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Robert Bau 2/1/25 Robert Bau 2/1/25

Let’s (not) get (too) physical, physical • 7

Thinking services instead of products: Circularity > Linearity

While the shift from products to services – often referred to as servitization – is far from new, it remains a powerful framework for manufacturing companies and digital-first startups looking to embrace customer-centric, service-dominant business models. This blog post wraps up my seven-part series on thinking services instead of products, with a look at the Circularity Over Linearity principle.

7. Circularity > Linearity

The Circularity Over Linearity principle is about adopting circular business models and practices within business and experience ecosystems to reduce environmental impact and drive systemic change. Circularity refers to an economic system designed to eliminate waste and pollution, keep products and materials in use, and regenerate nature (Ellen MacArthur Foundation, n.d.). This approach contrasts sharply with linear take-make-dispose models.

Innovating and designing for circularity includes, but is not limited to:

Fostering a culture of circularity among employees and ecosystem partners
Designing and operationalizing circular business models
Embedding circular principles and practices in portfolio management, lifecycle management, and end-to-end NPD
Designing products with circular properties
Closing the loops
Creating platforms for access and sharing
Cultivating circular mindsets & behaviors in daily life

In the context of servitization and value co-creation, organisations can design supplementary services that enable individuals and groups to integrate circular mindsets, practices, and behaviors into their personal and professional lives (loosely based on Bau 2006, 2010, 2011, 2015). See my blog post about the Solutions Over Products principle for an introduction to supplementary services and service packages.

For this discussion, I highlight what servitization might mean for closed-loop systems, sharing platforms, and circular mindsets & behaviors (adapted from my blog posts Going for gold • 5 and Let’s (not) get (too) physical, physical • 1).

Note: Unlike a product-centric approach, a genuine service design mindset embeds platform thinking, product-service systems, value co-creation, end-to-end experiences, user/local communities, and a multi-actor perspective into conversations about circularity and sustainability.

Closing the loops

Closing the loops is key to reducing waste, extending product lifecycles, promoting reuse, and retaining the value of materials.

In the context of servitization, organizations can develop desirable and effective systems, services, and experiences for:

Providing or ensuring care and maintenance to extend product lifespans and optimize performance
Facilitating refurbishment and repair to restore functionality and value
Upgrading products and solutions to enhance utility and relevance
Repurposing and upcycling products or components to unlock new uses and applications
Extracting maximum value from resources by repurposing them in stages across various uses (a process known as cascading)
Connecting disused products or components with new markets or users (a process known as redistribution)
Restoring and reselling products or components at scale (a process known as remanufacturing)
Supporting recycling initiatives to recover valuable materials and components effectively
Encouraging responsible disposal as a last-resort option in circular systems

Note: Products with circular properties enable closed-loop systems; for example, designs that are modular or simple to disassemble make maintenance and repair loops more efficient and effective. In turn, circular loops reinforce circular design by delivering valuable insights into the performance of products and components, driving continuous feedback and adaptation even after market launch.

Examples: Caterpillar's remanufacturing program restores used equipment and components to like-new condition, extending product lifespans, reducing waste, and offering cost-effective solutions to customers (1973–present). Desso takes back used carpets and recycles them into new products, creating a closed-loop system that conserves resources, reduces landfill waste, and minimises environmental impact (2008–present). Loop, TerraCycle's reusable packaging initiative, partners with major brands to provide durable containers for everyday products; these containers are collected, cleaned, and refilled, creating a closed-loop system that reduces single-use packaging waste and promotes sustainable consumption (2019–present).

BMI Lab’s circular economy patterns associated with closed-loop systems include:

Eco Robin Hood. Redistributing excess or unused resources, such as materials, energy, or products, to those who can repurpose them effectively. Donating a share of revenue to support sustainable or social projects. Providing affordable services or refurbished products to underserved communities.
Incentivized Take-Back. Encouraging customers to return used products or materials to the organization for reuse, refurbishment, remanufacturing, or recycling. This is achieved by offering incentives such as discounts, loyalty points, cash, or other rewards.
Maintenance & Repair. Extending the lifecycle of products by keeping them in optimal working condition through regular upkeep and repairs.
Part-Reuse. Salvaging and reusing functional components from end-of-life products or systems to create new products or restore existing ones.
Product-Reuse. Extending the lifecycle of products by enabling them to be reused multiple times, either by the same user or by transferring them to new users.
Recycling. Maintaining or recovering material value by mechanically or chemically converting ‘waste’ products or materials into new materials or products.
Reverse Logistics. Creating systems and processes to move products, materials, or packaging back from the end-user to the producer or another point in the supply chain.
Waste as Input. Searching for and developing ecologically and socially reasonable applications for used resources, by-products, and post-consumer waste.

(Slightly adapted from Takacs et al., 2020.)

Creating platforms for access and sharing

Creating platforms for access and sharing empowers customers to experience, utilise, and benefit from assets and resources without the burdens and costs associated with ownership. Common service models include peer-to-peer sharing platforms, subscription-based services, and performance-based contracting. For a deeper dive, see my blog post on the Access > Ownership principle.

Examples: Turo allows car owners to rent out their personal vehicles to others through a peer-to-peer car-sharing marketplace (2010–present). Floow2 enables businesses to share equipment, office space, and even staff with other companies to maximize resource efficiency (2012–present). Cohealo helps healthcare facilities share medical equipment with other institutions, optimizing the utilization of costly resources (2013–present).

BMI Lab’s circular economy patterns associated with platforms for access and sharing include:

Dynamic Pricing. Adjusting prices based on real-time demand, availability, or usage patterns, helping to optimize resource allocation and reduce waste.
Fractionalized Ownership. Enabling multiple users to share ownership of a single product or asset.
Pay-per-Use. Offering access to products or services on a usage basis, enabling customers to pay only for what they use.
Performance-Based Contracting. Providing access to high-value solutions without the burden of ownership, with payment tied to measurable outcomes such as engine uptime, energy savings, or system availability.
Rent Instead of Buy. Facilitating short-term access to products or assets through rental agreements.
Sharing. Optimizing resource, asset, and product usage by facilitating shared access among multiple users instead of limiting to individual ownership.
Subscription. Offering access to products or services over a set period in exchange for a recurring fee.

(Slightly adapted from Takacs et al., 2020.)

Cultivating circular mindsets & behaviors

Cultivating circular mindsets & behaviors lays the foundation for sustainable living, resilient communities, and regenerative economies.

In the context of servitization, organizations can develop desirable and effective platforms, services, and experiences for:

Building awareness and knowledge (through supply chain transparency, interactive tutorials, content recommendations, learning paths, etc.)
Sharing practical tools for action (such as adaptive checklists, carbon footprint calculators, resource trackers, and self-repair kits)
Delivering actionable insights (through real-time feedback, personalized dashboards, predictive analytics, simulations, etc.)
Incentivizing sustainable behavior (through gamification, tangible rewards, tiered loyalty programs, take-back programs, etc.)
Building communities and fostering engagement (around causes like climate action or biodiversity conservation)
Supporting and scaling community-based micro-services (such as bicycle self-repair workshops or local refill stations)
Encouraging customers to participate in sustainable or circular initiatives (such as donation programs or community recycling projects)

Examples: Patagonia’s Worn Wear program encourages customers to repair, reuse, and recycle their outdoor gear through trade-in options, repair guides, online resale shop, and events that promote sustainable living (2012–present). Too Good To Go connects consumers with surplus food from restaurants and stores, helping reduce food waste while educating users about sustainable consumption (2015–present). OLIO fosters local sharing of surplus food and household items, enabling communities to reduce waste and embrace circular behaviors in daily life (2015–present).

BMI Lab’s circular economy patterns associated with circular mindsets & behaviors include:

Crowdfunding and public funding. Engaging individuals or institutions to fund circular economy projects or initiatives, leveraging collective support to drive sustainable innovation and impact.
Eco Robin Hood. Redistributing excess or unused resources, such as materials, energy, or products, to those who can repurpose them effectively. Donating a share of revenue to support sustainable or social projects. Providing affordable services or refurbished products to underserved communities.
Incentivized Take-Back. Encouraging customers to return used products or materials to the organization for reuse, refurbishment, remanufacturing, or recycling. This is achieved by offering incentives such as discounts, loyalty points, cash, or other rewards.
Maintenance & Repair. Extending the lifecycle of products by keeping them in optimal working condition through regular upkeep and repairs.
Product-Reuse. Extending the lifecycle of products by enabling them to be reused multiple times, either by the same user or by transferring them to new users.
Recycling. Maintaining or recovering material value by mechanically or chemically converting ‘waste’ products or materials into new materials or products.
Revenue sharing. Collaborating with partners, stakeholders, or communities to share profits generated from circular economy initiatives, aligning incentives and fostering mutual value creation.
Reverse Logistics. Creating systems and processes to move products, materials, or packaging back from the end-user to the producer or another point in the supply chain.
Signalling & Transparency. Providing clear, accessible, and reliable information about a product’s sustainability credentials, lifespan, and end-of-life options.
Sharing. Optimizing resource, asset, and product usage by facilitating shared access among multiple users instead of limiting to individual ownership.

(Slightly adapted from Takacs et al., 2020.)

Benefits

Empowers end-users to adopt sustainable behaviors and circular practices
Reduces environmental impact by minimizing waste, optimizing resource usage, and lowering emissions
Cuts production costs by improving resource efficiency and reducing material waste
Improves operational efficiency through streamlined processes and waste reduction
Ensures compliance with evolving ESG standards and regulatory requirements
Unlocks new revenue streams through circular business models and offerings (such as performance-based contracting)
Drives innovation and differentiation
Enhances brand reputation by demonstrating leadership in sustainability and circularity
Fosters a culture of circularity and sustainability
Encourages continuous feedback, learning, and adaptation

See also

References

Bau, R. (2006). Design av tjänster och upplevelser [Design for services and experiences]. Part of Executive education in Design Management [unpublished training material]. Berghs School of Communication.

Bau, R. (2010, December). Ten strategy paradoxes in service Innovation and design. Paper presented at ServDes 2010 (Service Design and Innovation Conference), Linköping, Sweden.

Bau, R. (2011, December). Strategy paradoxes in service innovation and design. In: Cai et al. (Eds.), Design Management: Toward a new era of innovation. Proceedings from the 2011 Tsinghua-DMI International Design Management Symposium, Hong Kong, China. IDMA.

Bau, R. (2015). Thinking services instead of products. In: Service Design Boot Camp, Day 1 [unpublished training material]. Veryday.

Ellen MacArthur Foundation (n.d.). What is a circular economy?

Takacs, F., Stechow, R. & Frankenberger, K. (2020). 40 circular economy pattern cards. BMI Lab.

Robert Bau 1/1/25 Robert Bau 1/1/25

Let’s (not) get (too) physical, physical • 6

Thinking services instead of products: Members > Users

While the shift from products to services – often referred to as servitization – is far from new, it remains a powerful framework for manufacturing companies and digital-first startups looking to embrace customer-centric, service-dominant business models. In this blog post, I explore the Members Over Users principle, one of seven ways to think services instead of products.

6. Members > Users

The Members Over Users principle is about building vibrant, connected communities around shared interests, practices, and products. In the context of servitization and value co-creation, a community is seen as a supplementary service that fosters symbiotic relationships not only among members but also between members and the brand. These communities can be created and managed by the brand, by third parties, or by the members themselves. (Loosely based on Bau 2006, 2010, 2011, 2015.) See my blog post about the Solutions Over Products principle for an introduction to supplementary services and service packages.

Note: Unlike a brand-led, product-centric approach, a genuine service design mindset integrates platform thinking, peer-to-peer interactions, value co-creation, end-to-end experiences, and a multi-actor perspective into the community-building process.

Communities can be categorized in various ways, including by purpose, focus, channel, user type, engagement level, ownership, or stewardship. For this discussion, I focus on five purpose-driven types:

Learning and development
Troubleshooting and problem-solving
Product development & modification
Brand engagement & advocacy
Activism and advocacy

Note: This list is intentionally neither exhaustive nor mutually exclusive. Each type is channel-agnostic, meaning it can exist in a digital, virtual, physical, or hybrid format. Social networking and P2P sharing – two common community practices – are inherently embedded across all types.

(Inspired by Sethuraman, 2021; Community-Led, 2022; Common Room, 2022; Disco, 2023; NAS.io, 2023; Forbes Communications Council, 2024; and Forbes Technology Council, 2024.)

Communities for learning and development

Why it matters

Communities for learning and development are collaborative hubs where members enhance their knowledge, skills, and expertise around specific domains, practices, or products (e.g., accounting, home decor, or organic food). By sharing resources, engaging in discussions, and showcasing projects, these communities empower individuals to grow together, sharpen their expertise, and contribute to collective progress while fostering a sense of belonging and shared purpose.

How it works

Communities for learning and development thrive on collective intelligence, operating as dynamic ecosystems where knowledge is both consumed and created. Members exchange ideas, share best practices, and solve challenges in their field. Activities often range from casual Q&A sessions to structured workshops, webinars, and collaborative projects.
Some communities adopt the ‘community of practice’ model, emphasizing collective expertise in a particular domain. Others focus on providing curated content, such as online courses or skill-building challenges, enabling members to progress in a structured way. These platforms create a virtuous cycle: members come for the resources and stay for the connections, learning not only from experts but also from their peers.

How it benefits members

Provides access to expert insights, exclusive learning materials, and peer support
Enables direct interaction with subject-matter experts and thought leaders, offering unique perspectives
Creates opportunities to connect with like-minded peers, mentors, and collaborators
Offers a safe, supportive environment to ask questions, share experiences, and discuss ideas without fear of judgment
Fosters a nurturing atmosphere that builds confidence and promotes a sense of belonging
Delivers formal recognition, such as certificates, badges, or public acknowledgment for milestones achieved
Supports continuous learning to enhance personal and professional growth

Examples: Dribbble [sic] is a community for designers and creative professionals to share, grow, and get hired (2009–present). TeacherTube is an online platform where educators share instructional videos, lesson plans, and other teaching resources (2007–present). The official Cricut community on Facebook provides a platform for crafters and makers to motivate, inspire, and help one another (2014–present). BabyCenter is a community where parents connect to discuss parenting challenges, share advice, and find solutions for everything from newborn care to adolescent issues (1997–present).

Communities for troubleshooting and problem-solving

Why it matters

Communities for troubleshooting and problem-solving provide a space for members to tackle challenges, resolve issues, and share solutions. By blending peer support with brand-led assistance, they address not only technical issues but also broader pain points that arise across the journey – from ‘Learn & Buy’ to ‘Repurpose, Resell, or Recycle.’ For members, these communities foster empowerment and self-reliance. For brands, they offer valuable insights to improve products, services, and experiences.

How it works

Peer support serves as the foundation, with experienced users and experts playing a pivotal role in helping others. Members share their knowledge, provide step-by-step solutions, and offer innovative workarounds based on their personal experiences. This exchange fosters a sense of mutual reliance, as members learn not only how to resolve specific issues but also how to anticipate and address similar challenges in the future.
Brands complement peer support by providing structured, authoritative resources that enhance the troubleshooting experience. Resources can include FAQs, detailed instructional guides, video tutorials, or live troubleshooting events designed to address common pain points. By actively participating in these communities, brands help bridge gaps in knowledge and ensure accurate information is available.

How it benefits members

Provides immediate access to a diverse pool of insights and creative solutions from peers and experts
Offers faster resolution of problems, delivering quick relief from disruptions and pain points
Enables members to learn proactive troubleshooting strategies, helping them avoid future frustrations
Empowers members to become more self-reliant, building their skills in identifying and resolving issues independently
Fosters a supportive environment that encourages collaboration and recognises members for their contributions
Broadens perspectives on challenges, often leading to the discovery of innovative fixes or workarounds

Examples: Apple Support Community is a forum where Apple users can ask questions, share solutions, and receive support from both fellow users and Apple experts (2004–present). Houzz Community is a space for homeowners, renters, and professionals to solve problems related to home improvement, interior design, and landscaping (2009–present). PatternReview.com is an online platform where sewing enthusiasts share reviews of patterns, offer advice on garment construction, and troubleshoot sewing challenges (2001–present).

