7 powerful metaphors that explain service design / Robert Bau / Episode #117

Service Design Show

How can you explain service design in a way that it actually clicks for other people? I know some people have give up on this but I don't think that's a smart strategy. Here's why. The multidisciplinary nature of service design requires you to collaborate with other people. You're not going to design a service on your own... So being able to get the message across about what you do and the value you bring is crucial. You might be wondering what is it that makes explaining service design so challenging? Well, combine two intangible concepts that not a lot of people really understand and you end up with service design. But there's hope! One very effective way to help people understand service design is by tapping into something the other person is already familiar with. How? By using a metaphor. In the past I've explained service design by comparing it things like a jazz band, organisational fitness and the operating system of your computer. There's an endless number of metaphors you can use to get the message across. I've teamed up with Robert Bau to inspire you with a few powerful metaphors that we really like. So if you want to get more people excited about what you do as a service designer, this episode is just what you need! --- [ GUIDE ] -— 00:00 Welcome to episode 117 01:10 Who is Robert 03:00 Why metaphors? 06:15 The Jazz Performance 09:15 The Mountain Guide 18:30 The Soccer Team 23:15 Theatre 37:00 Organisational Fitness 41:45 Being Stuck in the Middle 46:45 The Chef Cook 52:30 What's your favorit 53:30 Final thoughts --- [ LINKS ] --- * Episode 99: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5WNSWdocS4 * https://www.bauinnovationlab.com/blog/bringing-down-the-house-1 * https://www.bauinnovationlab.com/blog/the-mountain-guide-1 --- [ HOW TO EXPLAIN SERVICE DESIGN ] --- Learn what it takes to get your clients, colleagues, managers, CEOs and even grandmas as excited about service design as you are! https://servicedesignshow.com/free-course