I've been focussing recently on developing Service Design capability for an organisation which has a strong desire to create great services and customer experience. Recently I've set up six Communities of Practice (CoPs) which focus on key areas of development for customer-centered design expertise. These include: design strategy, service systems, customer experience, interaction design, service enbedding, project leadership. The Communities of Practice are the learning and knowledge sharing channels for design methodolgies, tools, techniques, and principles of design.

I've had a lot fun recently developing more workshops to initiate and drive a common sense of purpose for the CoPs and we've had truely great organisations and people helping us.

We did a Service Prototyping workshop with IDEO. A fantastic team came out from their San Francisco Office which included Laura Weiss, Gretchen Addi, and Colin Raney. It was a really engaging and insightful three days. The learning has been huge covering territory from user insights methods, brainstorming and idea generation, through to proto-typed concepts capable of igniting interest and buy-in across the organisation. It was centred around a real project which now has a team putting the learnings into practice.

We had Michael Eckersley from Human Centered run a two day workshop on Customer Experience Design. Michael was a fantastic presenter and provided good balance between thought provocation and practice insights.

Otago University Design School ran a interaction Design workshop led by Thomas Bley and Ralf Hebecker. This was a really hands on workshop that challenged particpants to question design and design thinking relative to our business context.

The New Zealand Government has embarked on a 'Buy New Zealand Made Campaign'. The Government is going to promote a 'Buy New Zealand Made' message to New Zealand consumers.

I think there is a case for food and other such primary products that are made locally. It would make sense from a environment and sustainable perspective to strike a better balance between exporting products, and having to import the same type of products from other countries to address the shortfall in local demand. However, for a whole lot of other reasons it seems like a misguided intiative.

The big problem I have with 'Buy New Zealand Made':

It is at odds with initiatives from the Goverments Growth and Innovation policy which is all about global connectedness and export growth. Initiatives such as Better by Design aimed at helping NZ companies become more internationally competitive.

It seems totally wrong in times when collaboration and alliances with other nations are so necessary for NZ businesses to produce world class products (and 'services'!!). Especially since we rely on technology, resources and know-how from other nations to remain a relevant and competitive nation. And if NZ businesses are trying to be globally relevant and competitive, what do they aspire too?

New Zealand companies have to export to grow. So NZ relies on other nations to accept New Zealand products. The initiative doesn't support a good position and competitve attitude towards global commerce.

It is so product centric (made, making, manufactured). With the big shift to the service economies in most successful economies it could be promoting something much more worthwhile.

David Polinchock, in his blog The Experience Economist on a story run by NBC station in New York on how banks are changing to create a better in branch experience. The article points out that the driver behind these kinder, gentler banks is fierce competition. Radical new design of branches and services create new levels of experience and relationship with the banks customers. Amenities like childrenís play areas, cafÈís, more open spaces, and free standing tables for interacting with bank staff etc. They appear to be proving some value, the manager gave a compelling argument for the need to create better experiences:

An average bank in the suburbs will do about $1.5 million a month is deposits. In the first 25 weeks with our new branch, we've done $1 million a week. This roughtly translates to, the traditional branch doing about $9.4 million over 25 weeks, versus the $25 million they've done in the new branch.

See the whole article here

Also see an article in BAI , by the Bank of Smithtowns Executive Vice President and Chief Retail Officer John Romanoextract: ìYou have to find a way to differentiate yourself, and for us, that was through branch design.î



ALSO SEE DEUTSCHE BANKS 'QIIO'; BANK OF THE FUTURE



CScouts reports on Deutsche Banks new pilot branch, named Q110. Finally somebody thought about banking of the future and how to present financial services in a more innovative and customer friendly way. In addition to regular bank operations, this distinctive complex houses an exhibition space, a trend shop, a reading corner, childrens play area, and a cafe.

For full details click here and link through to images

ISDN International Service Design Northmbria hosted a colloquium in March on issues around designing services, and I've finally had a chance to listen to the Podcasts. The speaker line-up included Tim Brown from IDEO, Andrea Cooper from the Design Council UK, Chris Downs from Live/Work, Steven Kyffen from Philips, and Oliver King from Engine Group. Design.

I've listed some of the really interesting Podcast sessions below, they are worth listening too. Tim Brown spoke of methodologies for approaching design, including services, and some interesting points on story telling and communicating the stories. Chris Downs spoke of the huge potential and value that can be derived from service design and service systems. Andrea Cooper picked up on some of these points also - we can take a more holistic approach to deliver to peoples needs and desires. More products is often not the answer - and the real value is often 'experienced'; though the service component i.e IPOD the customer adding favourite music. Steve Kyffen raised some good points about the complexity of designing services. They are time based and evolve well beyond the point of sale, and experienced differently every time. It requires new business models and with that new design and marketing mindsets.

You can can download ISDN Podcasts here

Service Innovation through Design Thinking from Tim Brown, CEO of IDEO

Signposts for the Next Decade from Dr. Andrea Cooper, Head of Design Knowledge, Design Council

Pioneering Service Design from Chris Downs, Partner, Live/Work

Objects of Service - From Subjects to Objects and Back Again from Prof. Steven Kyffin, Global Head of Design Research, Philips Design

Better Services, Happier Customers, Oliver King Engine Group.

and much more...