Communities for product development & modification

Why it matters

Communities for product development provide a platform for members to actively participate in R&D, innovation, and NPD processes. This collaborative approach transforms research and product development from a one-sided effort to a shared journey, placing the voice of the consumer at the heart of innovation. For brands, it means creating solutions that better align with real-world needs and expectations. For members, it offers the chance to shape the brands and products they care about.
Communities for product modification provide a space for members to share inspiration and ideas for adapting, enhancing, or personalizing products after purchase – often in ways not anticipated by the manufacturer. For members, it empowers them to customize products for their individual needs. For brands, it reveals valuable insights and sparks ideas to drive future innovation efforts. See also my blog post on the Individualization Over Standardization principle.

How it works

In research, innovation, and design processes, designers and members collaborate as equal partners, bringing their unique expertise and perspectives to the table. Designers employ methods such as crowdsourcing, generative research, exploratory prototyping, rapid experimentation, and beta testing to co-envision, co-design, and co-test new products and product-service systems with members. This highly collaborative approach ensures the final solutions reflect the real needs and preferences of the people who will use or interact with it. For a lighter-touch approach, innovation and design teams can solicit feedback from members throughout the process, incorporating their input to shape key design decisions.
Post-purchase, members actively share ideas, tools, and creative techniques for adapting products to better meet their unique needs and preferences. Brands that embrace post-purchase customization actively support these efforts by offering inspiration, DIY guides, tools, templates, interchangeable components, and digital upgrades.

How it benefits members

Empowers users by giving them a voice and agency in shaping solutions that impact their lives
Provides exclusive opportunities to influence the development of brands and products they care about
Offers chances to learn new skills through hands-on co-creation and customization
Recognises members as part of a creative, collaborative community
Builds deeper connections with the brand through active participation and shared innovation
Delivers personalized solutions that meet individual needs, preferences, and pain points

Note: For an in-depth exploration of open design, see van Abel et al., 2011; for generative research, refer to Sanders & Stappers, 2012; and for rapid experimentation, consult Bland & Osterwalder, 2019, and Thomke, 2020. For a deep dive on post-purchase customization and the democratization of innovation, see von Hippel, 2005.

Examples: Copenhagen’s Bike City Plan is a collaborative urban design project where residents worked with urban planners and city officials to create a cycling-friendly infrastructure (2009–present). LEGO Ideas is a platform where enthusiasts submit designs for new LEGO sets and vote on their favourites, with top-voted designs considered for production by LEGO (2008–present). ModCloth's 'Be the Buyer' program invited customers to vote on clothing samples, determining which designs would go into production (2009–2014). IKEA Hackers is a community where enthusiasts share ideas for modifying and repurposing IKEA furniture into custom configurations (2006–present). Bethesda Softworks empowers players to customize and expand games like Skyrim and Fallout through its Creation Kit, fostering a vibrant modding community and extending game lifecycles (2011–present).

Communities for brand engagement & advocacy

Why it matters

Communities for brand engagement and advocacy build loyalty, retention, and emotional connections between the brand and their fans. By fostering a sense of belonging and shared purpose, these communities not only encourage retention but also turn loyal fans into advocates who amplify the brand’s reach and influence.

How it works

Brands often strengthen connections with fans through tiered loyalty programs, exclusive experiences, and experiential rewards. Brands can also create communities where fans feel recognized, appreciated, and valued. In these spaces, fans connect with one another, share content, and celebrate their passion for the brand. Fans may gain access to early or exclusive products, features, content, and events, fostering a sense of inclusion and privilege. They can also contribute ideas, vote on new designs, and participate in beta testing programs. While many of these communities are brand-led, they can also emerge organically, fueled by the enthusiasm and creativity of fans.
In these communities, brands can encourage and incentivize fans and influencers to become active promoters and advocates. Brand advocates may share testimonials, create content, participate in referral programs, and take on ambassadorial roles. In exchange, they receive exclusive rewards, recognition, and opportunities to connect more deeply with the brand.

How it benefits members

Provides access to exclusive rewards, early product launches, and personalized experiences
Fosters a sense of belonging by connecting members with like-minded individuals who share similar values and interests
Offers recognition and pride in contributing to the brand’s growth and success
Deepens emotional connections to the brand, creating a stronger sense of alignment and purpose
Empowers members to shape the brand’s direction through feedback, participation in campaigns, and co-creation opportunities

Examples: Marriott International's loyalty program, Marriott Bonvoy, provides members exclusive benefits and personalized experiences across its extensive portfolio of hotels and resorts (2019–present). Peloton’s community members organize group rides, create workout challenges, and share their fitness journeys on social media (2014–present). Sephora's Beauty Insider Community is an online platform where beauty enthusiasts can share tips, product recommendations, and reviews (2017–present). The Weber Grills Fan Group on Facebook is a community where barbecue lovers share tips, seek advice, and exchange ideas for perfecting their grilling techniques (2015–present). IDEAL OF SWEDEN is a fashion accessory brand that leverages the Brandbassador platform to connect with passionate fans and influencers who promote their products in exchange for rewards (2017–present).

Communities for activism and advocacy

Why it matters

Communities for advocacy and activism empower members to advocate for causes like climate action, racial equality, LGBTQ+ rights, and economic justice, providing a collective voice to influence policies and drive systemic change. By connecting like-minded individuals and organizations, these communities raise awareness, amplify impact, and foster a sense of belonging among those committed to social good.

How it works

Communities for advocacy and activism serve as platforms for collective action and collaboration. Members work on initiatives that create tangible impact or advocate for changes in laws, regulations, or public policies aligned with their cause. These communities provide tools, resources, and networks to empower effective action. Examples include educational guides, petition templates, online forums for networking, digital platforms for campaign coordination, spaces for in-person meetings, mentorship from experienced advocates, and training sessions on public speaking or community organizing.

How it benefits members

Provides tools, resources, and education to take meaningful action on issues they care about
Creates a sense of purpose by aligning individual values with collective goals
Fosters personal growth by actively participating in initiatives, engagements, and skill-building workshops
Builds connections with like-minded individuals, organizations, and influencers
Cultivates a sense of belonging within a supportive, purpose-driven community

Examples: Patagonia’a Action Works platform connects individuals with grassroots environmental organizations to take collective action on pressing ecological issues.(2018–present). Ben & Jerry’s champions social justice by mobilizing and fostering a coummunity of advocates who push for systemic change (2000s–present). TOMS’ One for One Movement builds a community of advocates by linking every purchase to social impoact, from donating shoes to supporting clean water and mental health inititiatives (2006–present). Lululemon’s ‘Here to Be’ program amplifies voices, funds projects, and create opportunities that promote equitable access to fitness, mindfulness, and personal growth (2016–present).

Organizational benefits

Fosters peer-to-peer connections, laying the groundwork for a thriving community
Amplifies brand reach and generates social proof
Builds brand trust and affinity
Builds strong, lasting relationships that enhance NPS, increase CLV, and drive loyalty
Mitigates innovation risk and reduces product development costs (through co-creation and high-quality feedback loops)
Delivers valuable insights and inspiration for future innovation efforts
Lowers support and service costs through community-led solutions
Decreases reliance on paid acquisition channels
Encourages innovation in value creation, value co-creation, and value facilitation (see my blog post Get the balance right! • 2)
Drives differentiation and builds brand equity
Drives continuous feedback, learning, and adaptation

See also

The Circularity Over Linearity principle will be covered in the next blog post.

References

Bau, R. (2010, December). Ten strategy paradoxes in service Innovation and design. Paper presented at ServDes 2010 (Service Design and Innovation Conference), Linköping, Sweden.

Bau, R. (2015). Thinking services instead of products. In: Service Design Boot Camp, Day 1 [unpublished training material]. Veryday.

Bland, D.J. & Osterwalder, A. (2019). Testing business ideas: A field guide for rapid experimentation. Wiley.

Common Room. (2022, November 29). Community of practice vs. community of product. Blog.

Community-Led. (2022). Why community now? Blog.

Disco. (2023, December 19). 10 online communities examples: A complete compilation. Blog.

Forbes Communications Council. (2024, January 17). 19 ways to create a community around your brand.

Forbes Technology Council. (2024, January 31). How to build engaged, enthusiastic communities for your tech company.

NAS.io. (2023, October 25). 8 types of online communities you should know about. Blog.

Sanders, L. & Stappers, P. J. (2012). Convivial toolbox: Generative research for the front end of design. BIS Publishers.

Sethuraman, R. (2021, March 12). Four ways to create customer communities that drive product value and success. Forbes Technology Council.

Thomke, S. H. (2020). Experimentation works: The surprising power of business experiments. Harvard Business Review Press.

van Abel, B., Evers, L., Klaassen, R. & Troxler, P. (Eds.). (2011). Open design now: Why design cannot remain exclusive. BIS Publishers.

von Hippel, E. (2005). Democratizing innovation. MIT Press.

Robert Bau 12/15/24 Robert Bau 12/15/24

Let’s (not) get (too) physical, physical • 5

Thinking services instead of products: Inclusion > Exclusion

While the shift from products to services – often referred to as servitization – is far from new, it remains a powerful framework for manufacturing companies and digital-first startups looking to embrace customer-centric, service-dominant business models. In this blog post, I explore the Inclusion Over Exclusion principle, one of seven ways to think services instead of products.

5. Inclusion > Exclusion

The Inclusion Over Exclusion principle is about removing discriminatory, socioeconomic, cultural, linguistic, physical, or financial barriers that prevent underrepresented and historically excluded groups from fully accessing, engaging with, and benefiting from products and brands (adapted from Linares, 2021).

The emphasis shifts from making physical products and built environments more universal or accessible to delivering supplementary services that reduce barriers and foster a sense of belonging throughout the customer journey (loosely based on Bau 2006, 2010, 2011, 2015). The thinking applies broadly to digital experiences as well, albeit with some adjustments to the terminology.

Note: Compared to a product-centric and compliance-based approach to DEI, a genuine service design mindset pays careful attention to how experiences are envisioned, co-created, co-produced, and co-delivered across phases, moments, and touchpoints in the customer journey.

In this discussion, I highlight nine strategies for staging equitable experiences and advancing equitable outcomes.

Power tip: These strategies will help you systemically and systematically uncover opportunities for new or enhanced supplementary services across the entire customer journey, from ‘Learn & Buy’ to ‘Repurpose, Resell, or Recycle.’ For more context, see my blog posts on the Solutions Over Products principle and the Journeys Over Transactions principle.

Strategies for staging equitable experiences and advancing equitable outcomes throughout the journey

Ensure welcoming, respectful, and safe experiences for all, regardless of ability, identity, or cultural background. See my blog post Going for gold • 7.
Encourage customization and personalization of services, products, and touchpoints to meet individual needs. See my blog post on the Individualization Over Standardization principle.
Deliver flexible and adaptive solutions that address individual needs in real-time. See my blog post on the Individualization Over Standardization principle.
Democratize access to high-value assets and resources. See my blog post on the Access Over Ownership principle.
Connect people with similar goals, interests, or challenges. See my blog post on the Members Over Users principle.
Give people from diverse backgrounds a voice and agency in shaping services and experiences. See my blog post Going for gold • 7.
Empower and equip employees to champion and drive the implementation of DEI initiatives. See my blog post Going for gold • 7.
Drive accountability by setting clear DEI goals, tracking progress, and ensuring transparent reporting.
Foster a culture of continuous feedback, learning, and adaptation to ensure ongoing relevance with evolving user needs and DEI practices.

Examples: Walmart offers sensory-friendly shopping hours for customers with autism and other sensory sensitivities (2023–present). Sephora provides multicultural and multilingual consultations, where beauty experts provide personalized advice in the customer’s native language and adapt recommendations to local beauty standards and cultural preferences (2015–present). Target invests in diversity and inclusion training to ensure employees are equipped to engage respectively and inclusively with customers of all backgrounds, identities, and abilities (2013–present). Makani Homes offers a platform for Muslim travelers to swap homes or book accommodations that cater to their cultural values and preferences (2024–present). Inclusive Design Research Centre helps organizations make their offerings more universal or inclusive (1993–present).

Note: Several prominent U.S. companies have recently scaled back their DEI initiatives in response to political pressures, legal challenges, and shifting public sentiment. For instance, in January 2025, Target announced changes to its DEI programs, including commitments to support underrepresented employees and businesses. As companies navigate this evolving landscape, they must carefully weigh the short-term benefits of reducing DEI efforts against the long-term risks to workforce engagement, customer trust, and brand reputation. Striking a balance between external pressures and the need for inclusive workplaces and customer-friendly environments will be crucial for long-term success.

Benefits

Expands market reach by catering to previously underserved or overlooked segments
Transforms products into holistic solutions that support customers at every phase, moment, and touchpoint of their journey
Reduces customer friction by addressing barriers and pain points throughout the entire journey
Creates potential for new and recurring revenue streams through innovative supplementary services
Increases switching costs and reduces customer churn
Builds strong, lasting relationships that enhance NPS, increase CLV, and drive loyalty
Encourages innovation in value creation, value co-creation, and value facilitation (see my blog post Get the balance right! • 2)
Drives differentiation and builds brand equity

See also

The Connection Over Isolation principle will be covered in the next blog post.

References

Bau, R. (2010, December). Ten strategy paradoxes in service Innovation and design. Paper presented at ServDes 2010 (Service Design and Innovation Conference), Linköping, Sweden.

Bau, R. (2015). Thinking services instead of products. In: Service Design Boot Camp, Day 1 [unpublished training material]. Veryday.

Robert Bau 12/1/24 Robert Bau 12/1/24

Let’s (not) get (too) physical, physical • 4

Thinking services instead of products: Journeys > Transactions

While the shift from products to services – often referred to as servitization – is far from new, it remains a powerful framework for manufacturing companies and digital-first startups looking to embrace customer-centric, service-dominant business models. In this blog post, I explore the Journeys Over Transactions principle, one of seven ways to think services instead of products.

4. Journeys > Transactions

The Journeys Over Transactions principle is about empowering customers across every phase, moment, and touchpoint in their journey (i.e., value creation process). It shifts the emphasis from providing products (value delivery) to equipping customers with the tools and support they need to perform tasks, ‘get the job done,’ and achieve desired outcomes (value facilitation, value co-creation, and value creation). See my blog post Get the balance right! • 2 for a deeper dive into this topic.

The customer journey can be mapped at different altitudes – from 30,000 feet (the broader experience ecosystem) to 500 feet (microinteractions within a touchpoint). Examining maps at specific ‘scales’ uncovers opportunities for new or enhanced supplementary services that empower customers in their value creation process. See my blog post about the Solutions Over Products principle for an introduction to supplementary services and service packages.

In this discussion, I will focus on phases, moments, and touchpoints in the context of physical products (loosely based on Grönroos, 1990; Wirtz & Lovelock, 2016; Risdon & Quattlebaum, 2018; Bau, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2015, 2021: and Ulwick, 2005). The thinking applies to digital products as well, albeit with some adjustments to the terminology.

At 10,000 feet: Phases

The customer journey for tangible products typically unfolds across the following phases:

Learn & Buy: Customers gather information, explore options, make purchase decisions, complete payment, and arrange for delivery or collection.
Use & Adapt: Customers install, utilize, explore, and adapt the product.
Own & Maintain: Customers protect, preserve, and upgrade the product (through actions like storage, upkeep, repairs, and updates).
Repurpose, Resell, or Recycle: Customers extend the lifecycle of the product or its components.
Troubleshoot: Customers address and resolve issues that arise at any point of the journey.
Advocate: Customers share their experiences and promote the product/brand at any point of the journey.

Power tip: At this altitude, determine customer jobs (core, emotional, social) or goals (functional, emotional, self-expressive, social) for each phase. This will make it easier to uncover unmet needs and identify opportunities for supplementary services.

Note: I am intentionally using ‘phase’ rather than the more common ‘stage’ to emphasize overlapping or fluid periods within a journey. Phases highlight multiple activities or experiences that may occur simultaneously or cyclically, whereas stages imply a linear process with distinct transitions between steps.

At 5,000 feet: Moments

Each phase comprises of one or more customer moments. From the customer’s perspective, each moment represents a significant stepping stone toward reaching their goals, whether at a phase or journey level.

Examples of moments in each phase:

Learn & Buy: Searching for information. Comparing, customizing, and evaluating options. Deciding on the best fit. Exploring financing options. Completing payment. Arranging delivery or collection.
Use & Adapt: Receiving and inspecting the delivery. Unboxing and examining the product. Installing or setting up the product. Exploring features and functionalities. Using the product. Adapting the product to specific needs.
Own & Maintain: Storing the product. Protecting the product from damage. Monitoring usage and performance. Performing regular maintenance. Resolving issues. Replacing consumables. Upgrading to enhance performance or functionality.
Repurpose, Resell, or Recycle: Repurposing the product. Reselling the product. Recycling the product responsibly.
Troubleshoot: Identifying an issue. Resolving the issue (DIY or guided). Seeking professional support.
Advocate: Writing reviews or feedback. Recommending the product to others. Showcasing use on social media or community platforms.

