Service Design Show Service Design Show

It's the magic ingredient (and blind spot)...Trust. It's not a topic that gets much attention in the service design space, but it's the secret sauce you need to get people on board with your ideas. Trust is the linchpin whether it's your colleagues, clients, or CEO.

That's why, in this week's episode, we dive into what it truly takes to cultivate a deep sense of trust with those around us. The good news? You likely already have all the skills required.

While trust is universally important, it's especially relevant for us as service design professionals. Most of the time, we do not control the budget or have full decision-making power. We're heavily reliant on partners to turn insights into action. It's fair to say that building partnerships is a daily necessity for effective service design.

The challenge (and frustration) arises when we struggle to secure genuine buy-in within these partners. Sure, we can get heads nodding in agreement when we present our plans or ideas. But that's just the tip of the iceberg. To make a real impact, you need people willing to invest their scarce time, money, and attention in your vision. That's the kind of buy-in that drives change.

And trust, both in you and your ideas, is the key to achieving this level of commitment. So, how do you go about building this trust?

Our guest in this episode, ​Dr. Heather Walker​, has been guiding professionals on this very journey, and in this episode, she unveils the key skills needed to get buy-in for your ideas. She also sheds light on common pitfalls professionals encounter when pitching ideas and how to maintain resilience in the face of rejection or setbacks.

This conversation delves into aspects often overlooked in the everyday discourse around service design—knowledge you need to become a more mature, well-rounded, and influential professional.

I believe this episode couldn't have arrived at a better time. Heather is not only a knowledgeable expert but also deeply invested in your success. She's your biggest cheerleader.

Enjoy the conversation, and keep making a positive impact!

~ Marc



--- [ 1. GUIDE ] ---

00:00 Welcome to episode 185

07:15 Who is Heather

10:00 Lightning Round

17:15 Why it's on the agenda

23:00 Common mistakes in Buy-in

29:15 Why do we skip the why?

31:00 The consequences when you fail to communicate

35:30 Handling rejections

43:30 Figuring out your way to communicate

50:30 Influencing people in consuming information

57:00 Dealing with Disappointments

1:03:00 Celebrate your wins

1:06:30 Why you should celebrate your small wins

1:10:00 recommended resources

1:12:15 Piece of advice



--- [ 2. LINKS ] ---


https://www.linkedin.com/in/leadwithconfidence/
A Course in Miracles (book) - https://a.co/d/bx4Z0BJ
10-day remote team building challenge - https://shorturl.at/npCE4
Reset - A Guide to Help You Put a Self-care Toolkit (book)
Reach out to Heather: heather@leadwithlevity.com



--- [3. Selling Service Design with Confidence ] ---

For more information and instructions on how to apply, head over to ⁠⁠⁠https://www.servicedesignshow.com/confidence/

It's not a walk in the park... In fact, calling it challenging is a major understatement.

What we, as service design professionals, often need to tackle some could described as brain surgery. But I bet they didn't teach you that in service design school. They certainly didn't for me.

But why the analogy to brain surgery, you ask? According to our guest, Perrin Rowland, who serves as the Chief Experience Design Officer at one of New Zealand's largest banks, a significant part of our role involves rewiring the organizational neural pathways.

This rewiring is necessary because many established organizations lack the infrastructure needed to fully leverage the potential of design. It's simply not their modus operandi; it's not how they've reached their current status (quo).

Consequently, these organizations don't align with the core design principles, which leads to misaligned beliefs, behaviors, and practices. This misalignment often results in disappointment when design attempts to work its magic in an unprepared environment.

But here's the crux: we can, and indeed must, do better. Even if you don't encounter it daily, remember that those who benefit from our services rely on us to make them more human-centered.

So, how do we build the infrastructure necessary for organizations to prioritize their customers' needs as diligently as they do those of shareholders or regulators? With starting from scratch not being an option, we're left with the challenge of reshaping the existing foundation and pivoting from there.

Yes, it's tough work. And yes, sometimes it's okay to let off steam. It's all part of the journey. Tune in to this conversation with Perrin, and you'll get what I mean.

I must say that Perrin's energy in this conversation is absolutely contagious. If nothing else, you'll walk away with a renewed appreciation of the complexity of the role of service design and brain surgery.

