Conference Program

One of service design’s early principles was the move away from the industrial, siloed mindset and to think in terms of connected ecosystems. In the last 10-15 years, the rise of the product-led organization has brought efficiencies but also allowed organizations to slip back into industrial, siloed models. Increasingly, service design is being employed to provide a connected view across product teams, but this raises important questions. Where should service design sit in the org? Who should they report to? How should service design best interact with and enable product teams without clashing with product operations?

In this session, Service Design: From Insight to Implementation co-authors Lavrans Lovlie and Andy Polaine invite service design and product practitioners to share their experiences and principles for service design operating in product-led environments.

For those of us in roles that aim to link experiences, see things end-to-end, or understand systems as ecosystems, the constant currents of change can make it feel like we’re endlessly adapting just to keep up. We long for a stable point of definition and clarity amid all this motion. In this talk, I’ll draw from my experience across various roles and companies to help you recognize and navigate the broader forces shaping our related fields. Using metaphors like oxbows, rivers, and estuaries, and with practical examples, I’ll share tactics for navigating change with intention, helping you stay grounded in the long game while seizing “act now” opportunities.

As part of a MHCLG funded transformation programme, we were tasked with redesigning an outdated, manual planning system into one fit for the 21st century. Planning officers were grappling with systems that didn’t meet their needs. They were spending a lot of time on manual tasks and dealing with the impacts of human error.

Our brief was to deliver a planning service designed by its users, in this case local authority planning officers. We took a radical approach of embedding with a team of subject matter experts, sharing knowledge around digital and agile as we went. This approach meant that user needs drove every action we took but also that the transformation of thinking and approaches from agile and service design started to have an impact on the local authorities themselves.

We developed a set of design principles to keep both user needs and our collective vision at the heart of the process with a focus on moving from documents to data, reducing ‘noise’ and bringing the right information to users at the right time.

Accessibility is an essential aspect of inclusive design that considers the diverse needs of all people, including those with disabilities. Yet, accessibility is often treated as an afterthought, a task to check off, rather than as a process that’s integral to the experience. This session will guide you in moving beyond “fixing problems” to developing thoughtful, sustainable design practices that address and reduce barriers. Discover how building accessible processes that capture dynamic user needs make service design more inclusive and valuable for everyone.

Service designers can struggle to define our impact in complex organizations. This resistance can emerge because service design involves delving into root issues and encouraging transformative change. This approach can feel overwhelming or even unwelcome in environments unprepared for deep shifts; at other times, the problems are so tangled and complex that progress can feel elusive, leaving service designers questioning our own impact.

In these cases, the key to impactful work lies in a subtler approach: creating conditions for connection and growth rather than pushing direct solutions. Inspired by the roles of therapists, coaches, and grandmas, this talk explores three techniques for “bringing the dots closer together” within complex systems. By holding space, mirroring insights, and gently reframing perspectives, service designers can guide organizations toward meaningful change while honoring their pace and readiness. Let’s meet organizations where they are with understanding, trust, and gradual transformation!

Healthcare in the United States often struggles to innovate in delivering optimal patient experiences across acute and non-acute settings. However, those service designers who work within large health systems get to experience first-hand on why it is extremely hard to implement changes in a singular or multi-level service interaction across healthcare touchpoints. In this case study, you will hear first hand learnings on how to influence the decision-making process of solutions that shape the patient and the clinician experience.

Doing good service design is hard. You know what makes it easier? Having a supportive community of smart and generous professionals who are rooting for your success.

In this session, we’ll explore the power of professional communities, what makes them thrive, and help you decide if joining one is the right move for you.

Plus, we’ll share how to start and grow your own community based on the lessons we’ve learned from designing the community for in-house service professionals.

At Airbnb, we’re in the midst of integrating service thinking into a product-minded culture, aiming to harmonize our high digital standards with the realities of operational service delivery. This collaborative, iterative effort involves partnerships with product, policy, customer support, and more. In this talk, Airbnb Service Design leader Rebecca Gimenez shares learnings from this ongoing journey, offering insight on the practice of service design within a complex organizational system.

Our panelists discuss the day’s conference sessions. Moderated by Patrick Quattlebaum

Whether you’re looking to expand your network, meet your next client or connect with collaborators, this is your opportunity to make it happen.

You’ll experience Cozy Juicy Real, a simple, effective board game that’s been played in 71 countries. It’s proven to create stronger team bonds at the world’s most successful organizations – including Google, Adobe and the UN.

“You will connect. Cozy Juicy Real is the best way to foster connection online.”

– Marcia Goddard, Chief Culture Officer, The Contentment Foundation

👍 Cozy Juicy Real Team Building

🏆 Top-Rated Experience

Your Host

Jon is the Founder and CEO of Hiro Studio and has 22 years of experience as a Facilitator and Lean Management Consultant.

Jon hosts Cozy Juicy Real events for teams and conferences around the world, to bring communities together and quickly create new connections and stronger team bonds.