Reflecting a customer-first approach, customers may engage solutions from multiple brands throughout the journey to ‘get the job done.’

Power tip: At this altitude, include internal and external triggers in your journey map to illustrate what prompts customers to take action. Triggers draw attention to unmet, underserved, or overserved needs and can arise at any point in the customer journey, not just at the beginning. Examples include replacing a broken product, buying a gift, receiving a recommendation, noticing signs of wear and tear, facing challenges during setup, or learning about a trade-in program.

At 2,500 feet: Touchpoints

Each moment is shaped by multiple touchpoints that work together to create a seamless and cohesive experience. These touchpoints facilitate interactions between the customer and the product or brand.

In the context of physical products, examples of touchpoints during the moment ‘Searching for information’ may include online reviews on CNET, conversations with colleagues, product pages on Amazon, customer service hotlines, in-store displays at Best Buy, and product packaging. In this moment, customers often zig-zag between channels and leverage multiple touchpoints to reach their goals, especially in high-involvement purchases (Rossiter & Percy, 1987).

The critical roles touchpoints play within the moment or across multiple moments:

Role 1: Facilitate interactions between the customer and the product (e.g., touch-sensitive interface)
Role 2: Facilitate interactions between the customer and the brand or organization (e.g., live chat)
Role 3: Connect the customer with third parties pivotal to the overall experience (e.g., real-time delivery tracking)
Role 4: Enable interactions between the customer and other users or communities (e.g., online forum)
Role 5: Help the customer transition smoothly from one touchpoint or moment to another (e.g., SMS notifications)
Role 6: Assist the customer to recover effectively from problems or disruptions (e.g., self-service diagnostic tool)

Touchpoints can be categorised in various ways, such as:

Tangible vs. Intangible: Printed product brochure vs. product tutorial video
Analog vs. Digital: Printed user guide vs. interactive setup instructions on a mobile app
One-way vs. Two-way: In-store product display vs. real-time conversation with a customer service representative
Permanent vs. Ephemeral: Branded storefront vs. one-time SMS notification
Static vs. Dynamic: Product packaging (fixed, unchanging) vs. personalized recommendations on an app (adaptive, evolving)
Proactive vs. Reactive: Maintenance reminder (initiated by the organization) vs. conversation with customer support (initiated by the customer)
Functional vs. Emotional: Troubleshooting guide vs. thoughtfully designed packaging (for the unboxing experience)
In-control vs. Out-of-control: Company-owned help desk vs. third-party reviews
Branded vs. Non-branded: Physical product vs. community forum

Power tip: At this altitude, focus on touchpoints rather than channels or media. Touchpoints are more granular, representing specific interactions between the customer and the product or organization. For example, within a mobile app, touchpoints might include product descriptions, checkout, and push notifications. Adopting a touchpoint-first approach makes it easier to uncover pain, friction, and pleasure points throughout the journey, which in turn helps identify opportunities for supplementary services.

Benefits

Transforms products into holistic solutions that support customers at every phase, moment, and touchpoint of their journey
Reduces customer friction by addressing pain and friction points across the entire journey
Strengthens emotional connections by positioning the organisation as a trusted partner at every step of the journey
Increases switching costs and reduces customer churn
Builds strong, lasting relationships that enhance NPS, increase CLV, and drive loyalty
Extends the product lifecycle through refurbishment, repairs, repurposing, buy-back schemes, etc.
Creates potential for new and recurring revenue streams
Encourages innovation in value creation, value co-creation, and value facilitation (see my blog post Get the balance right! • 2)
Drives differentiation and builds brand equity

See also

The Inclusion Over Exclusion principle will be covered in the next blog post.

References

Bau, R. (2010, December). Ten strategy paradoxes in service Innovation and design. Paper presented at ServDes 2010 (Service Design and Innovation Conference), Linköping, Sweden.

Bau, R. (2015). Thinking services instead of products. In: Service Design Boot Camp, Day 1 [unpublished training material]. Veryday.

Bau, R. (2021). Strategy playbook for service design [unpublished playbook]. Design Partners.

Grönroos, C. (1990). Service management and marketing: Managing the moments of truth in service competition. Lexington Books.

Risdon, C. & Quattlebaum, P. (2018). Orchestrating experiences: Collaborative design for complexity. Rosenfeld Media.

Rossiter, J.R. & Percy, L. (1987). Advertising and Promotion Management. McGraw-Hill.

Ulwick, T. (2005). What customers want: Using Outcome-Driven Innovation to create breakthrough products and services. McGraw-Hill.

Wirtz, J. & Lovelock, C. (2016). Services marketing: People, technology, strategy (8th ed.). World Scientific Publishing.

Robert Bau 11/1/24 Robert Bau 11/1/24

Let’s (not) get (too) physical, physical • 3

Thinking services instead of products: Individualization > Standardization

While the shift from products to services – often referred to as servitization – is far from new, it remains a powerful framework for manufacturing companies and digital-first startups looking to embrace customer-centric, service-dominant business models. In this blog post, I explore the Individualization Over Standardization principle, one of seven ways to think services instead of products.

3. Individualization > Standardisation

The Individualization Over Standardization principle is about tailoring content, products, services, and experiences to meet the unique needs of individuals, groups, and organizations. This approach recognizes varying levels of customer engagement, ranging from high-effort, hands-on participation to low-effort, consent-driven interaction. (Based on Bau, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2015; Wirtz & Lovelock, 2016.)

Note: The varying levels of engagement align well with Grönroos’ distinction between enabling and relieving services. Enabling services support customers by providing them with the necessary resources, tools, or knowledge, or resources to perform tasks independently. Relieving services take over tasks on behalf of the customer, thereby reducing their workload and responsibility. (Grönroos, 1990)

This blog post explores five overlapping schools of thought in individualization:

From passive consumption to active participation
From one-to-many to one-to-one marketing
From mass production to mass customization
From point-of-purchase to post-purchase customization
From rule-based to real-time personalization

Note: Unlike a product-centric approach that often treats services as an afterthought, a genuine service design mindset integrates product-service systems, value co-creation, platform thinking, end-to-end experiences, and a multi-actor perspective into the conversation on individualization.

From passive consumption to active participation

Rooted in the concept of value co-creation, active participation means engaging B2C and B2B customers in the creation, production, and delivery processes as co-researchers, co-innovators, co-designers, co-producers, and co-marketers.

Organizations employ strategies like co-creation, participatory design, crowdsourcing, and open design (to name just a few) to facilitate this level of participation and engagement. Customers are no longer treated as passive recipients but embraced as active collaborators or prosumers. Value is no longer embedded in static products but realized through dynamic customer-provider interactions. See my blog post Get the balance right! • 2 for a deeper dive into this topic.

The implications are twofold. First, organizations need to design systems, platforms, services, and processes that enable customers to realize value within their specific contexts. Second, traditional creators – such as innovators, designers, engineers, and developers – must evolve into platform builders, curators, coaches, and facilitators to inspire and empower active participation.

When customers contribute their time, effort, and expertise, they invest emotionally in both the process and outcome, fostering a sense of ownership and personal accomplishment. They may also gain tangible benefits, such as cost savings, performance improvements, financial rewards, or exclusive access.

(Toffler, 1980; Grönroos, 1990, 2011; Gummesson, 1999; Prahalad & Ramaswamy, 2004; van Abel et al., 2011)

Examples: IKEA enables customers to collect, transport, and assemble furniture themselves, combining flat-pack design with self-service to make home furnishing more affordable and accessible (1956–present). Build-A-Bear Workshop empowers parents and children to create personalised stuffed animals together, making the process fun and memorable (1997–present). MyStarbucks Idea crowdsourced suggestions for new products, store experiences, and community engagement models (2008–2018). LEGO Ideas (formerly LEGO CUUSOO) invites fans to co-create new LEGO sets through collaborative submissions and voting (2008–present). GE Aviation’s TrueChoice™ suite offers tailored maintenance and operational solutions designed to meet the unique needs of aviation clients (2016–present). SAP’s Co-Innovation Labs (COIL) facilitate collaboration between SAP, customers, technology providers, and startups to co-develop customized solutions for specific industry challenges (2007–present).

From 1:many to 1:1 marketing

One-to-one marketing centres on building personalised, long-term relationships with individual customers by (a) learning their unique preferences and needs through each interaction, and (b) continuously tailoring offerings to their evolving expectations (Peppers & Rogers, 1993; Pine, Peppers & Rogers, 1995).

1:1 marketing involves four critical steps (slightly adapted from Peppers & Rogers, 1993):

Identify: Understand who your customers are by gathering detailed insights into their preferences, behaviours, and needs. Create a living profile for each customer – a memory that grows and evolves with every interaction – ensuring a deeper understanding of their unique journey over time.
Differentiate: Segment customers based on their lifetime value, profitability, and specific needs. Prioritize high-value customers and identify underserved groups to focus resources strategically.
Interact: Develop meaningful, personalised, and cost-efficient interactions across channels (e.g., email, social media, or in-person). Treat each interaction as a learning opportunity to identify customer preferences, uncover unmet needs, and predict future behaviours.
Customize: Use the knowledge gained to tailor content, products, services, and experiences to meet the specific needs of individual customers, ensuring relevance and fostering loyalty.

Technology plays a pivotal role – not only in collecting and analysing customer data to enable personalisation at scale but also in facilitating meaningful, tailored interactions that foster deeper customer engagement.

Examples: Amazon leverages its recommendation engine to offer tailored product suggestions and promotions based on individual browsing history, purchasing behaviour, and preferences (1995–present). Stitch Fix combines human stylists with AI to deliver curated clothing selections, learning from customer feedback to refine future recommendations and deepen personalization (2011–present). Spotify uses machine learning to generate personalized playlists like ‘Discover Weekly’ and ‘Release Radar,’ adapting dynamically to user listening habits and introducing new music tailored to their tastes (2008–present).

From mass production to mass customization

Mass customization offers a scalable approach to addressing individual customer needs by blending the cost efficiency of mass production with the flexibility of bespoke solutions. This is achieved through customer insight (identifying segment needs and sacrifice gaps), unbundling (breaking products, processes, and experiences into configurable components), modular design (designing standardized components and platforms), operational flexibility (leveraging advanced manufacturing and JIT inventory), customer integration (utilizing configurators, algorithms, predictive analytics, recommendation engines, and feedback loops), and human intervention (providing curation, coaching, and creative problem-solving). (Based on Pine, 1993; Pine, Peppers & Rogers, 1995; Normann, 2001.)

The four faces of mass customization (Gilmore & Pine, 1997):

Collaborative customizers conduct a dialogue with individual customers to help them articulate their needs and make customized solutions that fulfill those needs.
Examples: Paris Miki’s Mikissimes Design System engages customers in a dialogue to create personalized eyewear tailored to their specific needs (1994–present). Nike By You (formerly NIKEiD) enables customers to design customizable footwear tailored to their preferences (1999–present).
Adaptive customizers offer standardized solutions that are modifiable by customers post-purchase for different purposes or occasions.
Examples: Lutron’s programmable lighting systems allow customers to modify lighting settings for different purposes or occasions (2010–present). Tesla offers over-the-air, pay-to-unlock upgrades that provide access to additional features and functionality post-purchase (2012–present). WikiHouse provides open-source architectural designs and resources, enabling individuals and communities to construct sustainable, low-cost housing customized to their needs (2011–present).
Cosmetic customizers present standard solutions differently to different customers.
Examples: Coca-Cola’s ‘Share a Coke’ campaign replaces its iconic logo on bottles with personalized names, adding a personal touch while maintaining brand recognition (2011–present). Glossier’s skincare products come with sticker sheets, allowing customers to personalize the packaging (2014–present).
Transparent customizers make adjustments for individual customers without their explicit involvement or approval.
Examples: Hoteliers tailor room experiences for high-value, repeat customers by adjusting pillow types, pre-setting room temperatures, or adding fresh flowers upon arrival. Retailers adjust store layouts and feature locally sourced products to reflect regional preferences and seasonal demand.

Technology plays an integral role in enhancing the efficiency, efficacy, and scalability of mass customization – for example, by dynamically suggesting customized products or configurations based on customer behaviours, preferences, and real-time interactions.

From point-of-purchase to post-purchase customization

Post-purchase customization involves customers and communities modifying or personalizing solutions after purchase to better suit their needs – often in ways not originally intended by the manufacturer or service provider. Depending on the context, it may also be referred to as user innovation, product hacking, or post-purchase personalization (see, e.g., von Hippel, 2005).

Some companies resist post-purchase customization, citing concerns over intellectual property, brand integrity, or product safety; others support and embrace it by providing inspiration, DIY guides, tools, templates, interchangeable components, and digital upgrades.

Examples: IKEA Hackers is a community where enthusiasts share ideas for modifying and repurposing IKEA furniture into custom configurations (2006–present). Bethesda Softworks empowers players to customize and expand games like Skyrim and Fallout through its Creation Kit, fostering a vibrant modding community and extending game lifecycles (2011–present). GoPro supports user-led innovation through modular accessories and a community where customers create and share customized camera setups for unique filming needs (2004–present). Casio G-Shock owners personalize their watches by swapping out straps, bezels, and faceplates to create bold, customized designs, with third-party sellers and DIY enthusiasts fueling the market for custom components (2019–present).

From rule-based to real-time personalization (a.k.a. hyper-personalization)

Powered by AI-driven systems, hyper-personalization delivers highly relevant, context-aware offerings, interactions, and experiences that adapt in real time to individual behaviours, contextual needs, and environmental factors. It achieves this by analyzing structured data (e.g., demographics, purchase history, location, time of day, weather conditions) and unstructured data (e.g., browsing patterns, social media activity, sensor data, emotional cues) both historically and in the moment. (Based on Hayes & Downie, n.d.; Jaffery, n.d.; Rusiñol, 2023.)

True personalization delivers on five implicit promises that shape customers’ expectations (slightly adapted from Abraham & Edelman, 2024):

Empower me. Provide intuitive tools and experiences that simplify tasks, support decision-making, and help me achieve my goals.
Know me. Leverage contextual, real-time data to understand my preferences, behaviours, and intent in the moment.
Reach me. Optimize communications by delivering the right message, through the right channel, at the right time.
Show me. Deliver tailored content and recommendations that align with my interests, needs, and preferences.
Delight me. Anticipate my needs and exceed expectations with unexpected, value-added solutions or experiences.

Advanced AI capabilities – such as predictive analytics, natural language processing, conversational AI, and recommendation algorithms – drive the precision, adaptiveness, and responsiveness of hyper-personalization (Hayes & Downie, n.d.; Jaffery, n.d.; Rusiñol, 2023).

Examples:

Peloton leverages real-time data and AI to deliver adaptive fitness experiences that evolve dynamically based on user performance, preferences, and feedback (2012–present). To illustrate: After a high-intensity interval session, Peloton uses wearable data and user activity to recommend recovery rides and adjust future workouts for optimal performance and recovery.
BMW integrates AI-powered features within its iDrive system to personalise in-car experiences based on driver habits, preferences, and real-time contextual factors (2018–present). To illustrate: Upon entry, iDrive adjusts seat position, climate, and lighting automatically, while dynamically suggesting alternate routes or activating rain-adaptive settings based on live traffic and weather data.
Sephora employs AI to analyze customer preferences, past purchases, and skin tones to deliver hyper-personalized beauty experiences through its Virtual Artist app (2016–present). To illustrate: The app examines a user’s photo to recommend foundation shades matched to their complexion, and leverages purchase history and browsing behavior to suggest complementary products like setting powders or brushes.

Note: Hyper-personalization exemplifies low-effort, consent-driven engagement. Ethical considerations, transparent data practices, and explicit user consent are essential for avoiding biases, protecting user data, and building trust.

