Service Design Show

Designing for Truth in an Era of AI Hallucinations / Inside Service Design / Episode #08

We need to talk about the "intern" sitting on your desktop...Come on, you know the one. Sure, they are fast, very eager to please, and can process data at lightning speeds. But they also have a bad habit of hallucinating facts and making things up just to make you happy.Of course, I’m talking about AI.It is fair to say that we are past the initial "wow" phase of generative AI. Now, for us service design professionals, the real question is: How do we actually hire, train, and trust this new digital colleague?That is the focus of this episode of our Inside Service Design series.We sit down for a chat with two brilliant professionals: Jessica Dugan and Judith Buhmann.They share a grounded, hype-free look at how they are integrating AI into their own existing workflows. Not as a replacement for our work, but as a "Junior Associate" who needs some (sometimes a lot) management.To make this real, Jess walks us through the framework she uses for building her own custom AI agents. She explains how to define their "persona," scope their tasks, and curate their knowledge base so they can actually be useful (and safe).And Judith shares a critical perspective on why we can’t fully trust AI yet. We explore why we need to treat AI as an "unreliable narrator" especially when working with vulnerable groups.So if you are feeling a bit somewhat by the pressure to "use AI" but aren't sure how to do it responsibly, this conversation has some key insights you don't want to miss.Here's a question: If you had to give your current AI tools a "performance" review, what rating would you give them? A) Employee of the month B) Promising intern (needs supervision) C) Chaos agent (fires random info at me). Let me know, I’m really curious where we are all at!Be well, ~ Marc--- [ 1. GUIDE ] --- 00:00 Welcome to the November Round Up04:00 Jess's journey into service desig09:45 Judith's challenge12:30 Designing for the employee experience and internal systems14:00 The "Pros" of in-house service design15:30 The necessity of patience and deep knowledge for in-house success18:30 Judith topic19:00 Jess topic: Building (and trusting) your own AI agent23:00 Why we cannot fully trust any AI27:00 Scoping the AI agent's role and understanding user need29:00 Designing the "Human" side: Setting personality and tone for your agent33:45 Accessibility: Is it actually hard to build your own agent?35:30 Human-in-the-loop: Regulation and ensuring data accuracy40:00 Why transparency matters more than just "trust" 47:00 Getting organizational buy-in for AI tools54:45 Markers of success: How service blueprints live on after the workshop56:30 Closing thoughts and Question to Ponder --- [ 2. LINKS ] --- https://www.linkedin.com/in/judithbuhmann/https://www.linkedin.com/in/jess-dugan/ --- [ 3. CIRCLE ] --- Join our private community for in-house service design professionals. ⁠https://servicedesignshow.com/circle--- [4. FIND THE SHOW ON] ---Youtube ~ https://go.servicedesignshow.com/inside-service-design-08-youtubeSpotify ~ https://go.servicedesignshow.com/inside-service-design-08-spotifyApple ~ https://go.servicedesignshow.com/inside-service-design-08-appleSnipd ~ https://go.servicedesignshow.com/inside-service-design-08-snipd

Fighting the "Enshittification" of Experience / Dan Saffer / Ep. #243

Sure, design might be going through a tough period...But as the saying goes, "never waste a good crisis."So this moment of uncertainty, where everyone is wondering if (or rather when) AI will take over their job, might actually be our biggest opportunity to rise up.It is a unique chance to reclaim our core focus of designing services that genuinely improve people's lives, rather than just extracting value to maximize shareholder returns.Of course to discuss an existential topic like this we had to find someone who's been around the block for some time. And boy did we find someone!For this episode we sit down with the legendary Dan Saffer to chat about what we can learn from the last two decades of design evolution.We try to wrap our heads around what caused the erosion of strategic design from its heyday, which, frankly, wasn't even that long ago.We look into how we somehow got identified with the outputs, like running workshops or creating interfaces in Figma, rather than the outcomes. And more importantly, what we can do to prevent that from happening again, whether that’s with journey management or crafting smart prompts.And finally we also tackle the big question of why design isn't having a greater influence on the current wave of AI, and how we can change that.So bring your cassette player for this one, because we're going back in time for some nostalgia and a healthy dose of hope.Enjoy the conversation and keep making a positive impact!~ Marc--- [ 1. GUIDE ] --- 00:00 Welcome to Episode 24303:00 Why Design Has Failed the Enterprise07:15 Defining a 'Well-Designed Service'11:00 4 Stages of Design Maturity13:45 The Critical Challenge of Design at Scale16:30 Debunking the Myth being Design as a 'Luxury'19:30 Is Service Design an Attitude or a Practice?20:45 Impact of Cloud & Mobile on Design Challenges23:15 Designing for the 'Cloud Age' 29:00 Service Design vs. Interaction Design31:45 Focus on the System, Not Just the Artifact35:00 The Challenge of Hiring True System-Level Designers37:30 Moving Design from Extractive to Generative44:45 Only Way to Win Is to Not Play the Game48:15 Driving Organizational Change Through Design Culture52:45 Why Designers Burn Out56:45 How to Measure the Impact of Generative Design1:00:00 Why AI is a People Problem1:03:15 What Makes a Great Design Leader?1:06:15 The Essential Mindset Shift for Modern Design Leadership1:09:15 The Great Opportunity of AI in Service Design1:13:45 Final Takeaway1:14:15 Question to Ponder --- [ 2. LINKS ] --- LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dansaffer/Blue Sky - https://blueskydirectory.com/profiles/odannyboy.bsky.socialMedium - https://medium.com/ui-for-ai/welcome-to-ui-for-ai-eb22aef8d26c --- [ 3. CIRCLE ] --- Join our private community for in-house service design professionals. ⁠https://servicedesignshow.com/circle--- [4. FIND THE SHOW ON] ---Youtube ~ https://go.servicedesignshow.com/243-youtubeSpotify ~ https://go.servicedesignshow.com/243-spotifyApple ~ https://go.servicedesignshow.com/243-appleSnipd ~ https://go.servicedesignshow.com/243-snipd

