Cases
These cases are real life cases, which have been implemented by a multidisciplinary group of students as a part of my Service Design studies. The clients of the project tasks have been key partners of Laurea University of Applied Sciences unless mentioned otherwise.
Case One – A New Service Concept
In this service design project we designed a new service concept. The client of the project task was Unilever and the duration of the project was about six months alongside other studies.
In this service design project we utilized the following methods and tools: Interviews, empathy maps, benchmarking, mind maps, journey maps, personas, prototyping and service blueprints. We used Miro collaboration platform throughout the design process. As a design process model, we utilized the Double Diamond.
A new service concept was produced as an outcome of the project.
I contributed especially to customer interviews (in-depth interviews combined with “5 whys” technique) after which, I created customer personas and empathy maps to deepen the customer understanding. I also collected feedback for iteration purposes from the interviewees in ideation and prototyping phases. I utilized the value proposition canvas to clarify our customer understanding and to describe how we intend to create value for customers. I also used mystery shopping as a part of benchmarking.
Case Two – A New Business Model
In this service design project we designed new business models for Restaurant Factory. The duration of the project was about three months alongside other studies.
In this service design project we utilized service design and business design methods. We explored business model patterns, filled in business model canvases and value proposition canvases, got feedback and tested our ideas according to an iterative business process model. We also utilized e.g. empathy maps to increase customer understanding.
New business model ideas, which leaned especially on “solution provider”, “digitalization” and “add-on” kind of solutions, were produced as an outcome of the project. E.g., we came up with a new value proposition and pondered what, how and why: Customers’ needs, company’s ways to create value, key activities, partners, resources, locations, channels, relationships, costs and revenue.
I concentrated especially in discovering different business models and ideation. In addition, I used test cards (which include hypothesis and ways to test and measure it) to analyze with what kind of experiments we can validate our business model ideas with. We conducted some light interviews and surveys as well as empathy maps.
Case Three – A Prototype of a Mobile Application
In this digital design project we designed a prototype of a national medication card mobile application for Kela’s Omakanta. The duration of the project was about six months alongside other studies. Kela wanted to know what customers would really want and need in a medication card mobile application. We used Lean UX process model and iteratively improved our prototype throughout the process.
In this design project we utilized the following methods and tools: Interviews, benchmarking, customer journey maps, personas, empathy maps, key insights and design drivers, UI/UX prototyping as well as visualizing use scenarios and sketching a flowchart. We used Axure RP 9 software to build the prototype, which we iteratively tested and adjusted.
A prototype of a national medication card mobile application was produced as an outcome of the project.
In this project I contributed especially in conducting customer interviews after which, I created customer personas and empathy maps to deepen the customer understanding. I also participated in the usability testing for the interviewees who tested the clickable prototype by carrying out tasks with the app. I conducted a cognitive walkthrough and created some visual user scenarios as well as visualized a flowchart of the app.
Case Four – Thesis: Development of the Housing Services for Mental Health Clients
I conducted my thesis as a research-based workplace-oriented development study, which introduced a service design process for the housing services of mental health clients that ensured the participation of all stakeholders. The client of this development study was Asumisen Tuki unit in the Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Services of Helsinki, which is my former employer. The duration of this development study was more or less one year, partly alongside with my other studies.
The objective was to understand how the housing units of the city of Helsinki in the Aurora Hospital area for mental health clients would better function within the broader framework of the housing services. The development study looked at how these housing units would produce the most value to the customer as well as to the service provider, reflecting on the principles of the service-dominant logic. The aim was to start a development process that creates better functioning housing units as a whole for the mental health clients in the Aurora Hospital area.
The approach of service design introduced the principles of co-creation and customer orientation. I did in-depth interviews for the manager level and co-creation workshops for the employees in the housing units. I also conducted customer interviews and utilized personas, empathy maps, key insights and design drivers to deepen the customer understanding.
Please, take a look at my thesis:
Exercises
These exercises have been a part of my Service Design studies. Exercise one has been implemented by a multidisciplinary group of students and exercises two and three as an individual work.
Exercise One
In this digital design exercise our assignment was to design a hypothetical digital service concept for a big media house. The aim was to design a digital solution to solve how to measure emotions and take advantage of it in advertising. We designed a hypothetical mobile application, which uses artificial intelligence to study consumer’s facial micro expressions and eye tracking to measure their emotions. The duration of this exercise was about three months alongside other studies.
In this exercise we utilized the following methods and tools: Benchmarking, personas, journey maps, service blueprints and value proposition canvases. We used InVision platform to design the UI/UX prototype.
A new, hypothetical, digital service concept was produced as an outcome of the project.
Exercise Two
In this user-centered digital design exercise we had to design a prototype of a mobile application for reporting absence from school. I used InVision platform to design the UI/UX prototype. This was the first time I used InVision but it was pretty easy to get started with. I was able to test in practice the design principles I had previously only read about.
Exercise Three
In a visualization course we had an assignment to modify a scientific article to a story and then make a visual presentation out of it. We also made storyboards and posters. I modified an article about the development of the mental health client housing services into an old school horror story. I used the design tool Canva to create the storyboard and poster as well as a short horror movie.