Benefits

Aligns offerings and experiences with customer needs, preferences, and priorities, ensuring relevance, meaning, and value
Fosters emotional connection by making customers feel uniquely understood and valued
Reduces effort by streamlining decision-making and offering solutions that adapt to evolving needs
Optimizes resource allocation by using customer data to target the right solutions at the right time
Builds strong, lasting relationships that foster brand loyalty, enhance NPS, and increase CLV
Enhances customer advocacy by staging experiences that motivate customers to share with others
Strengthens competitive advantage (over companies using traditional segmentation)
Drives continuous innovation by leveraging customer data, feedback, and modifications
Encourages innovation in value creation, value co-creation, and value facilitation (see my blog post Get the balance right! • 2)

See also

The Journeys Over Transactions principle will be covered in the next blog post.

References

Abraham, M., & Edelman, D. C. (2024, November–December). Personalization done right: The five dimensions to consider – and how AI can help. Harvard Business Review.

Bau, R. (2010, December). Ten strategy paradoxes in service Innovation and design. Paper presented at ServDes 2010 (Service Design and Innovation Conference), Linköping, Sweden.

Bau, R. (2015). Thinking services instead of products. In: Service Design Boot Camp, Day 1 [unpublished training material]. Veryday.

Gilmore, J. H., & Pine, B. J. (1997). The four faces of mass customization. Harvard Business Review, 75(1), 91–101.

Grönroos, C. (1990). Service management and marketing: Managing the moments of truth in service competition. Lexington Books.

Grönroos, C. (2011). Value co-creation in service logic: A critical analysis. Marketing Theory, 11(3), 279–301.

Gummesson, E. (1999). Total relationship marketing: Rethinking marketing management from 4Ps to 30Rs. Butterworth-Heinemann.

Hayes, M., & Downie, A. (n.d.). AI personalization. IBM Think.

Jaffery, B. (n.d.). OmniaAI. Connecting with meaning: Hyper-personalizing the customer experience using data, analytics, and AI. Deloitte Canada.

Normann, R. (2001). Reframing business: When the map changes the landscape. John Wiley & Sons.

Palmer, A. (2011). Principles of services marketing (6th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.

Peppers, D., & Rogers, M. (1993). The one to one future: Building relationships one customer at a time. Currency Doubleday.

Pine, B.J. (1993). Mass customization: The new frontier in business competition. Harvard Business School Press.

Pine, B.J., Peppers, D., & Rogers, M. (1995). Do you want to keep your customers forever? Harvard Business Review, 73(2), 103–114.

Prahalad, C. K., & Ramaswamy, V. (2004). The future of competition: Co-creating unique value with customers. Harvard Business Review Press.

Rusiñol, G. (2023, December 27). Navigating the future: The dynamics of hyper-personalization and AI in customer experience. Forbes Tech Council.

Toffler, A. (1980). The Third Wave. Bantam Books, 1980.

van Abel, B., Evers, L., Klaassen, R., & Troxler, P. (Eds.). (2011). Open design now: Why design cannot remain exclusive. BIS Publishers.

von Hippel, E. (2005). Democratizing innovation. MIT Press.

Wirtz, J. & Lovelock, C. (2016). Services marketing: People, technology, strategy (8th ed.). World Scientific Publishing.

Robert Bau 10/1/24 Robert Bau 10/1/24

Let’s (not) get (too) physical, physical • 2

Thinking services instead of products: Solutions > Products

While the shift from products to services – often referred to as servitization – is far from new, it remains a powerful framework for manufacturing companies and digital-first startups looking to embrace customer-centric, service-dominant business models. In this blog post, I explore the Solutions Over Products principle, one of seven ways to think services instead of products.

2. Solutions > Products

The Solutions Over Products principle shifts the focus from merely making and selling products to delivering holistic solutions that address the broader needs of customers (based on Bau, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2015; Wirtz & Lovelock, 2016). This suggests that companies should not define themselves by the products they produce but by the outcomes their customers seek (see, e.g., Levitt, 1960). Achieving this may require a networked approach, fostering collaboration across organizational boundaries to combine complementary resources, expertise, and capabilities for mutual benefit – including partnerships with universities, suppliers, customers, and even competitors (Kanter, 1994).

Examples: From selling cameras to capturing memories. From selling cars to improving mobility. From selling fitness equipment to fostering wellness journeys. From selling printers to managing documentation.

This blog post explores three key shifts at the heart of the Solutions Over Products strategy – from minimum viable products to augmented solutions, from core products to service packages, and from one-size-fits-all to tailored solutions. It wraps up with a curated list of my favourite approaches and frameworks for achieving a strong problem-solution fit.

Shifting from minimum viable products to augmented solutions

Value propositions should account for the potential expansion and evolution of the customer offering over time.

The core benefit (big idea) represents the fundamental benefit or purpose the product serves, addressing the intrinsic need for which customers seek a solution.
Example: The Oura Ring provides personalized health insights by trcking sleep, activity, and readiness. The core benefit is about empowering users to make informed decisions that enhance their daily performance and overall wellness.
The basic product includes the minimum viable set of features necessary to deliver the core benefit.
Example: The basic product is the lightweight and discreet wearable, equipped with sensors for heart rate, temperature, and movement tracking.
The expected product comprises all the standards and features that customers typically expect when purchasing the product; these expectations are shaped by past experiences, customer reviews, advertising, competitor offerings, technological trends, regulations, etc.
Example: Features users expect from a premium wearable include accurate tracking of key health metrics; an intuitive mobile app with data visualization and daily reports; durable and waterproof design suitable for everyday wear; a rechargeable battery with a multi-day lifespan; and seamless syncing with other health apps and devices.
The augmented product includes additional features, services, and benefits that go beyond customer expectations and drive differentiation.
Example: Unique, differentiating features include automatic activity detection, sleep optimization insights, a readiness score, real-time stress monitoring, guided relaxation, personalized content, and the user community called Oura Circles.
The potential product encompasses future enhancements and transformations that the product might undergo to attract new customers or retain existing ones.
Example: Future enhancements and expansions may include AI-powered predictive analytics, integration with other health and wellness applications, collaborations with corporate wellness programs, and customization options to tailor appearance and functionality.

Models and frameworks that unpack customer offerings in this way include the Whole Product Concept by Geoffrey Moore (1990) and the Five Levels of a Product by Philip Kotler (1994).

Note: While the concept of a minimum viable product (MVP) is fundamental to incremental and iterative product development, it should arguably be anchored in a clear and ambitious long-term vision for the product or business. This approach aligns well with the principle of Think Big, Start Small, Scale Fast (popularized in the innovation space by Carroll, 2010). For an insightful discussion on the concept of MVP, including misconceptions and practical applications, please see Kniberg (2016).

Shifting from core products to service packages

Value propositions should encompass the tangible and intangible elements of the offering that empower customers in their value creation process.

The core product defines the solution customers are buying and the principal benefits they seek (the ‘what’ and ‘why’). The core product may be tangible, intangible, or a hybrid of both. Similarly, the benefits it delivers may be tangible (financial), intangible (non-financial), or a combination of both.
Example: Peloton is a premium fitness brand. The core product is the fitness equipment (Peloton Bike or Treadmill) with access to the on-demand library of live and recorded classes led by world-class instructors (accessed through equipment touchscreens or the Peloton app). Benefits include physical fitness, health improvements, convenience, motivation, and positive reinforcement.
Wrapped around the core product, supplementary services add significant value by facilitating and enhancing the usage of the product or consumption of the service. Examples of facilitating services include solutions for customer support, payment processing, delivery, and installation. Examples of enhancing services encompass solutions for personalization, training, loyalty programs, and concierge services (to name but a few). Supplementary services play a critical role not only for improving the customer experience and differentiating the offering from competitors, but also for addressing the unique challenges of marketing and managing services (such as intangibility, heterogeneity, inseparability, perishability, co-creation, and timeliness).
Example: Peloton’s facilitating services include professional delivery and installation, financing options, subscription management, customer support, warranty and protection plans, and integration with health tracking tools. Enhancing services include training programs, tailored class recommendations, customized metrics, branded gear, community engagement, exclusive member events, and loyalty programs.
The processes required to deliver both the core product and the supplementary services are guided by pre-defined service attributes and measurable service standards, ensuring consistent levels of quality and productivity across all encounters in the end-to-end experience. Service attributes – such as reliability, accessibility, responsiveness, credibility, empathy, and security – serve as guiding principles or benchmarks for designing touchpoints that consistently meet or exceed customer expectations.
Example: Peloton’s white glove delivery includes professional delivery, assembly, setup, and a demo in customers’ homes, offering a seamless start-to-finish experience with added convenience, reassurance, and peace of mind. Key service attributes may include reliability (ensuring services are consistently dependable and error-free), empathy (demonstrating care and understanding during customer interactions), and responsiveness (promptly addressing customer needs and concerns).

Models and frameworks that encapsulate the tangible and intangible elements of a service offering include the Service Package by Christian Grönroos (1990), the Three-Component Model by Adrian Palmer (2011), and the Flower of Service by Wirtz and Lovelock (2016). Additionally, the SERVQUAL model by Parasuraman, Zeithami, and Berry (1988) serves as a valuable framework for identifying the key attributes most relevant to a specific experience.

Shifting from one-size-fit-all to tailored solutions

Value propositions should demonstrate how offerings are tailored to meet the specific needs and preferences of segments, entities, and individuals.

Approaches include:

Focusing efforts on serving specific customer segments or niches that mainstream, mass-market service providers often overlook. (Porter, 1980; Wirtz & Lovelock, 2016)
Examples: Focused service offerings include Code First Girls (free coding courses for women globally); Crunchyroll by Sony Pictures (anime-only streaming service); DeHaat (agri-tech solutions & services to the farming community in India); FedEx Custom Critical (expedited service for specialized, valuable, and hazardous shipments); and BMW Individual (bespoke and exclusive customizations of BMW vehicles).
Using tiered services models to address diverse customer requirements and varying price sensitivities in both B2B and B2C markets. Tiering can be applied across all dimensions of the customer offering – core products, supplementary services, and delivery processes. (Wirtz & Lovelock, 2016) This aligns with the concept of ‘flexible’ customer offerings – wrapping optional services around ‘naked’ solutions – which, in turn, supports flexible pricing models (Anderson & Narus, 1995).
Examples: Spotify’s tiered subscription model (Free, Premium Individual, Premium Duo, Premium Family, Premium Student). Delta Air Lines’ tiered loyalty programs (Silver Medallion, Gold Medallion, Platinum Medallion, Diamond Medallion). Microsoft’s tiered support system (Standard Support, Professional Direct Support, Premier Support).
Encouraging active participation in the specification, creation, production, delivery, and marketing of customer solutions to facilitate deep customization and personalization. See my blog post about the Individualization > Standardization principle.
Dynamically adjusting offerings and delivery systems to respond to customer needs in real time. See my blog post about the Individualization > Standardization principle.

Ensuring a good problem–solution fit

To create solutions that truly resonate with customers, businesses must focus on understanding the problems customers are trying to solve and the outcomes they are striving to achieve.

Competing/complementary approaches to ensure a good problem-solution fit include:

Jobs to Be Done (JTBD). A framework for understanding (a) the functional, emotional, and social jobs customers are trying to accomplish, (b) the steps they take to achieve these jobs, and (c) the products, services, and tools they ‘hire’ to get the job done. Integral to the Outcome-Driven Innovation methodology, JTBD helps identify underserved or overserved needs and guides the development of solutions that address these gaps. (Ulwick, 2005)
Seeing products in motion. Thinking of products in terms of verbs rather than nouns can reveal unexpected problems or opportunities. This means shifting the focus from static objects, products, or spaces (what they are) to dynamic activities, processes, experiences, or outcomes (how they are used and what they enable). (Kelley, 2001) For example, reimagining a chair as ‘sitting,’ a water bottle as ‘drinking,’ a car as ‘driving,’ and a classroom as ‘learning’ opens up new possibilities for enhancing or rethinking end-to-end experiences.
Design thinking. A people-first mindset, methodology, and toolkit for identifying the right problems to solve and determining the best ways to solve them, based on the principles of divergence and convergence. The process typically involves the following phases (or variations thereof): Frame a Question, Gather Inspiration, Generate Ideas, Make Ideas Tangible, Test to Learn, and Share the Story. (IDEO U, 2024; Design Council, 2007; Brown, 2008) See also my blog post Lean & mean innovation machine • 2.
Value Proposition Design. A framework for creating alignment between the Value Map, which represents what the business offers (core offerings, pain relievers, gain creators), and the Customer Profile, which represents what the customer needs (jobs, pains, gains). This approach ensures the customer offering directly addresses customer needs, resolves pain points, and delivers added value. (Osterwalder et al., 2014)
Customer Development. A methodology for building and scaling startups based on four iterative steps. Customer Discovery: Identifying and validating a significant problem that customers are willing to pay to solve. Customer Validation: Ensuring the proposed solution effectively addresses the problem and customers are willing to pay for it, ideally by developing and testing a minimum viable product (MVP). Customer Creation: Generating demand for the validated product through targeted marketing and outreach. Company Building: Transitioning from a discovery-focused startup to a scalable business with established processes and teams. (Blank, 2005) See also my blog post Lean & mean innovation machine • 2.
Other interesting approaches include Blue Ocean Strategy (Kim & Mauborgne, 2005), Solution Selling (Eades, 2003), Mass Customization (Pine, 1993), and One-to-One Marketing (Peppers & Rogers, 1993).

Benefits

Addresses the specific requirements, expectations, and price sensitivities of various segments, entities, and individuals
Aligns offerings with customer priorities, ensuring solutions feel meaningful and valuable
Offers richer and more engaging customer experiences by combining tangible and intangible elements
Ensures consistency across all encounters with the brand or service
Sets realistic customer expectations, reducing the gap between expected and perceived service
Fosters customer trust, satisfaction, and loyalty
Builds strong, lasting relationships, enhancing NPS and CLV
Drives brand differentiation in crowded markets
Supports flexible pricing strategies
Facilitates upselling and cross-selling
Creates potential for new and recurring revenue streams
Encourages innovation in value creation, value co-creation, and value facilitation (see my blog post Get the balance right! • 2)

See also

The Individualization Over Standardization principle will be covered in the next blog post.

References

Anderson, J.C., & Narus, J.A. (1995). Capturing the value of supplementary services. Harvard Business Review, 73(1), 75-83.

Bau, R. (2010, December). Ten strategy paradoxes in service Innovation and design. Paper presented at ServDes 2010 (Service Design and Innovation Conference), Linköping, Sweden.

Bau, R. (2015). Thinking services instead of products. In: Service Design Boot Camp, Day 1 [unpublished training material]. Veryday.

Blank, S. (2005). The four steps to the epiphany: Successful strategies for products that win. K&S Ranch.

Brown, T. (2008, June). Design thinking. Harvard Business Review, 86(6), 84–92.

Carroll, J. (2010, May). Innovation: Think big, start small, scale fast. Jim Carroll.

Design Council. (2007). Eleven lessons: Managing design in eleven global brands. Desk research report. Design Council, UK.

Eades, K. M. (2003). The new solution selling: The revolutionary sales process that is changing the way people sell. McGraw-Hill Education.

Grönroos, C. (1990). Service management and marketing: Managing the moments of truth in service competition. Lexington Books.

IDEO U. (2024). Design thinking.

Kanter, R.M. (1994). Collaborative advantage: The art of alliances. Harvard Business Review, 72(4), 96-108.

Kelley, T. (2001). The art of innovation: Lessons in creativity from IDEO, America’s leading design firm. Currency/Doubleday.

Kim, W.C., & Mauborgne, R. (2005). Blue Ocean Strategy: How to create uncontested market space and make the competition irrelevant. Harvard Business School Press.

Kniberg, H. (2016, January). Making sense of MVP (Minimum Viable Product) – and why I prefer Earliest Testable/Usable/Lovable. Crisp.

Kotler, P. (1994). Marketing management: Analysis, planning, implementation, and control (8th ed.). Prentice Hall.

Levitt, T. (1960). Marketing myopia. Harvard Business Review, 38(4), 45-56.

Moore, G. A. (1991). Crossing the chasm: Marketing and selling high-tech products to mainstream customers. HarperBusiness.

Osterwalder, A., Pigneur, Y., Bernarda, G., & Smith, A. (2014). Value proposition design: How to create products and services customers want. Wiley.

Palmer, A. (2011). Principles of services marketing (6th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.

Parasuraman, A., Zeithaml, V.A., & Berry, L.L. (1988). SERVQUAL: A multiple-item scale for measuring consumer perceptions of service quality. Journal of Retailing, 64(1), 12-40.

Peppers, D., & Rogers, M. (1993). The one to one future: Building relationships one customer at a time. Currency Doubleday.