How To Stay "Stubbornly Human" in an AI World / Inside Service Design / Ep. #07

Here is a hot take, empathy is becoming "theater"...I mean, it's that feeling you get when you receive a "hyper-personalized" yet clearly automated email saying "We are so deeply sorry to see you go".To me, it just feels insincere. Actually, it even feels manipulative. Instead of a genuine connection, it’s a performance designed to "manage" me, not help me.As every business out there is in a race to automate and integrate AI, the actual human connection is often the first thing to get outsourced.And when we try to paste humanity back onto technology, we often end up in a digital uncanny valley.So, how do we push back? How do we remain "stubbornly human" when the systems around us only care about efficiency?That is the battle we explore in the latest episode of our Inside Service Design series.In this conversation, I sit down with two service design professionals from very different worlds: ​Jeff​, who works in the highly digital fintech space, and ​Emilie​, an Innovation Partner at a faith-based nonprofit.Despite their different contexts, they share some great insights on keeping the "human" in human-centered design.Jeff breaks down the concept of Empathy Theater and challenges us to spot when a friendly tone in a digital interface crosses the line into manipulation. And Emilie walks us through a future scenario where VR headsets are the default for education, forcing us to ask: how do we design for belonging when we are physically apart?So, if you are tired of seeing the human element get optimized out of existence, this conversation will give you some strong arguments you need to stand your ground.Quick question: Have you received an email recently that felt like "Empathy Theater"? If yes, send me a quick reply with "Guilty" (bonus points if you can share the example)!I'm trying to get a sense of how widespread this is becoming.Enjoy the conversation and keep making a positive impact.Be well, ~ Marc--- [ 1. GUIDE ] --- 00:00 Welcome to October Round Up05:00 Emilie's Service Design Journey07:30 Jeff from Interior Design to FinTech12:30 Jeff's Biggest In-House Design Challenge15:00 Challenges in Non-Profit Design18:00 Emilie's True Measure of Success20:00 How Jeff Measures Success in Long-Term Projects25:00 Emilie's topic: Education in 203829:00 Jeff's topic: Keep Things 'Stubbornly Human' 33:45 The Circle Reacts to Insincere Digital Tone36:45 How Emilie's group responded39:00 Emilie's Hopeful Reflection on the Future of Design40:00 The Practical Tweak Jeff Made43:00 Emilie's #1 Hard-Won Career Lesson45:30 Jeff's Hard-Won Lesson in Service Design46:30 When Jeff Stopped Focusing on Deliverables51:00 Why Beautiful Artifacts Don't Impress Executives53:00 How to Stop the Treadmill54:30 Emilie's Question to the Audience55:30 Jeff Answers the Question He Wants to Ask57:30 Emilie Answers Her Own Deep Question59:00 Final words of wisdom --- [ 2. LINKS ] --- https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilie-moravechttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffhoekwater --- [ 3. CIRCLE ] --- Join our private community for in-house service design professionals. ⁠https://servicedesignshow.com/circle--- [4. FIND THE SHOW ON] ---Youtube ~ https://go.servicedesignshow.com/inside-service-design-07-youtubeSpotify ~ https://go.servicedesignshow.com/inside-service-design-07-spotifyApple ~ https://go.servicedesignshow.com/inside-service-design-07-appleSnipd ~ https://go.servicedesignshow.com/inside-service-design-07-snipd

Designing for the Long Game: Self-Care as Professional Rigor / Rachael Dietkus / Ep. #242

