CCT333+Weekly+Lab+Response+Question+9


 * LAB 9: Service Design and How Good Design Makes you Happy

//W//****//hat is the definition of 'service design', and why is it so important?//**

Service design is an extension of the product design. It focuses more on the customers overall experience. The combination of product design and interactive design is essential in order to carry out the overall design of the product successfully. The service should be useful, desirable and usable in order to be carried out and enhancing the experience of the user and the designer. Since service design is focused on things that are tangible such as space, people, objects or anything that involves any type of interaction that affects the experience, many different services are critical to the design. Advertising, internet, physical environments, company representatives (receptionists, etc) and communication. These are all processes that should be considered and thought out clearly in attempts to enhance the experience of a company or new design.

The service design concept specifically involves the user and the producer. The service is not forced upon the user or it does not leave the user having any other way out. The service is almost like a proposition, where it is available for the user to use if they want to or feel comfortable using it. In order to enhance the service, the designer needs to understand that engaging in services is like a journey. It is important to note that people are different. Therefore, understanding various emotions and needs of an individual in certain situations is essential to designing and effective service.

The journey should be analyzed and every scenario should be considered. For example, if a person is heading to an airport it is important to keep in mind the traffic, the stress, fear, anxiety that the person goes through before even arriving at the airport. In attempts to make this experience a little easier and positive, the arrival at the airport should be designed in a way that allows the user to calm down and realize they are in good hands. Having luggage carriers or carts is essential because it allows the user to to use these services without feeling forced in using it. The luggage carriers are not pushy and the luggage carts are not mandatory. Therefore, it almost creates a sense of comfort or security that even though the user may not have to use these services, they are still nonetheless available.

There are various methods and tools that are critical and essential to use when trying to develop a successful and user-friendly service design. Workshops that are facilitated by a teacher or tutor or nesassary in order to reveal and understand users' needs, experiences, hopes and expectations, Scenarios, storytelling, real life experience, storyboards and bodystorming are also significantly critical in attempts to designing proper services. These scenarios allow the producers and designers to understand that there are various different ways that people prefer to deal and interact with things. It is also more effective because it allows the producers to visually imagine how things work, hence gaining more knowledge and develop new and different ideas that may not have been that easy to come up with if just focusing on paper and pen work.

With such extensive research and analyzation the overall service design will most definately enhance the overall experience of the user and customer satisfaction. The customer will also develop a greater appreciation for the business and its goal because it is not just a business trying to make a profit, it is a business that is focusing on enhancing the service for the user to be comfortable and happy. If the customer is indeed satisfied, their loyalty to the company is gained and will secure a positive outlook on the company. If the overall experience is valuable and effective then customers will most likely be willing to pay a bit more in order to receive a service along with the product in such a way that will affect the user positively.