Pine, B.J. (1993). Mass customization: The new frontier in business competition. Harvard Business School Press.

Porter, M.E. (1980). Competitive strategy: Techniques for analyzing Industries and competitors. Free Press.

Ulwick, T. (2005). What customers want: Using Outcome-Driven Innovation to create breakthrough products and services. McGraw-Hill.

Wirtz, J. & Lovelock, C. (2016). Services marketing: People, technology, strategy (8th ed.). World Scientific Publishing.

Robert Bau 9/1/24 Robert Bau 9/1/24

Let’s (not) get (too) physical, physical • 1

Thinking services instead of products: Access > Ownership

While the shift from products to services – often referred to as servitization – is far from new, it remains a powerful framework for manufacturing companies and digital-first startups looking to embrace customer-centric, service-dominant business models. In this series of blog posts, I have refreshed vintage content with repackaged strategies and new examples to help leaders, innovators, and designers transform customer offerings and experiences for the future.

Seven ways to think services instead of physical and digital products:

Access > Ownership. Enabling access to assets and resources without the burdens of ownership.
Solutions > Products. Delivering holistic, outcome-focused solutions that address the broader needs of customers.
Individualization > Standardization. Tailoring content, products, services, and experiences to meet the unique needs of customers.
Journeys > Transactions. Empowering customers in their value creation process across every moment and touchpoint.
Inclusion > Exclusion. Removing barriers that prevent individuals and groups from engaging with products and brands..
Members > Users. Building vibrant, connected communities around shared interests, practices, and products.
Circularity > Linearity. Adopting circular business models to reduce environmental impact and drive systemic change.

Note: These strategic principles are not mutually exclusive or collectively exhaustive (MECE), which is intentional. Think of them as lenses through which to explore opportunities to transform customer offerings and experiences – an approach that proves highly effective in ideation sessions.

1. Access > Ownership

The Access Over Ownership principle is about empowering B2B and B2C customers to experience, utilize, and benefit from assets and resources without the burdens and costs associated with ownership. The focus shifts from value exchange and take-make-dispose models to value-in-use, circular behaviors, and collaborative consumption. (Based on Bau, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015; Wirtz & Lovelock, 2016; Botsman & Rogers, 2010; Buczynski, 2013; Jégou & Manzini, 2008; and Gassman et al., 2014.)

Note: In this context, assets refer to physical items (vehicles, machinery, real estate, etc.) and digital assets (software, data, digital content, etc.). Resources encompass these assets along with intangible elements such as expertise, time, and network access. In outcome-driven innovation, resources are tools or means that enable customers to perform tasks, ‘get the job done,’ and achieve their desired outcomes.

This blog post explores 9 service models that prioritize access over ownership.

Note: XaaS (Anything-as-a-Service) is a widely recognised expression of the Access Over Ownership principle, enabling usage-based access to systems, platforms, software, and products. Its applicability to the 9 service models below depends on the specific context and implementation.

Service models

B2C2C peer-to-peer sharing models empower individuals to share their own assets and resources – such as homes, cars, tools, or skills – with others in exchange for a fee, or for free in a bartering system where goods or services are exchanged directly. In this setup, enabling platforms typically serve as intermediaries, connecting users, managing transactions, and fostering a sense of community.
Examples: Turo allows car owners rent out their personal vehicles to others through Turo’s car-sharing marketplace (2010–present). TaskRabbit connects individuals seeking help with everyday tasks – like home repairs, furniture assembly, and cleaning – to skilled local freelancers, known as Taskers (2008–present). Community-based micro-initiatives – such as bicycle self-repair workshops, family-run micro-nurseries, and home laundry services – facilitate the exchange of skills, services, and resources among community members (Jégou & Manzini, 2008).
B2B P2P sharing models enable businesses to share their own assets and resources – including vehicles, facilities, equipment, tools, and even manpower – with other businesses for a fee. Platforms play a crucial role by facilitating connections, managing transactions, and fostering collaboration, networking, and knowledge sharing.
Examples: Floow2 enables businesses share equipment, office space, and even staff with other companies (2012–present). LiquidSpace allows businesses to rent out unused office space to other companies, freelancers, or startups on a short-term basis (2010–present). Cohealo helps healthcare facilities share medical equipment with other institutions, optimizing the utilization of costly resources (2013–present).
B2C rental, leasing, and subscription models provide individuals with access to high-value assets and resources for a set time, sometimes bundled with services like customer delivery, onboarding, and support to boost productivity and address potential issues.
Examples: Rent the Runway enables customers to rent designer clothing and accessories for a specific period, returning them after use (2009–present). Netflix provides subscribers access to a vast library of movies and TV shows without the need for ownership (2007–present). Zipcar allows users to rent cars by the hour or day, offering convenient access to vehicles without the costs of ownership (2000–present).
B2B rental, leasing, and subscription models allow businesses to access high-value assets and resources for a set time, often bundled with services like delivery, setup, installation, training, maintenance, optimization, and expert support to boost productivity and maximize value-in-use.
Examples: Salesforce provides businesses with subscription-based access to its CRM software, offering ongoing updates, support, and customization options to enhance user productivity (1999–present). WeWork enables companies to lease flexible office spaces bundled with services such as high-speed internet, cleaning, and community events to create a collaborative and professional environment (2010–present). Cisco Systems offers businesses the option to lease networking equipment, which includes setup, maintenance, and ongoing expert support to maximize operational efficiency (1984–present).
Performance-based contracting provides access to high-value solutions without ownership responsibilities, with payment tied to measurable outcomes such as engine uptime, energy savings, or system availability.
Examples: Rolls-Royce’s TotalCare service (formerly know as Power-by-the-Hour) removes the burden of engine maintenance from airlines and other customers by actively managing engines throughout their lifecycle to ensure maximum flying availability (1962–present). Schindler’s ElevateMe offers performance-based contracts for elevator systems, billing building owners based on uptime and operational metrics to ensure reliability and minimize downtime (2015–present). Signify (formerly Phillips Lighting) offers Lighting-as-a-Service, helping municipalities and businesses achieve energy-efficient lighting with fees linked to energy savings and performance (2014–present).
On-demand access (or pay-per-use) allows people or businesses to instantly obtain assets and resources as needed, paying only for what they use at the moment, without long-term commitments. Building on this concept, pay-per-use models involves precise usage-based billing, such as per minute, mile, or unit consumed.
Examples: Uber provides users with on-demand ride services, enabling them to pay only for what they need when they need it (2009–present). AWS (Amazon Web Services) offers businesses scalable cloud computing power on demand (2006–present). Blue Apron delivers meal kits on demand, allowing customers to cook at home without committing to a subscription (2012–present).
Resource pooling brings together groups of people or businesses to share or jointly access resources. Through collaboration, these groups can collectively strengthen their bargaining power to secure preferential treatment or negotiate more favorable terms.
Examples: Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) brings together individuals who pledge to support a farm, effectively turning it onto a shared community resource (originated in the 1960s). Gartner Peer Community facilitates peer-to-peer networking, knowledge sharing, and collaboration among industry professionals, enabling the exchange of best practices and actionable insights (2000–present). Community solar projects enable individuals or businesses to co-invest in shared solar installations, pooling resources to generate renewable energy and reduce energy costs (originated in early 2000s).
Freemium models offer basic features for free, but once upgraded, they often allow multiple users, like project teams or households, to share access.
Examples: Spotify Family Plan provides premium music streaming for multiple household members, allowing each person to maintain their own playlists and recommendations (2014–present). Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) enables real-time collaboration, with paid plans offering additional storage, advanced features, and increased user capacity (2020–present). Zoom offers free video conferencing, with paid options for hosting larger meetings and unlocking advanced collaboration tools (2011–present).
Fractionalized ownership allows individuals or businesses to co-own high-value assets, sharing the costs, benefits, and responsibilities of ownership.
Note: While not strictly an example of Access Over Ownership, fractionalized ownership aligns closely with its principles.
Examples: NetJets allows clients to purchase a share in an aircraft, granting them access to private jet services without the full cost of ownership (1986–present). Boatsetter offers fractional ownership of boats, allowing co-owners to share costs and access while reducing individual expenses (2012–present). Pacaso facilitates co-ownership of luxury vacation homes, allowing multiple buyers to share costs, usage, and maintenance through a professionally managed model that streamlines the ownership experience (2020–present).

Note: Dynamic pricing is not a standalone service model but operates as a mechanism within many models, adjusting prices in real-time based on factors such as demand, availability, usage patterns, or market conditions. Dynamic pricing helps businesses respond dynamically to market fluctuations and make the best use of available resources.

Benefits

Democratizes/expands access to high-value assets and resources by improving accessibility, affordability, and usability
Removes the burdens of ownership, including upfront investment, storage, maintenance, repairs, upgrades, and disposal
Provides flexibility and freedom to adjust, scale, or discontinue usage/consumption as needs change over time
Aligns with the trend of prioritizing experiences over possessions
Optimizes resource utilization through shared access and continuous use
Monetizes underutilized assets or resources, turning them into revenue-generating opportunities
Reduces demand for new production (of tangible goods)
Fosters a sense of community by connecting users who share similar needs or values
Reduces environmental impact (see my blog post on the Circularity > Linearity strategy)
Encourages innovation in value creation, value co-creation, and value facilitation (see my blog post Get the balance right! • 2)
Drives differentiation and builds brand equity

See also

The Solutions Over Products principle will be covered in the next blog post.

References

Bau, R. (2010, December). Ten strategy paradoxes in service Innovation and design. Paper presented at ServDes 2010 (Service Design and Innovation Conference), Linköping, Sweden.

Bau, R. (2014). Sharing & caring across generations. Breakout session at Service Design Global Conference, Stockholm, Sweden. [Unpublished]

Bau, R. (2015). Thinking services instead of products. In: Service Design Boot Camp, Day 1 [unpublished training material]. Veryday.

Botsman, R & Rogers, R. (2010). What’s mine is yours: The rise of collaborative consumption. HarperCollins.

Buczynski, B. (2013). Sharing is good. How to save money, time and resources through collaborative consumption. New Society Publishers.

Gassman, O., Frankenberger, K. & Csik, M. (2014). The business model navigator. FT Publishing.

Jégou, F. & Manzini, E. (2008). Collaborative services: Social innovation and design for sustainability. Edizioni POLI.design.

Wirtz, J. & Lovelock, C. (2016). Services marketing: People, technology, strategy (8th ed.). World Scientific Publishing.

Robert Bau 8/1/24 Robert Bau 8/1/24

Going for gold • 7

Service Design for Equitable Experiences

Inspired by an article in Harvard Business Review about the underlying quests for corporate transformation (Anand & Barsoux, 2017), I have identified seven arenas where the power of service design can transform organizations, teams, and people. In this blog post, I explore the final category, Service Design for Equitable Experiences. This one acts as a connective thread weaving through and enhancing the other six arenas, ensuring that the tenets of diversity, equity, and inclusion are deeply embedded in all aspects of service design.

7. Service Design for Equitable Experiences

Purpose: To remove discriminatory, socioeconomic, cultural, linguistic, physical, or financial barriers that prevent underrepresented and historically excluded groups from fully accessing, engaging with, and benefiting from workflows, products, services, environments, and experiences (inspired by Linares, 2021). This includes fostering an inclusive environment where all voices feel welcome, heard, and respected; embracing contrasting workstyles and personalities; and leveraging multiple perspectives to identify and address blind spots in processes, outputs, and outcomes. These efforts will lead to long-lasting positive changes that benefit individuals, communities, organizations, and society at large.

Note: Compared to a product-centric, design-for-everyone, and compliance-based approach to DEI, a genuine service design mindset pays careful attention to how multi-touchpoint services and experiences are envisioned, co-created, co-produced, co-delivered, and perceived over time. This ensures that DEI is not just an afterthought but woven into the fabric of internal (employee-facing) and external (customer-facing) services and experiences.

Common themes: Exclusion. Barrier-free experiences. Equity of access, experience, and impact. Fair treatment, inclusive representation, and equal opportunities for all. Conscious and unconscious biases. Blind spots. Intersectionality. Cultural sensitivity and relevance. Physical, sensory, and cognitive impairments. Long-term disabilities, temporary conditions, and situational limitations. Design for belonging. Inclusive/universal design principles and applications. Adaptive and customisable design. Participatory design. Value co-creation. Shared decision-making. User autonomy and empowerment. Equitable outcomes. Iterative design. Continuous learning and adaptation. DEI metrics and evaluation. DEI accountability and transparency.

Project archetypes:

Designing for participation (participatory design and decision-making). Equipping facilitators, designers, and users with the platforms, services, spaces, workflows, tools, and skills needed to collaboratively create innovative, inclusive, and effective solutions to complex, multi-faceted challenges. By treating customers, employees, and other collaborators as co-creators, this approach cultivates collective intelligence, fosters lateral thinking, encourages shared decision-making, and ensures shared ownership of both outputs and outcomes. Designing for participation includes selecting the most effective engagement format(s) for co-creation – such as world cafés, design sprints, innovation jams, hackathons, co-design workshops, and crowdsourcing – depending on project needs at any given time in the process. (Kaner et al., 2014; Lipmanowicz & McCandless, 2014; Gray, Brown & Macanufo, 2010; Knapp, Zeratsky & Kowitz, 2016; Brown & Isaacs, 2005)
Designing for cultural competency. Ensuring that customer and employee experiences are welcoming, relevant, and respectful for all, regardless of cultural background – including ethnicity, nationality, language, religion, education, generation, and other cultural factors. This involves not only appreciating and embracing cultural subtleties and differences but also tailoring workflows, services, and experiences to meet the specific needs and preferences of diverse cultural groups. (Meyer, 2016; Kowalski, 2023)
Designing for accessibility. Ensuring that customer and employee experiences do not intentionally or unintentionally exclude groups and individuals with one or more impairments. This includes designing adaptive solutions for mobility, dexterity, visual, hearing, speech, and cognitive impairments that are effective in three distinct scenarios: long-term disability, temporary conditions, and situational limitations. (Microsoft Design, 2016; Microsoft Inclusive Design, 2023; Holmes, 2020)
Designing for intersectionality. Ensuring that customer and employee experiences address the unique needs and challenges faced by groups and individuals with diverse and intersecting identities – based on factors such as gender, race, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic class – as well as the multiple forms of discrimination or privilege they may experience. This involves creating environments, workflows, and services that are attuned to the complexities and nuances of these intersecting identities, ensuring that everyone feels represented, respected, and valued. (Lupton et al., 2021; Noel, 2023)
Fostering culture of systemic equity. Building and nurturing a culture where all employees feel valued, supported, and empowered, regardless of their background and identity. This involves crafting policies, programs, playbooks, practices, services, tools, benefits, incentives, and feedback mechanisms that leverage diverse perspectives; drive diversity of thought (including style, approach, and experience); foster inclusive collaboration; support underrepresented and historically excluded groups; and promote equitable career paths within the organization. (Myers, 2012; Frost & Aladina, 2019; Brown, 2016)

Examples: Airbnb (Project Lighthouse, Open Doors Policy, Instant Book), Microsoft (Xbox Adaptive Controller), Target (Adaptive Clothing), Nike (FlyEase), Apple (in-app accessibility features), Forum Virium Helsinki (co-creating urban futures for the city of Helsinki), and IDEO (OpenIDEO, the open innovation platform, and Design Kit, the human-centered design toolkit for social innovation).

Complementary/alternative methodologies, toolkits, and resources: Collective Action Toolkit (Frog, part of Capgemini Invent). Liberating Principles & Structures (Liberating Structures). Gamestorming – playbook with 80+ games for collaborative play (Gray, Brown & Macanufo, 2010). Facilitator’s Guide to Participatory Decision-Making (Kaner et al., 2014). Inclusive Design Toolkit (Microsoft). Inclusive Design Toolkit (University of Cambridge). Human-Centered Design Kit (IDEO). OpenIDEO (IDEO). Equity-Centered Community Design Field Guide (Creative Reaction Lab). Equity-Centered Design Framework (Stanford d.school). Racial Equity Tools (Equity in the Center). Liberatory Design Modes (Liberatory Design). Design Justice Network Principles (Design Justice Network). Inclusive Design for Business Impact and Social Impact (Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design, Royal College of Art).

Supplementary methodologies and toolkits: Systems thinking. Critical thinking and design. Social design and innovation. Civic design. Community design. Ethnographic research. Design thinking. Behavioral design. Industrial design. Service design. UX design. Retail design. Interior design. Workplace design. Experience design. Urban planning and environmental design.

