Service Design Prototyping Methods

A desktop walkthrough is a prototyping method used in service design to simulate a service experience using toy figurines on a small stage. It helps understand the customer journey and test different scenarios. You can quickly refine the service concept by moving the figurines around and acting out the service interactions.^[1]

Let's say a team is designing a new online shopping service. They create a small stage using LEGO bricks and place toy figurines to represent the customer, delivery person, and customer support. They act out the steps of the service, from browsing the website to receiving the package. As they go through the process, they can identify any issues or improvements that need to be made. They can try different approaches and see how they work on the small stage. This can help them understand the customer experience and improve the service before investing time and resources.

Cardboard prototyping helps quickly and cost-effectively create tangible representations of concepts using simple craft materials. It involves creating physical models that simulate the key elements and interactions of a service. The technique is particularly useful in the early stages of the design process when ideas are being explored and tested.

Let's say a design team is working on improving the check-in process at a hotel. They want to explore different possibilities and evaluate how guests interact with the reception area. Instead of immediately investing in expensive renovations or digital systems, they use cardboard to create a scaled-down replica of the reception desk. This model could include elements such as signage, key card machines, and guest registration forms. They may also create cardboard cutouts to represent guests and staff members who are part of the check-in process.

Using this model, the team can simulate different scenarios and observe how guests navigate the reception area. They can test different layouts, signage placements, and interaction flows, taking notes on what works and what could be improved. Based on their observations and user feedback, they can refine their design ideas and iterate before moving to more advanced stages of implementation or high-fidelity prototyping. This allows them to gather valuable insights early in the process, saving time and resources.

Paper prototyping involves using simple materials like paper, sticky notes, and markers to simulate the interactions, functionalities, and user experience of the intended design. It is another low-fidelity technique that can be used to represent and test a service concept.

For example, a design team is working on improving the user experience of a mobile banking application. They want to test the usability of a new feature that allows users to transfer funds between their accounts with just a few taps. Using paper prototyping, they sketch out a simplified version of the mobile app's interface on sheets of paper. They draw screens, buttons, and labels to represent different stages of the transfer process. The team also prepares small cutouts of money symbols and account numbers that users can manipulate during the testing. They recruit a group of potential users or stakeholders and ask them to perform a series of tasks using the paper prototype. Users are instructed to tap on buttons, move the cutouts around to simulate transferring money, and provide feedback on their experience.

By doing this, the design team can gain valuable insights into the effectiveness and intuitiveness of the new feature. They can identify areas where users encounter difficulties, such as unclear labels or confusing navigation, refine the interface, and resolve any usability issues.

Wireframing is used in service design to create a structural layout and outline the key elements and functionalities of a service. It involves creating sketches or digital mockups that focus on the arrangement of content, navigation, and interaction patterns without diving into detailed visual design aspects.

Imagine a team working on a new e-commerce website. They want to design a streamlined checkout process to enhance the user experience. To start, they create wireframes to outline the key steps and elements of the checkout flow. Using a wireframing tool like Figma or Balsamiq or simply by sketching on paper, the team creates simplified representations of the website's pages.

They focus on essential elements such as product listings, shopping carts, shipping information, payment options, and order confirmation. The wireframes consist of basic shapes, placeholder text, and icons without any elaborate visual design elements. They emphasize the structure, placement, and hierarchy of the different components on each page and the interactions required to complete the checkout process.

The team can then share the wireframes with stakeholders to gather feedback and validate the proposed design. The team can then make necessary revisions before proceeding to high-fidelity prototyping or implementation.

A service advertisement is a prototype advertisement created to focus on the core value proposition of a service and test its perceived value. It allows you to test if your target audience understands and values your offering before investing significant resources in developing the service.

Let's say a team is working on a new online learning platform for language courses. They have designed the platform with interactive lessons, personalized learning paths, and a gamified progress tracker. To validate their value proposition, the team can create a service advertisement prototype. They can design an advertisement poster showcasing the key features of the platform. This could include vibrant images of language learners taking interactive lessons, testimonials from satisfied users, and enticing text highlighting the benefits of the service. The team can then put up the advertisement poster in public spaces like bus stops or shopping streets, where the target language-learning audience will likely pass by.

They can observe their reactions, conduct interviews, and collect feedback on the perceived value and desirability of the service. This provides the team valuable insights into the target audience's understanding of the platform, their interest, and any improvements or adjustments that might be needed.

A mood board is a collage of images, colors, textures, patterns, and other visual elements used to explore and communicate the desired mood and aesthetic direction of a project. In service design, mood boards are particularly useful for conveying the intended emotional experience, brand personality, and overall ambiance of a service. They can be used to inspire and guide the design process, align stakeholders' expectations, and ensure a design direction.

Let's say a team is working on designing a new café experience. They want to create a cozy, rustic, and inviting atmosphere that appeals to their target audience. The mood board could include a collection of images that represent elements such as warm colors, natural materials, comfortable seating arrangements, and vintage decor. The mood board may also include textures like cozy fabrics or patterns that evoke the desired mood. This board can help align everyone's understanding of the desired ambiance and aesthetic of the café. The mood board also serves as a reference point throughout the design process, guiding all decisions that contribute to the overall atmosphere of the café.

Additionally, the mood board can be shared with external partners, such as architects, interior designers, and graphic designers, to provide them with a clear visual direction. It acts as a visual brief, facilitating effective collaboration and ensuring that the different elements of the service are cohesive.

Sketching can be used in service design to quickly generate and communicate ideas, concepts, and prototypes. It involves creating rough, hand-drawn representations of design elements, interactions, and user experiences.

Imagine a team working on designing a new restaurant experience that offers great food and provides memorable interactions for the customers. The team starts by sketching the customer journey from the moment a person enters the restaurant to when they leave. They depict each step of the journey, such as entering the establishment, being seated, ordering food, and paying the bill. They use simple drawings to capture the key touchpoints throughout the service. Next, they focus on specific touchpoints within the customer journey, such as the menu, table layout, and interactions with the staff. They sketch different variations, exploring possibilities and experimenting with different design elements. For example, they sketch alternative table arrangements and different menu formats.

During collaborative sessions, the team shares and discusses their sketches, gathering feedback and insights from each other. They iterate on their ideas, making adjustments and refining the sketches. Through this process, they evaluate different design options before moving into more detailed design or development phases.

Wizard of Oz prototyping is a technique used in service design to simulate the behavior of a service without actually building the full working version. In this method, the appearance of automation or technology is created, but the underlying processes are manually operated by a human "wizard" behind the scenes. Wizard of Oz prototyping is particularly useful in service design when testing complex or technologically advanced services. It allows designers to simulate the service experience, observe user behavior, and make informed design decisions before investing in the full implementation of the system.

Let's say a team is designing a voice-controlled virtual assistant for a hotel booking service. Instead of building the entire voice recognition and booking system, they create a simple user interface (UI) that resembles a voice-activated virtual assistant. It may be a screen with a microphone icon and prompts for users to voice their requests. Behind the scenes, a human "wizard" takes on the role of the virtual assistant and manually processes users’ requests.

During user testing, participants interact with the UI by expressing their desired booking details. The wizard, who is observing the user's interactions, manually performs the necessary actions such as searching for available hotels and making bookings. Through this process, the team can gather insights into how users interact with the voice-controlled virtual assistant and identify any usability issues or areas for improvement. They can test different dialogue flows, responses, and user prompts to refine the user experience.

The insights gained can guide the development of the actual voice-controlled virtual assistant, ensuring that it meets user needs and expectations.