Service Design (Master) (5 ECTS)

Learning outcomes

Purpose of Service Design studies is to provide thinking models, practical process and tools for learners to design services from a customer perspective. Service Design is based on design thinking in which individual cases and general models are applied when building understanding of customers, users and providers in service process. The purpose of this approach is to design services that balances needs of customer, user and the business in a way that creates good quality service experience. Service Design process can bee seen as repeating process of discovery, define, develop and deliver. Key concepts in Service Design studies are service, service design, service blue print, service specification from customers point-of-view, service guidelines, service event, service interface of touch points, service experience, service usefullness, service usability and service desirability.

Teaching methods

In service design studies, you learn to define the entirety of service design, develop services through service design methods and identify different customer needs and service models. Service design is based on design thinking, where individual cases and general models are applied to build understanding and knowledge about the participation of customers, users and service providers in the service process. The purpose of this approach is to design services that balance the needs of the customer, the user, and the business in a way that creates a quality service experience. The process of service design can be seen as repeated steps of searching, defining, developing and implementing. Key contents to be learned are service, service design, customer-oriented description of service, service events, service meeting points, service experience, service usefulness, service usability and service desirability. The study course is implemented at different times online. You study completely according to your own schedule and possibilities.

Location and time

The studies are carried out online. The course is non-stop in style. Students' performances are evaluated approximately every month.

Learning materials and recommended literature

Lean Service Creation. Open source tools for change agents. The what, the how and the why. Futurice Sarvas, R., Nevanlinna, H. and Pesonen, J. (2017). Lean Service Creation. The handbook V1.8.Futurice. Stickdorn, M., Lawrence, A., Hormess, M. and Schneider, J. (2018). This is Service Design Doing. Applying Service Design and Design Thinking in the real world. O'Reilly.

Alternative completion methods of implementation

No optional methods

Internship and working life connections

As a student, you get to choose your own project organization.

Exam dates and retake possibilities

The course has no exam

International connections

No international connections

Student workload

During the course, the student is responsible for his own use of time and total workload. The performance of the course must be ready by July 31, 2025.

Assessment methods and criteria

Assessment is based on level of competences in different learning assignments.

Evaluation scale

1-5