this format – maybe we'll do a follow up...
Take care,
~ Marc
--- [ 1. GUIDE ] ---
00:00 Welcome to episode 200
01:50 Why Service Design
04:30 Lessons learned from 200+ conversations
10:15 The business model
16:15 How to stay healthy and sane
25:00 Communicating service design
31:00 Designing timeless services
36:00 Is Journey Management the next big thing
40:00 Where are things going
--- [ 2. LINKS ] ---
https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcfonteijn/
https://www.servicedesignshow.com/circle/
--- [ 3. CIRCLE ] ---
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What Design(ers) Needs to do to Stay Relevant / Yvonne Tran / Episode #199
Is design facing a crisis? You don't have to spend much time on LinkedIn to read about the recent layoffs, studio closures, and debates about our value.
Whether or not you call it a crisis, it's hard to deny that things have been shaken up recently. But instead of focusing on surface level symptoms, let's dive deeper.
In this episode, we sit down with Yvonne Tran, design director at the New York Times, to explore the underlying forces that shape design. Where are we coming from, and what could be its next destination. Why is design in its current state?
Is this a backlash against the widespread understanding of "design thinking"? If everyone's a designer, what's the unique value a professional brings?
Despite the challenges, Yvonne still sees a bright future for design. As our clients and colleagues evolve and mature, so must we. In our conversation, Yvonne outlined three key areas where design can continue to provide unique value.
A thought-provoking episode for anyone interested in new ways to think about how to keep playing a meaningful role in the future.
It's all too easy to get bogged down in the daily grind. What I enjoyed about this conversation with Yvonne is that we zoomed out and challenged our perspectives. Let's look beyond the horizon of this quarter and make decisions that are grounded in a long-term perspective.
Inspired? Share this with someone who needs to hear it.
Take care,
~ Marc
--- [ 1. GUIDE ] ---
00:00 Welcome to Episode 199
03:30 Who is Yvonne
04:30 How she stumbled to SD
06:00 Lightning Round
10:00 Design, Designers, & Innovation
14:00 The promise of design thinking
17:30 What's the impact
27:00 The new role of design community
37:00 Aligning people's expectations
39:30 How to accelerate demand
44:00 How to measure success
48:30 One takeaway
--- [ 2. LINKS ] ---
https://www.linkedin.com/in/yvonnetran/
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer (Book) - https://a.co/d/3Jho54D
--- [ 3. CIRCLE ] ---
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