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Column: Service Design

UXmatters has published 28 editions of the column Service Design.

Top 3 Trending Service Design Columns

  1. Environmental Communications: How Understanding Experiences in Virtual Space Can Influence the Design of Experiences in Physical Space

    Service Design

    Orchestrating experiences in context

    A column by Laura Keller
    September 22, 2014

    UX professionals are accustomed to thinking about how people interact with digital user interfaces. Whether we’re designing a mobile application or a marketing Web site, it’s in our DNA to consider what would be the optimal experience for people. But digital user interfaces are not the only elements of an experience with which people interact. In services, people may also interact with each other, with processes, with communications, and with physical spaces, and it’s the responsibility of the service designer to understand their needs and create an optimal experience that considers all of these diverse elements. Plus, while the goal of a service designer is to think holistically about how these elements work together in a service experience, each element has its own discreet set of design considerations. Read More

  2. Departments of Motor Vehicles: Their Evolving Role and Design Challenges

    Service Design

    Orchestrating experiences in context

    A column by Laura Keller
    April 1, 2013

    Each of the states in the U.S. has a Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) that is responsible for handling diverse citizen needs such as personal identity cards, driving permits and licenses, and registrations for vehicles such as cars, trucks, motorcycles, and boats—both commercial and personal. One of the most common interactions between people and their government is with their DMV. Everyone has to interact with the DMV at some point in his life and, more than likely, these interactions occur annually—whether for registration renewals or violations, if you drive like me.

    What’s notable about the DMV is that people across the U.S. think it’s one of the most miserable customer experiences they’ve encountered. When you tell someone, “I have to go to the DMV,” the response is universally, “Oh, long groan, I’m so sorry…” and an empathetic pat on your shoulder. Few things cause a citizen more angst than preparing for a visit to the DMV. No matter how sure you are that you have got the right paperwork, have followed the right process, and have brought the right means of payment, you always have this nagging feeling that something will go wrong. While you might think that adding the human element to the experience—DMV employees—would conjure up a feeling of relief, the opposite is actually the case. You’d likely approach an employee of the DMV in much the same way Dorothy approaches the scary Wizard of Oz—with timidity, apologizing all the while, and being prepared to be yelled at. Read More

  3. Keeping Life Meaningful: Designing the Senior Residence Experience

    Service Design

    Orchestrating experiences in context

    A column by Laura Keller
    April 11, 2016

    A few weeks ago, I visited my husband’s grandmother in her retirement community. We had been there several times before, but our most recent visit made me appreciate her situation more. After having read numerous news stories about elder abuse, fraud, and deplorable living and healthcare conditions in nursing homes, I found her community to be quite the opposite.

    It’s important to mention that her community offers a mix of living situations, depending on a resident’s health and preferences. There are single-family homes for people who still want some autonomy—and can afford them—but most people reside in the large, mansion-like, main building. Residents and couples have their own apartment, which they can customize and decorate according to their wishes. Visiting nurses help sick patients in their homes. However, for those who are debilitated or need physical therapy, there’s a healthcare wing of the building that essentially functions as a hospital. Read More

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