Design for Service

The AT-ONE project at the Oslo School of Architecture and Design produced a set of service touchpoint cards for the Nordic Service Design conference. It contained 44 sample touchpoints that might be found in a typical service.

Media

• radio
• newspaper
• television
• community (youtube/facebook/twitter)
• blog
• viral
• sponsorship
• event

Graphics

• logo
• business card
• advertising
• brochure
• signage
• packaging
• website

Servicescape

• queue
• employees
• point of sale
• wayfinding
• interior fittings
• call-centre
• building

Communications

• phone
• mobile phone
• smartphone
• e-mail
• sms
• letter
• friends
• family

Ephemera

• credit/debit card
• contract
• instructions
• bill/invoice
• self-service
• log-in
• receipt
• app/widget
• welcome package
• give-away

Other

• blank touchpoint cards (x2)
• service as a product (x3)
• myths

Exercises

1. Forced association – This helps to generate service ides using the well known forced association method. It’s simple, fun and forces you to think in a different way. Put all cards face down on the table. Pick two cards and create a service for your project based upon just these touchpoints.
2. Mapping touchpoints – Create a service journey. For each step of the service journey, choose the touchpoint cards from the pack that the customer will encounter. This mapping can be used to then identify problems customers might have along the service journey, consistency of touchpoint design, tone of voice differences between touchpoints, etc.
3. Touchpoint take away – This helps to renew touchpoint thinking in a project. Mapping the touchpoints as described in the second exercise. Identify the two most important touchpoints at each step and replace them with alternatives. What does this add to the customer experience?
4. Can I use it here? – This helps to renew touchpoint thinking in a project. Create a service journey for your project. For each step, go through the touchpoint cards and envisage how the touchpoint could create value at this particular step.
5. Whose touch point is it anyway? – This helps you to identify if your organization has a fragmented touchpoint approach. Sort through the cards in terms of who is responsible for the touchpoint content and form within your organization. Discuss in the group, how and how well these different departments work together to create a consistent customer experience.