Enjoy the episode, and as always, keep making a positive impact!

- Marc

--- [ 1. GUIDE ] ---

00:00 Welcome to episode 184

10:15 Who is Perrin

13:45 Lightning Round

18:45 About the topic/book

21:15 Why we need to rewire the pathways

25:30 What's missing?

29:30 How to reframe this

34:15 How to make it work

38:15 Bottom-up approach and top-down initiative

42:15 Importance of having a taxonomy

45:00 How do you go about changing the processes

47:30 Does this convince them to make the investment

52:45 The value in trust

59:15 What's next?

1:00:15 Closing thoughts

--- [ 2. LINKS ] ---


https://www.linkedin.com/in/perrinrowland/


https://eagleman.com/books/livewired/

--- [ 3. Selling Service Design with Confidence ] ---

For more information and instructions on how to apply, head over to ⁠⁠https://www.servicedesignshow.com/confidence/

What's the impact? What happens when you can translate the value of service design in a way your business leaders understand?

Does your daily work transform? How does it influence your projects? Does it open doors to new challenges? Does it boost your career?


Many theories abound, but why not hear it straight from the pros who are bridging this business-design gap?

In this episode, six service design professionals share their journey. And here's a spoiler: improving your business communication skills isn't just crucial for client-facing roles; it's invaluable whether you're freelancing or working in-house.

Thank you for being part of our community. Your work matters, and remember, we've got your back!

- Marc

[ 1. Episode Guide ]


00:00 Welcome
03:30 The graduates
04:30 Kate (agency)
11:15 Vinatha (in-house)
19:00 Afi (independent)
27:15 Anu (in-house)
34:45 Jane (in-house)
41:15 Cristina (public sector)
49:45 Closing thoughts

[ 2. Selling Service Design with Confidence ]

For more information and instructions on how to apply, head over to ⁠https://servicedesignshow.com/confidence/

It feels like an absolute no-brainer... Involving our users in the design process.

We've all seen the outcomes of services that neglected this step. In the best case, these services that looked great on paper just get no adoption in the market. In the worst case, they cause harm to certain communities.

Within service design, we know that co-designing solutions is a way to minimize this risk greatly and to deliver services that meet the needs of our users. Yet, involving users in a meaningful way is easier said than done. The challenges can be overwhelming, like ensuring that co-design happens before the key decisions are made.

So, what does it take to good co-design? Well, in this episode, Marc sat down for a chat with Emma Blomkamp. Emma is a respected expert in our industry around anything and everything co-design. Emma's insights on good co-design go beyond processes, touching on its often-overlooked mental aspects. Because knowing the right steps in a co-design process is meaningless if it leads to burnout.

We explore how to cope when things don't go as planned, maintaining a light approach around loaded topics and finding the support for creating deeper, more human connections. All in all, it is an inspiring conversation for when you want to do justice to the people you're designing for while also taking care of your own mental well-being.

It's easy to forget that we sometimes need to take a break and reflect on our own practice to develop a clear perspective on what good looks like. I'm grateful that Emma reminded me of that.

Enjoy the episode, and keep making a positive impact!

- Marc

--- [ 1. GUIDE ] ---


00:00 Welcome to episode 183
06:30 Who is Emma
10:45 Lightning Round
13:00 What is Codesign?
15:00 Why it's important
17:30 The difference
20:00 Good place to start
22:00 Fo-design
23:30 Guide to good Co-design
25:00 Reciprocal value in Co-design
28:30 Pressure in Co-Design
35:30 Good intention gone wrong
39:30 Should everything be Co-designed?
42:45 What makes a good Co-designer
47:00 Areas of support
49:00 Codesign needs co-support
52:00 Future of Co-design
54:45 Final thoughts


--- [ 2. LINKS ] ---



https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmablomkamp/
https://www.beyondstickynotes.com/what-is-codesign
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49628.Cloud_Atlas


--- [ 3. CIRCLE ] ---

Join our private community for in-house service design professionals.

https://www.servicedesignshow.com/circle

In this episode, we dive deep into DesignOps and its rapid adoption by leading companies worldwide. Personally, I'm a strong advocate for DesignOps. I feel it holds the potential to unleash, or at least significantly contribute to, the full power of design within organizations.

