» Context helps to make a service good as opposed to simply existing

» By not consciously designing our services, we instead force our users to link actions together

» Outcomes for users are core user needs that a service helps them to meet

» A starting point can be to ask different teams what ‘good’ looks like to them

A service:

» is defined from an external end user’s point of view

» describes something someone would want to do, in their language

» has an outcome that relates to the organisation’s goals

» includes all the steps between the user and provider

» includes all the parts involved in delivering it

» Federation squares the circle of having both a cohesive design system and autonomous product teams

» A successful design system closely meets the needs of developers of apps and the end-users of those apps

» For a design system to appeal to third parties, it has to accommodate their brand identity and niche audience needs

» Service maps help teams and stakeholders to understand interactions with a service across touchpoints over time

» They provide a visual representation of an abstract and often wide-reaching process

» Think of your service like a theatre: front stage, backstage and behind the scenes

» Service mapping helps your team to tell their story to the wider organisation

When companies set out to redesign a product or service, the results can sometimes be underwhelming. Instead of delivering service transformation, the team recommends only minor efficiency tweaks. If this has been happening to you, there can be many underlying causes. I’ve identified a few common problems and what you can you do about them.

» 6 core concepts of systems thinking will help you start solving complex problems

» Systems thinking complements the more familiar analytical (reductionist) thinking

» It is a way of creating a shared understanding of how something works

» It provides useful tools for surfacing and breaking reinforcing cycles of blame

» Change in your organisation may be inhibited by a small number of constraints

» Your product, your company is always part of a wider ecosystem

» A product strategy needs to be clear on what metrics to focus on and how to move them

» Finding product-market fit is the beginning, not the end

» Customers are seeking more value from digital technologies — “liquid experiences”

» Services by nature don’t always fit current organisational structures

» Service design and business analyst roles require a different type of focus and mindset

» Key to becoming a service designer is not finding a new job, but transforming your current job

» “Seamless services” means bringing together people from across professional boundaries