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Service Design 1: Methods and Tools
Passed foundation level courses at AHO or relevant and equivalent education (Design related bachelor).
The course has two main sections. The first one is an introduction to the concepts, methods and resources used for the design of services; the second one is a project for a partner (private company or public organization), where the students will work as professional Service Design consultants. The course’s orientation is essentially practical, ii builds on the idea that the best way to develop skills is by means of projects and exposing them to feedback from multiple observers.
a. Knowledge:
• Be able to describe the difference between products and services and what it means to design a service.
• Understand how to use Service Design methodologies such as AT-ONE and User Centred Design ones for the development of service design projects.
• Understand how service design can influence a company’s strategy and value creation.
b. Skills:
• Refine the skills of observation, analysis and creativity that lead to the formulation of relevant and valuable solutions for the user(s).
• Develop the skills to understand how businesses think, and hunt for business opportunities.
• Visualize, communicate and prototype, both the current experience (What is) and the suggested new one (what could be).
• Develop skills to evaluate the proposed solutions and business projects, according to the differential potential in the eyes of the user(s) and service provider.
• Be able to plan and facilitate workshops for project teams.
• Take a proactive and professional role in a team in collaboration with project partners.
c. General competence:
• Gain methodical insight by participating actively in a service design process.
• Promote professional experience in a real organization, strengthening the ability to work in a team with an emphasis on results.
The main teaching will be based upon tutoring sessions in the classroom, AT-ONE
Innovation workshops, structured presentations and discussions within the course group.
The course also integrates lectures, studio work (groups and individual), and project(s) in collaboration with external partners where the students will form and work as design consultancies.
Work effort.
This is an intensive course and it demands consistent and hard work from the participants. Students are required to attend at least 90% of the main course events described in the detailed program.
Although the project is developed in groups, individual deliverables will be required and are mandatory.
| Presence required |
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| Not required |