Service design is a method used to ensure that a product or service meets the needs of both business and end users. Many product owners leave service design out of the development process, thinking that their personal vision is enough to build a successful product. The reality is often different.

What is service design?

Service design is a process in which products and services are developed from a user-centered perspective. This means that the users’ needs, wishes and problems are already clarified in the early stages of the development process and are directly used as a basis for the design. Service design combines the perspectives of design, business and technology, and it is used to create products that not only meet the company’s goals, but also meet the expectations of the market and customers.

The value of service design in product development

Many product owners may wonder if it is worth investing in service design when the budget is tight. As many may have experienced, in development work it can be tempting to trust your own intuitions and assumptions about what customers want. But here lies the risk: designing a product purely based on one’s own wishes and needs can lead to it not resonating with the chosen target group.

The biggest advantage of service design is its ability to ensure that the product meets the needs of both the product owner and the end users. Involving users in the development process provides valuable information about their expectations and problems, helping to create a product that truly serves them.

Service design process

Service design is not just one step in the development process, but goes along with it from beginning to end. The process starts with deep user understanding: talking to users, monitoring their activities and analyzing their needs. After this, we move on to ideation and creating prototypes.

Prototypes are a key part of service design, as they give concrete shape to ideas and enable them to be tested with real users. This is the moment when the functionality of the design is tested and valuable feedback is obtained on what works and what doesn’t. Finally, the product is finalized based on this feedback, which ensures that it meets the expectations of both the product owner and the end users.

Service design in practice

Let’s imagine a situation where the product owner wants to develop a new application. He has a clear vision of how the app should look and work, but is unsure how users will receive it. Service design helps at this stage to ensure that the product is not only the realization of his dream, but also a functional solution for the market.

With the help of service design, you can avoid a situation where the product does not meet the needs of the users and is therefore used little. Instead, it is ensured that the product is designed for exactly the right target group, based on their needs and wishes.

Summary: service design is the key to success

• Service design is an essential tool for anyone who wants to develop products and services that succeed in the market. It not only reduces the risk of product development failure, but also ensures that the end result is one that meets the expectations of both the product owner and the end users.
• If you want to ensure that the product you develop is not only the realization of your vision, but also a functional and desirable solution for the market, service design is the right solution. This process takes time and requires resources, but the end result is worth it: a product that succeeds and brings value to all involved.