The fact that you're reading this tells me that you probably also feel design needs to operate at a more strategic level and not be confined to surface-level challenges.

DesignOps plays a crucial role in creating an environment where design and design professionals flourish. It bridges the gap between an organization's existing operations, often misaligned with a design-driven approach, and a future where design seamlessly integrates with how business is done.

As you might have experienced yourself, most organizations lack the supporting systems, processes, and tools for design to thrive. Design's voice is often muffled amidst the organizational noise. Being in such a scenario can be incredibly frustrating. You recognize your work's potential impact, yet external factors limit it.

This is where DesignOps comes in — removing these limitations and cultivating a space where design professionals are heard and valued.

The guest in this episode is Heidi Ettanen, a respected leader in the DesignOps realm, leading operations at a global fashion and retail brand. I sat down with Heidi to explore some burning questions: when do you need to establish a dedicated DesignOps role, how do you align people and processes without stifling creativity, and what are the common pitfalls when initiating DesignOps?

So, if you're passionate about creating an environment where design thrives, elevating its impact on your organization through design (did anyone say inception), this episode is a must.

With each DesignOps-focused episode, my respect for the field and its champions grows. And there's just so much opportunity for collaboration.

Enjoy the conversation, and keep making a positive impact!

- Marc


--- [ 1. GUIDE ] ---

00:00 Welcome to episode 182
04:00 Who is Heidi
04:45 Lightning Round
07:00 How it all started
11:15 What is DesignOps (Workplace Analogy)
12:45 Why is it Important?
14:30 What DesignOps focuses on
19:15 Challenges dealt with
26:15 Who takes the lead?
31:15 When Do We Introduce DesignOps?
36:45 3 Pillars in Ops
39:00 The hardest aspect of DesignOps
40:15 What's holding us back
44:00 H&M design process
47:00 What's needed to make it impactful
49:45 What did you wish you knew?

--- [ 2. LINKS ] ---



https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidiettanen/⁠


--- [ 3. CIRCLE ] ---

Join our private community for in-house service design professionals.

https://servicedesignshow.com/circle

Imagine not just designing one service... But shaping your entire organization so that it keeps improving the services it offers, continuously. Yes, it's a much bigger challenge, yet the reward of creating a highly service-oriented organization is immeasurable.

But let's be real, redesigning an entire organization isn't a task for the faint-hearted. You're tinkering with an established system that has steered the company for years, propelling it to where it is today.

In my view, we don't have a real choice though. How much longer can we design services that eventually fall short of their potential due to organizational roadblocks? Continuing this way not only wastes time and money but also breeds frustration. Your hard work might not have the desired impact, causing doubt to loom over service design's legitimacy as a field with stakeholders.

They say that you eat an elephant one spoon at a time. In our context, if the elephant is the challenge of reshaping our organization to be more service-centric, where do you start?

Enter "The Service Organisation," a freshly published book. It's making waves in our community for a reason, and I couldn't resist inviting the author, Kate Tarling, to share her insights on the Show.

It turned into a great conversation about how decisions are made, funds allocated, and workflows orchestrated within an organization. If you're keen on doing good service design, at scale, this episode is your golden ticket.

For me, Kate's insights are once again a testament to the monumental effect seemingly simple actions can have.

Enjoy and keep making a positive impact :)

- Marc

--- [ 1. GUIDE ] ---

00:00 Welcome to episode 181
06:00 Who is Kate
07:00 Lightning Round
11:15 The reason behind the book
18:30 Leadership
19:45 Soccer Analogy
23:45 What the book centers on
25:00 Practice tools examples
28:00 Understanding the word "service"
30:45 Transforming the organization
34:15 The role responsible for funding
41:30 The Gap
44:30 What's missing
47:30 Why it's an integral part
49:30 Questions that rose
51:45 Examples of Operating Models
54:45 Closing Thoughts
56:30 Kate's Book

--- [ 2. LINKS ] ---



https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-tarling-6b43b19/
The Service Organization by Kate Tarling (Kate's Book)
Recoding America by Jennifer Pahlka (Book)


--- [ 3. CIRCLE ] ---

Join our private community for in-house service design professionals.

https://servicedesignshow.com/circle