Introduction to Service Design

This course introduces students to the basics of Service Design, by taking a few services from within the university as projects that they apply all the various service-design methodologies to propose interventions that help improve these services. Example services include the library, the cafeteria, career services etc. Throughout the course of the project, students learn a methodology in class each week, apply it to their assigned service in groups, and then share the results with the rest of the class. The practice-based research approach for this course where actual services are analyzed is extremely important for students to learn about business goals, the complexity of a service, how various stakeholders have various needs, and how different departments/ sections within a service function. The reason for them being assigned services from within the university is that they are already familiar with those services as an end-user already, but they will be able to learn behind the scenes workings of these services and be able to design recommendations that optimize these services. The university services will also benefit from the research and design done by the students. Peer to peer learning is an important aspect of the course, as each group will be working on a different service. There will be reviews at different stages, where students present their work to the rest of the class. Guest lecturers and guest jurors may also be brought in at various stages. This course also teaches students collaboration as an important skill, as they not only work in conjunction with their group members (who may be from various disciplines) but also the various stakeholders of their assigned service. This course aligns with the Playground’s aims of promoting design thinking and human-centered design as well as creative prototyping within the students at Habib University. Through this course the students will learn service design and its application, especially in the context of Pakistan. They’ll be able to use the concepts, tools and methodologies learnt in this course in their professional or academic careers, no matter which field they are practicing in; as service design and design research provide a lens to analyze people and their interactions with products/services.