Thinking in services

Perhaps, as customers, or as service providers, we don’t understand services as much as we think we do.

Services are such integral parts of the daily of individuals and organizations that a day without paying for or providing them is inconceivable. They come in so many different “shapes and sizes”, we have difficulty defining them. Many are so intangible, always and everywhere, we don’t even realize they’re there until they fail.

The universe of services is expanding faster than ever creating new problem new kinds of services, and along with it, new modes of failure exposing us to unexpected costs and risks. Even simple services are dynamic and complex in the way supply meets demand to fulfill a promise. Therefore, when services fail to meet expectations because their design is simplistic or superficial, we’re even more disappointed.

This book is about having new eyes and new perspectives for exploring the universe of services, grasping their realities, and deepening our understanding of them; what services really are, what they could be, and why they even exist. Narrowing down on the true nature of services, broadens the possibilities for design.

With simple drawings, symbols, and a few extraordinary words, this book introduces the basis of a design language for services. Anyone can learn this language, with a little bit of curiosity, imagination, and quiet time. You do not need a degree in economics, biology, or computer science.