Exploring the problem space: Understanding the broader context. Defining stakeholder mindsets / archetypes / personas. Understanding user drivers, needs, goals, behaviours, and blockers in existing experiences (in close collaboration with stakeholders and end-users). Crafting mental models to highlight moments that matter, pivotal touchpoints / interactions, common pain points, and unmet needs. Uncovering deep insights across multiple research methods and sources. Crafting tentative North Star for equitable experiences, determining ambition levels, and identifying opportunity spaces for improvement. Framing or reframing challenges/problems. Brainstorming initial ideas and hypotheses. Etc.

Exploring the solution space: Finding smart, emotionally resonant solutions (in close collaboration with stakeholders and end-users). Continuously testing tentative solutions through storytelling, rapid prototyping, experimentation, and piloting. Considering scalability, sustainability, and ethical implications of all solutions. Continuously adapting, downselecting, and prioritising tentative solutions. Crafting ideal, future-state end-to-end experiences (onstage and backstage) for prioritised user segments or mindsets. Defining stakeholder, business, and social impact. Crafting compelling stories and value cases for change. Identifying roadblocks, creating roadmaps, defining requirements, and mobilising resources for implementation and sustained success. Etc.

Project sponsors: Chief Diversity Officer, Chief Inclusion Officer, Chief Accessibility Officer, CXO, CHRO, CEO, or equivalent

Desired outcomes: ↑ service/experience accessibility, ↑ service/experience equitability, ↑ user empowerment, ↑ community trust and engagement, ↑ inclusion and representation in innovation & design processes, ↑ DEI-related metrics, ↑ employee engagement and retention, ↑ customer satisfaction and NPS, ↑ brand differentiation, ↑ brand reputation, ↑ brand engagement and loyalty

Note: Thank you, AnnaRose Girvin, Lead Experience Designer at Method, for serving as such a valuable sounding board for this blog post. Any mistakes or shortcomings in the final piece are entirely my responsibility.

References

Anand, N. & Barsoux, J-L. (2017, Nov–Dec). What everyone gets wrong about change management. Poor execution is only part of the problem. Harvard Business Review.

Brown, J. (2016). Inclusion: Diversity, the new workplace & the will to change. Advantage Media Group.

Brown, J. & Isaacs, D. (2005). The world café: Shaping our futures through conversations that matter. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.

Frost, S. & Aladina, R-F. (2019). Building an inclusive organization: Leveraging the power of a diverse workforce. Kogan Page.

Gray, D., Brown, S. & Macanufo, J. (2010). Gamestorming: A playbook for innovators, rulebreakers, and changemakers. O’Reilly Media.

Holmes, K. (2020). Mismatch: How inclusion shapes design. MIT Press.

Kaner et al. (2014). Facilitator’s guide to participatory decision-making (3rd ed.). Jossey-Bass.

Knapp, J., Zeratsky, J. & Kowitz, B. (2016). Sprint: How to solve big problems and test new ideas in just five days. Bantam Press.

Kowalski, S. (2023). Cultural sensitivity training: Developing the basis for effective intercultural communication. Econcise.

Linares, M. (2021, April). Frameworks for measuring product inclusion and product equity. Medium.

Lipmanowicz, H. & McCandless, K. (2014). The surprising power of liberating structures: Simple rules to unleash a culture of innovation. Liberating Structures Press.

Lupton et al. (2021). Extra bold: A feminist, inclusive, anti-racist, nonbinary field guide for graphic designers. Princeton Architectural Press.

Meyer, E. (2016). The culture map: Decoding how people think, lead, and get things done across cultures. PublicAffairs.

Myers, V. (2012). Moving diversity forward: How to go from well-meaning to well-doing. American Bar Association.

Microsoft Design. (2016). Inclusive 101 guidebook. Microsoft.

Microsoft Inclusive Design. (2023). Cognitive exclusion. Microsoft.

Noel, L-A. (2023). Design social change: Take action, work toward equity, and challenge status quo. A Stanford d.school guide. Ten Speed Press.

Robert Bau 6/15/24 Robert Bau 6/15/24

Going for gold • 6

Service Design for Organizational Change

6. Service Design for Organizational Change

Purpose: Crafting approaches, strategies, services, processes, and tools to empower change leaders in top-down and bottom-up change processes.

Note: See also my blog posts Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes and Comparing & contrasting innovation & change roles.

Project archetypes:

Designing for directed change. Comparable to winning hearts and minds in occupied territories, directed change is a top-down, leadership-driven approach to change supported by a compelling vision, deliberate action plans, and ‘scientific’ evidence. Employees are spurred or forced into action through a series of top-down interventions. Proponents argue that this is the fastest way to drive first-order and second-order change. Resistance to change is typically high but (ultimately) futile. This approach is based on the Empirical–Rational, Power–Coercive, and Normative–Re-educative change strategies by Chin & Benne (1969) and Thurley & Wirdenius (1973).
Designing for Darwinian change. Comparable to Battle Royale (the 2000 Japanese dystopian thriller), Darwinian change emphasizes a survival-of-the-fittest approach within organizations. Predetermined quests, visions, long-term goals, and values function as a lighthouse to guide innovation efforts and change initiatives within the organisation (and ecosystem). Autonomous or semi-autonomous units are encouraged to bring fresh perspectives, experiment with new ideas, battle for attention, and fight for resources. The ‘fittest’ ideas make the cut and get adopted. Proponents argue this approach is the best way to drive first-order and second-order change, especially when the path to desired outcomes is deemed unclear, uncertain, or unpredictable. Resistance to the ideas of others is actively encouraged (to a certain degree) to stimulate critical thinking and drive continuous improvement. This approach draws inspiration by van de Ven and Poole’s single and dual-motor change theories (1995).
Designing for guided change. Comparable to wandering into the unknown with sherpas by your side, guided change is a bottom-up, systematic effort to improve the problem-solving capabilities of the system as well as to unlock and foster growth in the individuals and groups that make up the system. Employees are empowered to change through expert facilitation in experiential learning and action research. Proponents argue that this approach is best suited for first-order change. Resistance is minimized thanks to heavy employee involvement. This approach is based on the Action-centered change strategy by Thurley & Wirdenius (1973), the Normative–Re-educative change strategy by Chin & Benne (1969), and the experiential aspects of Organizational Development (Brown & Harvey, 2006).
Designing for self-directed change. Comparable to jazz improvisation (O’Donnell, 2012), self-directed change operates on the premise that leaders should set teams and employees free to self-organize, interact, adapt, and learn autonomously. Organisations are viewed as complex, adaptive systems operating in diverse, dynamic, and interconnected environments. These systems continuously evolve through cycles of interactions, emergence, and non-linear feedback loops. Proponents argue this approach is the best way to explain how organisations adapt, evolve, and survive in turbulent environments. Resistance is minimal or even non-existent since everybody is a change agent. This approach draws heavily from complexity and chaos theory (Stacey, 1996).
Note: While self-directed change and holacracy (as initially implemented by Zappos) may share similar goals and characteristics, the latter relies more on formalized governance structures, documented processes, decision-making protocols, and clearly defined roles and responsibilities.
Fostering a culture of innovation and change. Building and nurturing a culture of continuous innovation and change throughout the organization. This involves crafting employee-centric spaces, services, playbooks, toolkits, tools, workflows, rituals, and incentives to help leaders and teams navigate change, build resilience, foster x-capability collaboration, build creative confidence, encourage experimentation, seek continuous feedback, and capture lessons learned.
Note: For more information about top-down and bottom-up initiatives to drive innovation and change, please see my blog posts Comparing & contrasting innovation & change roles and Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes.

Complementary methodologies:

Top-down change – strategic planning models (Hoshin Kanri, scenario planning), goal-setting frameworks (MBO, OKRs), diagnostic & alignment frameworks (McKinsey 7-S Framework, Balanced Scorecard), and linear change models (Kotter, ADKAR, Burke-Litwin, Lewin).
Bottom-up change – no specific meta-models, but common concepts include experiential learning, self-organisation, decentralised decision-making, x-capability collaboration, continuous feedback and learning, continuous improvement (e.g., Kaizen), small-scale experimentation, communities of practice, and customer and/or employee-driven innovation practices (crowdsourcing, hackathons, innovation jams, etc.).

Supplementary methodologies: Lean and agile approaches to strategic planning. Employee engagement and motivation theories. EX management. Systems thinking. Design thinking. Human-centered design. Lean startup. Nudge theory and behavioral change. DEI design. Process design. Storytelling. Knowledge management.

Exploring the problem and solution spaces:

Directed change. Service designers help leaders make the case for change through compelling, human-centered North Stars, stories, concepts, value cases, etc.
Darwinian change. Service designers design the rules and set the tone for the organization-wide game of innovation (and, upon invitation, we can also take part as active players).
Guided change. Working side-by-side with expert facilitators in experiential learning and action research, service designers make bottom-up innovation happen through systemic and systematic co-creation.
Self-directed change. Service designers create the conditions for change, creativity, and collaborative play by helping change leaders ‘loosen’ or ‘tighten’ the system.

Project sponsors: CEO, CHRO, COO, CIO, SVP strategy, SVP innovation, or equivalent

Desired outcomes:

Top-down change – ↑ strategic alignment, ↑ organisational control, ↑ accountability, ↑ decision-making speed, ↑ innovation capacity, ↑ transformational innovation [arguably], ↑ risk management, ↓ resistance to change [over time], ↓ organisational waste, ↑ organisational learning [through knowledge management]
Bottom-up change – ↑ adaptability, ↑ resilience, ↑ collaboration, ↑ employee empowerment, ↑ employee engagement, ↓ resistance to change, ↑ core innovation, ↓ organisational waste [through grassroot initiatives], ↑ organisational learning [through continuous learning and knowledge sharing]

Note: For an exploration of the roles service designers can play in empowering change leaders in top-down and bottom-up change, see Bau (2020).

Service Design for Equitable Experiences will be covered in the next blog post.

References

Anand, N. & Barsoux, J-L. (2017, Nov–Dec). What everyone gets wrong about change management. Poor execution is only part of the problem. Harvard Business Review.

Bau, R. (2020). Service design to the rescue. The critical roles service designers play in organizational change. Touchpoint, 11(3), 74–79.

Brown, D. & Harvey, D. (2006). An experiential approach to Organization Development (7th ed.). California State University–Bakersfield.

Chin, R. & Benne, K. (1969). General strategies for effecting changes in human systems [Research report]. Boston University.

O’Donnell, E. (2012, April). Is improvising really improvising?

Stacey, R. (1996). Strategic management and organizational dynamics (2nd ed.). Pitman.

Thurley, K. & Wirdenius, H. (1973). Supervision: A reappraisal. Heinemann.

van de Ven, A. & Poole, M. (1995, July). Explaining development and change in organizations. The Academy of Management Review, 20(3), 510–540.

Robert Bau 5/15/24 Robert Bau 5/15/24

Going for gold • 5

Service Design for Ethical Circularity

5. Service Design for Ethical Circularity

Purpose: Crafting approaches, strategies, services, processes, and tools to tackle social and environmental challenges in our world. This can be achieved by integrating systems thinking and circular design principles with behavioral design and strong ethical considerations.

Common themes: System boundaries, dynamics, interventions, and change. Ecological footprint. Life cycle thinking for products, services, and experiences. Upstream and downstream impact. Circular economy with sustainable and circular design strategies. Cognitive and behavioral science for sustainable habits, behaviors, and practices. Cultural, regional, and contextual sensitivity. Ethics and ethical conduct. Social equity. Human rights and working conditions. Diversity, equity, and inclusion. Fair trade practices. Economic viability – without exploiting people or depleting natural resources. Sustainable / circular business models. End-to-end transparency and accountability. Climate resilience and adaptability. Decarbonization. Regulatory and policy frameworks. Purpose-driven change and changemakers. Robust metrics, measurement tools, and dashboards to assess the relative effectiveness and performance of sustainability/circular initiatives.

Project archetypes:

Designing circular service systems. Developing service production and delivery systems based on circular economy principles to minimize environmental impact and build climate resilience across infrastructures, processes, workflows, touchpoints, and assets. This involves decarbonising operations, services, and assets, while promoting environmental responsibility and social governance across a wide range of suppliers, all without sacrificing service productivity or quality. Additionally, embedding circular properties into all touchpoints and assets across end-to-end customer experiences optimises resource use, eliminates waste, and encourages reuse, repurposing, and recycling.
Designing circular business models. Rethinking business models for circularity – such as product-as-a-service, sharing platforms, and take-back programs – to create new revenue streams, drive efficiencies, promote sustainability, and decrease the environmental footprint. This approach extends beyond developing new revenue models to also crafting fit-for-purpose service processes, orchestrating seamless stakeholder experiences, and designing intuitive consumer-facing channels and touchpoints.
Designing circular loops. Designing or redesigning feedback loops in a circular economy to reduce waste, extend product lifecycles, and promote reuse. This involves developing desirable and effective systems, services, and experiences for maintenance, refurbishment, repair, upgrading, repurposing, upcycling, redistribution, remanufacturing, and recycling.
Designing for circular mindsets & behaviors. Encouraging the adoption of circular mindsets, principles, and rituals in daily life through consumer-centric initiatives and interventions. This includes developing educational campaigns, interactive experiences, incentive schemes, actionable dashboards, and practical tools that inspire individuals, households, and communities to integrate circular practices into their everyday routines.
Fostering culture of ethical circularity. Instilling circular mindsets, principles, and rituals in the workplace through organization-wide initiatives and interventions. This involves developing strategic frameworks, training programs, incentive schemes, hands-on playbooks, actionable dashboards, and practical tools to integrate circular and ethical principles into all aspects of operations and teamwork.

Note: Eliminating waste from service creation, production, and delivery is a key focus of the Service Design for Operational Excellence arena. For more details, check out my blog post Going for gold • 4.

Complementary methodologies and toolkits: Systems thinking. Life cycle thinking. Disruptive design. Design for sustainability and circular economy. Nudge theory and behavioral change. DEI design. Theory of Change. Storytelling.

Supplementary methodologies and toolkits: Design thinking. Human-centered design. Process design. Business model innovation. Knowledge management. Change management.

Exploring the problem space: Understanding the broader context. Mapping and assessing systems, value chains, and lifecycles. Identifying stakeholder motivations and barriers. Evaluating the fairness and ethical implications of current practices. Analyzing existing policies and regulations. Framing opportunity spaces for improvement / intervention. Determining ambition levels. Establishing objectives, defining KPIs, and setting baselines. Crafting tentative North Star. Designing provocations to challenge assumptions, provoke reactions, and stimulate discussions. Framing or reframing challenges / problems. Etc.

Exploring the solution space: Generating, screening, and prioritising ideas / interventions for systemic and behavioral change. Continuously developing, testing, and adapting tentative solutions through storytelling, rapid prototyping, experimentation, simulation, and piloting. Defining stakeholder and business impact. Crafting compelling stories and value cases for change. Identifying roadblocks, creating roadmaps, defining requirements, and mobilising resources for implementation and sustained success. Establishing a culture of continuous learning and improvement. Etc.

Project sponsors: Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO), SVP Sustainability, COO, CHRO, CEO, or equivalent

Desired outcomes: ↑ ethical conduct, ↑ compliance (with environmental and social regulations), ↑ resource efficiency, ↓ organizational waste, ↓ environmental impact, ↑ resilience and adaptability, ↑ employee engagement, ↑ customer engagement, ↑ brand reputation, ↑ core innovation, ↑ transformational innovation, ↑ organizational learning

For an introduction to systems thinking and disruptive design applied to sustainability and purpose-driven change, check out Richmond (n.d.), Acaroglu (2017), and The Unschool of Disruptive Design (2024).

Note: Thank you, Glyn Griffiths, sustainability expert at PA Dublin, for serving as such a valuable sounding board for this blog post. Any mistakes or shortcomings in the final piece are entirely my responsibility.

Service Design for Organizational Change will be covered in the next blog post.

References

Acaroglu, L. (2017). Tools for systems thinkers: The 6 fundamental concepts of systems thinking. Medium.

Anand, N. & Barsoux, J-L. (2017, Nov–Dec). What everyone gets wrong about change management. Poor execution is only part of the problem. Harvard Business Review.

Richmond, B. (n.d.). The thinking in systems thinking: Eight critical skills. The Systems Thinker.

