Design thinking and service design are two interrelated yet distinct approaches in the realm of design. While they share common elements and methodologies, they have unique focuses and applications.

Design thinking is a problem-solving approach that places users at the heart of the design process. It emphasizes empathy, seeking to deeply understand users' needs, desires, and challenges.

The process typically unfolds through several stages:

• Empathizing with users
• Defining the problem
• Generating ideas through ideation
• Prototyping concepts
• Testing them with users
• Iterating solutions based on feedback until an optimal solution is achieved^[1]

On the other hand, service design takes a holistic view of designing and improving services to deliver exceptional experiences. It takes into account the entire service ecosystem and considers all touchpoints, interactions, and processes involved.

Design thinking serves as a guiding framework within the broader service design process. Design thinking methodologies and tools, such as empathy mapping and prototyping, are employed to gain insights, generate ideas, and iteratively refine service experiences. By combining design thinking principles with service design, designers can create meaningful and user-centered services that deliver value and foster positive user experiences.