We often hear the "mantra" to move fast and break things...But what happens when the thing that breaks is you?For many service design professionals, this is the reality of their calendar: back-to-back meetings, a rush to deliver, and very little space to actually think. In many organizations, there is a culture that views this busyness as a badge of honor.But our guest in this episode, Rachael Dietkus, has quite a different -and healthier- approach.She has a rule written on a post-it note right next to her desk: "No meetings before 10 AM".This might sound like a luxury, doesn't it? But Rachael, who's a licensed clinical social worker and designer, argues that rules like this are actually a professional necessity.Rachael is the founder of Social Workers Who Design, where she is bridging the gap between the deep, ethical frameworks of social work and the often frantic pace of design.This is an eye-opening episode where we explore why service design might be missing a "manual" that social workers have had for decades. You'll hear about:Why we need to move beyond just empathy to genuine care and compassion.The importance of having a structured "safe space" to process your work (social workers spend at least 1 hour in supervision for every 40 hours of work!).Why setting hard boundaries is actually a sign of competence and professionalism, not weakness.So, if you sometimes feel the weight of the work is getting too much and you're looking for ways to create a healthier, more sustainable work environment, this conversation offers practical clues.As we are almost wrapping up the year, it's an important reminder that reflection on our work isn't a nice to have, but a healthy habit we should all embrace.Enjoy the conversation and keep making a positive impact.Be well,~ Marc--- [ 1. GUIDE ] --- 00:00 Welcome to Episode 24204:00 Making Care an Integral Part of Practice09:00 Recognizing Care (or the Lack Thereof) in Project Pacing14:00 Difference Between 'Careless' and 'Care-full' Design17:30 How Rachel's Path to Care Began26:30 Human Rights and Social Work Foundation38:45 What Design Can Learn from Social Work 46:15 Radical Act of Slowing Down52:30 Practical Steps to Build Spaciousness & Combat Workaholism57:45 Setting Boundaries1:01:15 Boundaries as Professional Resistance 1:03:45 Takeaway She Hopes You Get1:05:15 Piece of Advice1:05:45 Question to ponder --- [ 2. LINKS ] --- https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachaeldietkuslcswSocial Workers Who Design - https://www.socialworkerswho.design/ --- [ 3. CIRCLE ] --- Join our private community for in-house service design professionals. ⁠https://servicedesignshow.com/circle--- [4. FIND THE SHOW ON] ---Youtube ~ https://go.servicedesignshow.com/242-youtubeSpotify ~ https://go.servicedesignshow.com/242-spotifyApple ~ https://go.servicedesignshow.com/242-appleSnipd ~ https://go.servicedesignshow.com/242-snipd

How Vertical Storytelling Helps Translate Empathy into Business Value / Journey Management Playbook / Ep. #08

Okay, we are pretty good storytellers... but are we telling the right story?As service design professionals, we nail it when it comes to what I call "Horizontal Storytelling". We can walk anyone through the customer journey, step-by-step, building empathy for the user's pain and frustration over time.But here is the somewhat inconvenient truth: As you might have experienced, your CEO or CFO often doesn't know what to do with that story. They are looking for something else. They need "Vertical Storytelling".They need to know how a specific pain point on the ground connects up to the strategic objectives of the business. They need to know the ROI. They need to know if the needle is actually moving.In episode 8 of the Journey Management Playbook series, Tingting Lin and I are closing the loop. We are moving from doing the work to measuring the impact.If you’ve ever struggled to justify prove that your journey management efforts are actually influencing the bottom line, this episode is for you.We dive into:How you can translate customer empathy into business language to get buy-in.Why you can't just rely on churn or NPS as your metrics, and how to find early warning signals that prove your work is having an effect now.How to connect your solutions back to the original business challenge to see if you actually solved the problem.And how to start measuring impact today without having to wait for perfect data integrations.This episode provides the missing link between "making mapping a journey" and "driving business outcomes."What is the one metric you struggle to track the most? Send me a reply or leave a comment on YouTube, we’d love to know where the biggest data hurdles are for you.Enjoy and keep making a positive impact!Be well, ~ Marc--- [ 1. LINKS 🔗 ] ---👉 Playbook Slides - ✅ Sign up for TheyDo - https://go.servicedesignshow.com/scjwb--- [ 2. GUIDE ] --- 01:00 What's in store episode 0803:45 Power of Vertical Storytelling05:30 Proving Your Journey Map Worth the Investment07:00 Biggest Mistake People Make in Journey Mapping11:00 When a Simple Insight Changes Everything16:30 'Horizontal' View vs. the 'Vertical'23:00 How to Operationalize Your Journey Map25:00 Start Small, But Map the Full Customer Story26:00 Closing the Loop and Feedback Mechanisms30:00 Summary: 3 Pillars of a Successful Journey Strategy31:34 Differentiating Horizontal and Vertical Stories33:00 Overcoming Internal Resistance to New Mapping36:00 Stakeholders as customers38:45 Translating Empathy into Actionable Design39:45 Mapping an Employee Onboarding Journey45:00 Debunking misconceptions50:30 Software and Resources We Recommend54:45 Second Essential Technique58:00 Final Takeaways & Last-Minute Advice 1:00:00 5 Practical Tips You Can Implement Today --- [ 3. FIND THE SHOW ON ] --- Spotify ~ https://go.servicedesignshow.com/journey-management-playbook-08-spotifyApple ~ https://go.servicedesignshow.com/journey-management-playbook-08-appleSnipd ~ https://go.servicedesignshow.com/journey-management-playbook-08-snipdYoutube ~ https://go.servicedesignshow.com/journey-management-playbook-08-youtube