The Unschool of Disruptive Design. (2024). Upskill with the Unschool.

Robert Bau 4/15/24 Robert Bau 4/15/24

Going for gold • 4

Service Design for Operational Excellence

4. Service Design for Operational Excellence

Purpose: Crafting approaches, strategies, services, processes, and tools to improve service productivity, quality, and profitability. Service quality is defined as a “high standard of performance that consistently meets or exceeds customer expectations” (Wirtz & Lovelock, 2016).

Note: See also my blog posts Going for gold • 5 and Lean & mean innovation machine • 1.

Common themes: The Toyota Way. Lean thinking. DOWNTIME (8 types of waste). Customer focus and feedback (Voice of the Customer). Service performance, productivity, and quality. Process mapping, journey mapping, and flow charting. Service quality gaps. Standardizing and optimizing workflows. Digitizing and digitalizing processes. Standardisation. Demand patterns, demand management, and capacity management. Automation and RPA (robotic process automation). Continuous learning and improvement. Kaizen. Data-driven, fact-based decision making. Simulation and modelling. Agile ways of working. ISO certification. Return on Quality. Etc.

Project archetypes:

Designing for waste elimination. Streamlining service processes (for value facilitation and co-creation) to reduce variability, inefficiencies, and environmental impact while enhancing service productivity and quality. Key strategies include identifying and reducing sources of waste (think: DOWNTIME); eliminating non-value-added activities, ensuring every step adds value from the customer’s perspective; digitizing and digitalizing processes and workflows; and establishing robust protocols and procedures for effective complaint handling and service recovery.
Note: See the four project archetypes below for additional strategies to minimize waste and maximize customer value.
Example: Amazon uses data-driven decision-making, lean supply chain practices, and advanced automation to streamline operations.
Designing for standardization and adaptability. Balancing standardization and adaptability to create reliable and repeatable systems, processes, and servicescapes that can be easily replicated or scaled (across different contexts, locations, and time zones) while maintaining the same levels of service quality, productivity, and profitability. This may involve taking a modular approach, where certain components are standardized to ensure consistency and efficiency (such as CRM systems, production processes, and onboarding), while other components are adapted to fit local needs and preferences (such as service delivery processes, marketing activities, and DEI training).
Note: Replicating involves duplicating service processes and systems exactly as they are in different contexts or locations. Scaling involves expanding service capabilities to handle increased volume, complexity, or geographical reach. (Inspired by Grönroos, 2007; Normann, 2000.)
Example: McDonald’s standardizes cooking processes, equipment, and training programs while localising (to a certain degree) restaurant designs, menu items, and marketing campaigns.
Designing for automation and augmentation in a team-centric way. Automating tasks and workflows using the power of NLP, RPA, and Intelligent Automation to improve accuracy, reduce time-to-completion, ensure reliability, enhance service productivity, elevate service quality, free up capacity, and improve quality of life (see, e.g., Gupta, 2023; Porwal, 2024). Additionally, by augmenting human capabilities with next-gen AI and XR technologies, project teams can evolve into ‘superteams,’ where human and non-human team members work seamlessly side by side (Schwartz et al., 2020). This approach is particularly valuable during moments in the project lifecycle that benefit from increased firepower and alternative perspectives – such as sensemaking, systematic ideation, or participatory decision-making. Successful implementation of automation and augmentation requires ethical guidelines, redesigned workflows, robust tools, emotional intelligence, data governance, and intentional upskilling.
Note: Enabling or emerging technologies for automation and augmentation include ML (machine learning), NLP (natural language processing), RPA (robotic process automation), adaptive AI, IA (intelligent automation, infusing RPA with AI), cobots (collaborative robots), digital twins, MR (mixed reality, combining elements of both VR and AR), blockchain, IoT (Internet of Things), AI-powered collaboration tools, drone technology, edge computing, edge AI, etc.
Example: The Salesforce Einstein Automate platform combines RPA with AI capabilities to help clients automate a wide range of tasks and workflows, such as customer support, personalized content, patient scheduling, inventory management, loan approval, risk assessment, and so on.
Designing for optimal utilization. Balancing demand and capacity to utilize staff, labor, equipment, and facilities as productively as possible, particularly in the face of fluctuating demand. Strategies to manage capacity include stretching capacity levels and adjusting capacity to match demand. Strategies to manage demand include reducing demand in peak times, increasing demand during low periods, configuring effective queuing systems, implementing reservation systems, and reducing perceived waiting time. (Wirtz & Lovelock, 2016)
Example: Starbucks uses demand forecasting and workforce management techniques to balance staffing levels with customer demand.
Fostering culture of continuous improvement. Building and nurturing a culture of continuous improvement to sustain operational excellence and competitiveness. This involves engaging all employees in identifying and implementing improvements. It also requires consistently acting on feedback from customers, employees, and other stakeholders. Additionally, promoting life-long learning where employees continually acquire new skills and knowledge, is essential. This bottom-up and outside-in approach fosters accountability, empowerment, and customer-centricity.
Example: Ritz-Carlton conducts daily line-ups where employees gather to share stories and discuss ways to enhance service, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and exceptional customer service.

Alternative/complementary methodologies & toolkits: Lean Service for optimizing service delivery and improving workplace efficiency (with tools such as value stream mapping, service blueprinting, 5S, Kaizen, and root cause analysis). Six Sigma for improving service quality by removing the causes of defects and minimizing variability in service production and delivery processes (tools: DMAIC, VOC, SIPOC, fishbone diagrams, control charts, FMEA, etc.). Total Quality Management for enhancing the quality and performance of service delivery (tools: PDCA, SERVQUAL, QFD, service blueprinting, Pareto analysis, root cause analysis, etc.). Theory of Constraints for addressing critical bottlenecks in service delivery (tools: current reality tree, future reality tree, five focusing steps, etc.). Business Process Reengineering for fundamentally rethinking and redesigning core service processes (tools: value stream mapping, process mapping, benchmarking, gap analysis, root cause analysis, etc.). Robotic Process Automation (RPA) for automating routine, repetitive, and rule-based tasks in service production and delivery processes, Intelligent Automation (IA) for handling non-routine, complex tasks and end-to-end workflows with cognitive abilities, and Hyperautomation for automating as many business and IT processes as possible. Queue management software for managing customer flows in real-time and simulation tools for predicting and optimizing queue performance (by modelling different scenarios). Agile and the Scrum framework for managing and delivering projects in service organizations (tools: sprint planning; product and sprint backlogs; daily scrums/standups; sprint reviews and retrospectives; epics and user stories; etc.).

Supplementary methodologies & toolkits: Design thinking and human-centered design. CX and EX management. Knowledge management. Change management.

Exploring the problem space: Understanding the broader context. Identifying customer needs and pain points. Mapping existing processes. Collecting and analyzing quantitative data. Identifying areas of inefficiency/waste. Framing opportunity spaces for improvement. Determining ambition levels. Establishing objectives, defining KPIs, and setting baselines. Crafting tentative North Star. Designing provocations to challenge assumptions, provoke reactions, and stimulate discussions. Framing or reframing challenges/problems. Etc.

Exploring the solution space: Generating, screening, and prioritising improvement ideas. Continuously testing and adapting tentative solutions through storytelling, rapid prototyping, experimentation, simulation, and piloting. Defining stakeholder and business impact. Crafting compelling stories and value cases for change. Identifying roadblocks, creating roadmaps, defining requirements, and mobilising resources for implementation and sustained success. Establishing a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence – through Kaizen principles, leadership support, upskilling, continuous experimentation, feedback loops, customer involvement/co-creation, revamped performance management systems, revised KPIs, and transparent communication. Etc.

Project sponsors: CIO, COO, CHRO, CFO, CEO, or equivalent

Desired outcomes: ↑ efficiency, ↓ organizational waste, ↑ compliance, ↑ quality, ↑ cost savings, ↑ flexibility, ↑ employee engagement, ↑ customer satisfaction, ↑ customer loyalty, ↑ core/process innovation, ↑ organizational learning

Note: For a rock solid introduction to service processes, service productivity, service quality, and service performance in service organizations, check out chapters 8, 9, 14, and 15 in Wirtz & Lovelock (2016).

Power tip: For all project types, harness the power of data analytics – including descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive analytics – to gain deep insights into past performance, forecast future trends, and recommend optimal courses of action.

Service Design for Ethical Circularity will be covered in the next blog post.

References

Anand, N. & Barsoux, J-L. (2017, Nov–Dec). What everyone gets wrong about change management. Poor execution is only part of the problem. Harvard Business Review.

Grönroos, C. (2007). Service management and marketing: Customer management in service eompetition. John Wiley & Sons.

Gupta, S.K. (2023). The importance of human-centered automation in manufacturing. Forbes.

Normann, R. (2000). Service management: Strategy and leadership in service business. Wiley.

Porwal, Y. (2024). From RPA to Intelligent Automation to Hyperautomation – the progression of business process automation. Binmile.

Schwartz, J., et al. (2020, May). Superteams. Putting AI in the group. Deloitte.

Wirtz, J. & Lovelock, C. (2016). Services Marketing: People, technology, strategy (8th ed.). World Scientific Publishing.

Robert Bau 2/1/24 Robert Bau 2/1/24

Going for gold • 3

Service Design for Employee Engagement

3. Service Design for Employee Engagement

Purpose: Crafting purpose-driven operating models, policies, services, workflows, tools, and rituals to help leaders, employees, and teams grow, perform, and thrive in the workplace.

Common themes: Purpose-driven organizations and brands to provide meaning, focus, and direction. Career/employee journeys. Talent and performance management. X-capability collaboration. Diversity, equity, and inclusion. Employee engagement and empowerment. Health, wellbeing, and safety. Learning & development. Hybrid work. Customer centricity and intelligence. Continuous learning and improvement. ESG and CSR. Systemic and systematic creativity and innovation. Organizational and employee adaptability and resilience. Emotional intelligence at work. Operating models, work structures, culture(s), and leadership for the future. Agile organizations, functions, and work structures (e.g., holacracies). DevOps, DesignOps, and InnovationOps.

Project archetypes:

Designing the purpose-driven, people-centric North Star. Crystallizing, dramatizing, and socializing a compelling purpose and vision that outlines how the organization will address pressing issues, tackle complex challenges, drive massive change, and ultimately make a positive impact on people, society, and the planet (see, e.g., Cone, 2022; Mau, 2004; Norman, 2023). The purpose statement provides a clear answer to the questions, ‘Why do you get out of bed every morning?,’ ‘Why does your organization exist?,’ and ‘Why should that matter to anyone else?’ (Sinek, 2009). The vision statement describes the desired future state by painting a vivid picture of what success looks like. The North Star should generate excitement, build alignment, guide decision-making, shape behavior, and ultimately drive innovation.
Examples: Tesla’s mission adopted in 2016 – ‘Accelerating the world’s transition to sustainable energy;’ Starbuck’s mission adopted in 2008 – ‘To inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time;’ and CVS Health’s mission and vision in 2014 – ‘Helping people on their path to better health’ and ‘To help people live longer, healthier, happier lives.’
Power tip: To reinforce the North Star, consider incorporating elements such as BHAGs (Big, Hairy, Audacious Goals), corporate values/beliefs, and guiding principles. To track progress towards the North Star, add strategic milestones and a robust measurement system.
Designing for employee journeys and performance. Ensuring an engaging, cohesive, seamless, and supportive experience throughout the entire journey with an organization, from bonjour to au revoir. This includes crafting employee-centric services, tools, and rituals to elevate moments that matter in the employee/career journey, such as recruitment, onboarding, professional development, professional networking, performance management, career development/transition, life transition, benefits engagement, offboarding, and alumni engagement. (Whitter, 2019; Meister & Mulcahy, 2016; Morgan, 2017; and others)
Designing for team journeys and performance. Ensuring self-organizing teams are equipped and enabled to build collective intelligence, improve collaboration, and boost performance (especially in hybrid work environments). This involves crafting team-centric spaces, services, products, tools, workflows, and rituals to elevate moments that matter in the project lifecycle, from recruitment & onboarding to offboarding & transitioning.
Note: For more information, please see Bau (2023) or, for a taster, my blog post Let’s accomplish amazing things together.
Designing for effective DesignOps (or equivalent). Equipping multi-disciplinary innovation, design, and delivery teams with the systems, services, workflows, tools, and skills they need to unlock creativity, drive efficiencies, and produce high-quality deliverables at scale. This involves standardizing workflows, integrating fit-for-purpose tools, building effective design systems, promoting collaboration and co-creation, fostering a culture of continuous learning, and aligning design processes with broader organizational goals. (See, e.g., DesignOps Assembly, 2024; Merholz & Skinner, 2016.)
Fostering culture of customer excellence. Building and nurturing a customer-centric culture where human needs and preferences are at the heart of every conversation, decision, action, process, and strategy. This involves equipping both backstage and frontline teams with the data, tools, training, support, and empowerment needed for effective value facilitation and co-creation. Additionally, it encompasses designing policies, platforms, services, procedures, touchpoints, and incentives required for exceptional customer service, effective multi-channel support, robust service recovery, and continuous learning & adaptation. (Franz, 2022; Goodman, 2009; and others)

Note: To keep it simple, I am here assuming that all project types are relevant regardless of where the organization falls on the spectrum between the hierarchical, command-and-control model and the fluid, network-based holacracy. For building and nurturing a culture of sustainability, see my blog post Going for gold • 5.

Complementary methodologies & toolkits: Strategic thinking. Business agility. Operating models. Organizational culture(s). Employee experience. Design research. Design thinking. Service design. Behavioural design. Process/workflow design. DEI design. Workplace design. Workplace/employee wellbeing. Knowledge management. Etc.

Exploring the problem space: Understanding the broader context. Exploring organizational & HR strategies, operating models, cultures, and change needs. Defining employee mindsets / archetypes / personas. Defining moments that matter in end-to-end career journeys and employee experiences (from Bonjour to Au Revoir). Uncovering unmet, underserved, or overserved employee needs in these moments. Uncovering deep insights across multiple research methods and sources. Identifying opportunity spaces for improvement. Framing or reframing challenges/problems. Brainstorming initial ideas and hypotheses. Etc.

Exploring the solution space: Generating compelling ideas and crafting holistic concepts (ideally in a series of co-creation sessions with employees, leaders, and HR professionals). Setting strategic directions and creating strategic platforms. Continuously testing ideas, concepts, and strategies for desirability, feasibility, viability, etc. (through rapid prototyping, experimentation, and piloting). Continuously adapting, downselecting, and prioritising tentative solutions. Defining stakeholder and business impact. Crafting compelling stories and value cases for change. Identifying roadblocks, defining requirements, and mobilising resources for implementation and sustained success. Etc.

Project sponsors: CHRO, Chief Diversity Officer, SVP People & Culture, SVP Employee Experience, CXO, CEO, or equivalent

Desired outcomes: ↑ organizational agility, ↑ innovation capacity, ↑ x-capability collaboration, ↑ organizational/strategic alignment, ↓ organizational waste, ↑ employee engagement, ↑ employee/team health & wellness, ↑ employee satisfaction, ↑ employee loyalty, ↑ employee retention, ↑ customer satisfaction, ↑ NPS, ↑ customer loyalty, ↑ brand advocacy

Note: Desired outcomes could also cover effectiveness and efficiency indicators to measure performance in moments that matter (e.g., emotions evoked, goal fulfilment, effort levels).

Service Design for Operational Excellence will be covered in the next blog post.

References

Anand, N. & Barsoux, J-L. (2017, Nov–Dec). What everyone gets wrong about change management. Poor execution is only part of the problem. Harvard Business Review.

DesignOps Assembly. (2024). Learn about DesignOps.

Franz, A. (2022). Built to win: Designing a customer-centric culture that drives value for your business. Advantage Media Group.

Goodman, J.A. (2009). Strategic customer service: Managing the customer experience to increase positive word of mouth, build loyalty, and maximize profits. AMACOM.

Meister, J. & Mulcahy, K.J. (2016). The future workplace experience: 10 rules for mastering disruption in recruiting and engaging employees. McGraw Hill.

Merholz, P. & Skinner, K. (2016). Org design for design orgs: Building and managing in-house design teams. O’Reilly.

Morgan, J. (2017). The employee experience advantage: How to win the war for talent by giving employees the workspaces they want, the tools they need, and a culture they can celebrate. Wiley.

Whitter, B. (2019). Employee experience: Develop a happy, productive and supported workforce for exceptional individual and business performance. Kogan Page.

Robert Bau 12/15/23 Robert Bau 12/15/23

Going for gold • 2

Service Design for Customer Excellence

2. Service Design for Customer Excellence

Purpose: Crafting approaches, strategies, services, processes, and tools to make customer experiences feel reliable, convenient, engaging, enjoyable, and meaningful. (Feel free to replace ‘customer’ with passenger, guest, patient, resident, citizen, client, partner, consumer, end-user, or whichever term makes sense to you.)

Note: All CX work in the context of service design should include both the onstage and backstage components required for effective service production and delivery; please see my blog post Bringing down the house • 1 for a lighthearted introduction to the 7Ps of services marketing.

Common themes: Core product and supplementary services. Production & delivery processes. Three experience phases (pre-delivery, point-of-delivery, post-delivery – or pre-purchase, service encounter, post-encounter) with moments that matter and prioritised touchpoints. Customer segments, mindsets, archetypes, and/or personas. Diversity, equity, and inclusion. Customer outcomes/goals/jobs. Customer activities, customer–provider interactions, and customer–employee interactions. Customer moods and emotions. High-touch and low-touch engagement models. Frontline employees and backstage teams. Service roles and scripts. Line of visibility (between onstage and backstage components). Value creation, value facilitation, and value co-creation. Unmet, underserved, or overserved needs. Pain/friction points. Service quality gaps. Experience mapping. Journey management. Self-service technologies. Customer onboarding and training. Customer churn, retention, and loyalty. Customer feedback systems. Customer service and support. Customer complaints and service recovery. Value propositions, service packages (customer offerings), and service tiering. Etc.

Project archetypes:

Designing for value creation & co-creation. Exploring new or improved ways to enable and empower customers in their value creation process. This involves uncovering untapped sources of value creation, defining new or improved ways for customers to engage in value creation, identifying opportunities for value facilitation and co-creation, and crafting new value propositions, customer offerings, and service tiers. (Based on Grönroos, 2011; Wirtz & Lovelock, 2016; and others.)
Examples: Airbnb (peer-to-peer business model, dynamic pricing tools, AirCover for hosts and guests, etc.), Tesla (EV charging solutions and infrastructure), Lego (LEGO Ideas), and Spotify (tiered offerings for different lifestyles and budgets).
Note: For more information about value co-creation, plesae see my blog post Get the balance right! • 2.
Designing for personalization & customization. Proactively and dynamically tailoring the end-to-end experience to meet individual needs and preferences while actively engaging customers in the co-innovation, co-creation, co-design, co-development, co-production, and co-marketing of products and services. This requires harnessing the power of data analytics, behavioral economics, relationship management, mass customization, modularity, and AI capabilities to deliver personalized content, services, and solutions across multiple touchpoints. (Based on Peppers & Rogers, 1993; Pine, 1992; Gummesson, 2008; and others.)
Examples: Nike (By You), Build-A-Bear Workshop, Amazon, Netflix, Starbucks (My Starbucks Idea), Sephora (Color IQ), Threadless, and Stitch Fix.
Designing for immersion & engagement. Staging engaging, meaningful, and impactful experiences that create a sense of anticipation, build emotional connections, leave lasting memories, and foster unwavering loyalty. This involves various strategies, including defining overarching themes and core concepts, crafting compelling narratives and content, designing multi-sensory and immersive environments, incorporating interactive and hands-on activities, introducing elements of delight and surprise, providing learning and growth opportunities, and fostering a strong sense of community among users. (Based on Pine & Gilmore, 1999; Coleman, 2018; and others.)
Examples: IKEA Experience Centers, Nike House of Innovation, Royal Carribean (onboard experiences, themed environments), and Rapha (clubhouses, cycle clubs, branded rides & events).
Designing for loyalty & advocacy. Engaging and incentivizing customers to actively support and celebrate the brand they love, leading to greater brand reach, higher retention rates, and more organic growth. While the first three project types all aim to encourage loyalty and engagement, this one focuses specifically on creating tiered membership programs with experiential rewards, orchestrating surprise and delight campaigns, offering exclusive access and early releases, and encouraging customers to become co-innovators and co-marketers. Additionally, it involves developing referral and ambassador programs, publicly recognizing and celebrating loyal customers, and building a community platform through online forums, regular events, and user-generated content initiatives.
Examples: Cricut Community; Nike+ and Nike Ambassador Program; Sephora Beauty Insider and Sephora Squad; Rapha (exclusive events, clubhouses, Rapha Cycling Club); Lululemon Ambassador Program; Lego (LEGO CON, LEGO Ideas, LEGO VIP, LEGO Life app); and Apple’s “Shot on iPhone” campaigns.
Note: Specific strategies to reduce customer defections and create effective service recovery systems will be covered in a future blog post.
Fostering culture of journey orchestration. Building and nurturing a culture dedicated to orchestrating seamless experiences across all encounters with the brand(s) throughout the three stages of service delivery (e.g., pre-flight, in-flight, and post-flight experiences). This approach emphasizes the importance of cohesive and fluid transitions not only between online and offline experiences but also between onstage (customer-facing) and backstage (employee-facing) components of the ecosystem. Key strategies include synchronizing customer data and preferences across brands, functions, processes, and touchpoints, as well as proactively identifying and addressing pain points to remove friction throughout the journey. (Based on Risdon & Quattlebaum, 2018; Manning & Bodine, 2012; and others.)
Examples: Warby Parker, USAA, Airbnb, IKEA, Sephora, and Porsche.
Note: See also my blog post Going for gold • 4.

Complementary methodologies/toolkits: Design research. Services marketing / management. Service quality (SERVQUAL or Service Gap Model). Customer experience management. Journey management. Customer segmentation. Outcome-driven innovation (jobs-to-be-done theory). Design thinking. Service and UX design. Ecosystem and experience mapping (value exchange maps, value stream maps, journey maps, service blueprints, flowcharts, etc.). DEI frameworks and toolkits.

Exploring the problem space: Understanding the broader context. Defining customer mindsets / archetypes / personas. Understanding customer drivers, needs, goals, behaviours, and blockers in existing experiences. Crafting mental models to highlight moments that matter, pivotal touchpoints/interactions, common pain points, and unmet customer and employee needs. Uncovering deep insights across multiple research methods and sources. Crafting tentative North Star CX, determining ambition levels, and identifying opportunity spaces for improvement. Framing or reframing challenges/problems. Brainstorming initial ideas and hypotheses. Etc.

Exploring the solution space: Finding smart, emotionally resonant solutions for value creation (empowering customers to get the job done better than today) and value facilitation (empowering frontline staff and back-of-house teams to serve and support customers better than today). Creating smart solutions for effective service recovery (principles, policies, programs, procedures, etc.). Continuously testing tentative solutions through storytelling, rapid prototyping, experimentation, and piloting. Continuously adapting, downselecting, and prioritising tentative solutions. Crafting ideal, future-state end-to-end experiences (onstage and backstage) for prioritised customer segments or mindsets. Defining stakeholder and business impact. Crafting compelling stories and value cases for change. Identifying roadblocks, creating roadmaps, defining requirements, and mobilising resources for implementation and sustained success. Etc.

Project sponsors: CXO, Chief Customer Officer, Chief Brand Officer, Chief Diversity Officer, or equivalent

Desired outcomes: ↑ service quality, ↑ differentiation, ↑ brand buzz, ↑ customer reviews & testimonials, ↑ user-generated content, ↑ brand loyalty (customer retention & advocacy), ↑ customer satisfaction, ↑ NPS, ↑ customer lifetime value

Note: Desired outcomes could also cover effectiveness and efficiency indicators to measure performance in moments that matter (e.g., conversion rates, emotions evoked, effort levels, customer response time).

Power tip: When planning CX-related projects, try to scope them by altitude. High-altitude projects (10,000 to 30,000 ft.) explore the relationships, interconnections, flows, and feedback loops in an entire ecosystem (such as an airport). Mid-altitude projects (2,500 to 10,000 ft.) delve into the interconnections and flows within and between moments that matter (such as check-in, security, and boarding). Finally, low-altitude projects (500 to 2,500 ft.) focus on the flows and interactions of specific activities and touchpoints within a moment that matters (such as checking in with a self-service kiosk).

Service Design for Employee Engagement will be covered in the next blog post.

References

Anand, N. & Barsoux, J-L. (2017, Nov–Dec). What everyone gets wrong about change management. Poor execution is only part of the problem. Harvard Business Review.

Coleman, D. (2018). Building brand experiences: A practical guide to retaining brand relevance. Kogan Page.

Grönroos, C. (2011). Value co-creation in service logic: A critical analysis. Marketing Theory, 11(3), 279–301.

Gummesson, E. (2008). Total relationship marketing (3rd ed.). Routledge.

Holmes, K. (2020). Mismatch: How inclusion shapes design. MIT Press.

Kowalski, S. (2023). Cultural sensitivity training: Developing the basis for effective intercultural communication. Econcise.

Linares, M. (2021, April). Frameworks for measuring product inclusion and product equity. Medium.

Lupton et al. (2021). Extra bold: A feminist, inclusive, anti-racist, nonbinary field guide for graphic designers. Princeton Architectural Press.

Manning, H. & Bodine, K. (2012). Outside in: The power of putting customers at the center of your business. Amazon Publishing.

Meyer, E. (2016). The culture map: Decoding how people think, lead, and get things done across cultures. PublicAffairs.

Microsoft Design. (2016). Inclusive 101 guidebook. Microsoft.

Microsoft Inclusive Design. (2023). Cognitive exclusion. Microsoft.

Noel, L-A. (2023). Design social change: Take action, work toward equity, and challenge status quo. A Stanford d.school guide. Ten Speed Press

Peppers, D. & Rogers, M. (1993). The one-to-one future: Building relationships one customer at a time. Doubleday.

Pine, B.J. (1992). Mass customization. The new frontier in business competition. Harvard Business School Press.

Risdon, C. & Quattlebaum, P. (2018). Orchestrating experiences: Collaborative design for complexity. Rosenfeld Media.

Wirtz, J. & Lovelock, C. (2016). Services Marketing: People, technology, strategy (8th ed.). World Scientific Publishing.

Robert Bau 11/1/23 Robert Bau 11/1/23

Going for gold • 1

Service Design for Disruption & Growth

Inspired by an article in Harvard Business Review about the underlying quests for corporate transformation (Anand & Barsoux, 2017), I have identified seven strategic arenas where the power of service design can transform organizations, teams, and people.

While not strictly MECE, this quest-based classification reveals intriguing differences in terms of purpose, project types, project sponsors, methodologies, and desired outcomes – and stands in sharp contrast to the one-size-fits-all approach often promoted in toolkits for innovation management, new product development, design thinking, and service design.

The seven arenas are:

Service Design for Disruption & Growth
Service Design for Customer Excellence
Service Design for Employee Engagement
Service Design for Operational Excellence
Service Design for Ethical Circularity
Service Design for Organizational Change
Service Design for Equitable Experiences [spanning across the other six arenas]

In the descriptions that follow, I am presuming that many (if not most) service design projects would benefit from an insights-driven, solution-agnostic approach. See my blog post Lean & mean innovation machine • 2 for a deep dive into the differences between upstream and downstream work.

Note: The categories listed above are chosen based on the 80–20 principle. Additional quest or outcome-based categories, such as Service Design for Social Change or Service Design for Community Engagement, may be addressed at a later date. I have intentionally left out sector-specific categories, such as Service Design for Public Services, Service Design for Healthcare, or Service Design for Financial Services, and technology-first categories, such as Service Design for Digital Transformation or Service Design for Medtech.

1. Service Design for Disruption & Growth

Purpose: Crafting purpose-driven, people-centric scenarios, strategies, and concepts to help organisational leaders place strategic bets on the future and invest in transformational endeavours with confidence. In this context, strategic bets are ‘big ideas’ that uncover new sources of value by either reinventing the core business or by creating new, ‘never-seen-before’ businesses.

Note: Compared to the unimaginative product-centric approach that pays lip service to services, a genuine service design mindset brings product-service systems, value co-creation, end-to-end experiences, and a multi-actor perspective to the table. See also my blog posts Get the balance right! • 1 and Get the balance right! • 5.

Common themes: Strategic foresight. Weak signals. Speculation and provocation. Scenario planning. Alternative futures. White spaces and opportunity areas. Strategic bets and ‘big ideas’ to shape the future. MAYA. New sources of value. Purpose-driven, people-centric North Stars. Strategic bets. Business model innovation. Value proposition design. Crowdsourcing. Innovation uncertainty/risk. Innovation portfolio management. Backcasting. Roadmaps. Corporate storytelling. Etc.

Project archetypes:

Designing for reinvention (of the core business). Identifying and exploiting opportunities to reinvent, revitalize, and reposition the core/legacy business or businesses. This means rethinking and redesigning business models, strategies, processes, and services to improve relevance, differentiation, and competitiveness.
Examples: Rolls-Royce’s ‘Power by the Hour’ model in 1962; Starbucks’ ‘third place experience’ in 1987; Netflix’s streaming service in 2007; and Allstate’s Drivewise program in 2010.
Designing for adjacent innovation. Identifying and exploiting opportunities to create adjacent, ‘close-to-the-core’ businesses. This means leveraging existing capabilities, assets, data, technologies, and market knowledge to create new products, services, and revenue streams.
Examples: Virgin Direct in 1995; easyCar in 2000; Amazon FBA in 2006; Facebook Marketplace in 2016; ING’s Yolt Technology Services in 2019; and Homes & Villas by Marriott International in 2019.
Designing for organizational disruption. Identifying and exploiting opportunities to envision ‘new-to-the-core’ businesses. This approach leverages novel insights, processes, or technologies to create business models and value propositions that mark a significant departure from historical offerings.
Examples: IBM Watson in 2011; Adobe Creative Cloud in 2013; and Amazon Fresh stores in 2020.
Designing for market disruption. Identifying and exploiting opportunities to create uncontested markets or reshape existing ones. Market disruptions often displace established industry boundaries, business models, products, and services, affecting not just a single organization but the entire ecosystem. (See, e.g., Kim & Mauborgne, 2005; Christensen, 1997.)
Examples: Outsiders disrupting industry structures and dynamics include Cirque du Soleil in 1984, Airbnb in 2008, and Uber in 2009. Solid service-based examples from established companies include Google AdWords in 2000 and Amazon Web Services in 2006.
Fostering a culture of innovation and change. Building and nurturing a culture of continuous innovation and change throughout the organization. This involves crafting employee-centric spaces, services, playbooks, toolkits, tools, workflows, rituals, and incentives to help leaders and teams navigate change, build resilience, foster x-capability collaboration, build creative confidence, encourage experimentation, seek continuous feedback, and capture lessons learned.
Note: For more information about top-down and bottom-up initiatives to drive innovation and change, please see my blog posts Comparing & contrasting innovation & change roles and Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes.

Competing/complementary methodologies & toolkits: Strategic foresight and futuring (environmental scanning, trend analysis, speculative thinking, scenario planning, etc.). Technology roadmapping. Design fiction and design provocation. Lateral thinking. Blue Ocean Strategy. Business model innovation. Outcome-based innovation (jobs-to-be-done theory). Sinek’s Golden Circle. Open innovation. Doblin’s Ten Types of Innovation framework. Value proposition design. Lean startup. Strategic thinking. Design thinking. Product & service design. Innovation portfolio management. Etc.

Supplementary methodologies & toolkits: Systems thinking. Strategic management. TRIZ. Vertical and horizontal brand extensions. Agile development. Change management. Etc.

Exploring the problem space: Understanding industry and market dynamics. Understanding organisational strategies, operating models, cultures, and change needs. Analysing current solution portfolio (products/services/experiences). Exploring alternative futures and defining plausible scenarios. Crafting tentative North Star and BHAGs. Determining innovation ambition levels. Visualising and analysing current innovation portfolio/pipeline. Identifying white spaces and opportunity areas for innovation. Designing provocations to challenge assumptions, provoke reactions, and stimulate discussions. Framing or reframing challenges/problems. Etc.

Exploring the solution space: Crafting and prototyping ‘big ideas’ for the future (imagine alternative business models, strategies, value props, production & delivery systems, etc., to either reinvent the core business or create new businesses). Continuously testing tentative solutions through storytelling, rapid prototyping, experimentation, and piloting. Continuously adapting, downselecting, and prioritising tentative solutions. Defining stakeholder and business impact. Crafting compelling stories and value cases for change. