Introduction to Tools and Methods

Session 1

Breaking ground

You will cover examples of service design projects and reflect on your experiences of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ services.

You will be introduced to your design challenge, before working together with other learners to capture thoughts and experiences related to the challenge.

You will discuss and theme your insights, before joining a team dedicated to exploring a particular theme. Each team will reach a shared understanding of the topic to begin researching in the next session.

You will gain

• An awareness of the impact of bias and assumptions on decision-making.
• Understanding of what a service is, and the service design process.
• Ability to describe service experiences.
• Experience in knowledge capture and affinity mapping.

Session 2

Discover

You will create a user research plan according to your theme – exploring what you want to find out, where you might find it, and from whom. You will then be introduced to a selection of user research methods, which you will practise.

Considering what questions must be asked – focussing on lived experience of problems rather than jumping to solutions – you will practise interview skills in different roles.

You will gain

• Understanding of the relationship between quantitative and qualitative data
• Awareness of user research, including approaches, ethics, and informed consent
• Experience in planning user research
• Experience in planning and conducting user interviews
• Awareness of user research methods 

Between session 2 and 3

Gap task

Each person is expected to do a small piece of research (30-40 minutes) to bring back to session three.

You will gain

• Practical experience following a user research plan
• Hands-on experience with a small selection of user research methods

Session 3

Define

You will use problem trees to establish causes and effects of main problem areas emerging from your research, before learning to synthesise towards a defined problem area.

This problem will be flipped into an opportunity statement – “how might we” – a focused definition of the problem to be solved next.

You will gain

• Experience in analysis and synthesis of user research
• Ability to define problems and develop opportunity statements

Session 4

Develop and deliver

You will complete two rounds of prototyping split with a round of critical friend feedback.

Models, sketches, and storyboards are created to communicate and test ideas. You will identify a future goal or measure of success, before using service blueprinting or other planning tools to document the steps involved in the testing and delivery of the solution.

You will gain

• Awareness and experience of rapid idea generation tools
• Ability to filter and prioritise ideas
• Experience in service prototyping
• Experience of communicating service ideas
• Providing critical feedback

Wednesday mornings

Runs 24 September until 22 October

Tuesday mornings

Runs 25 November until 16 December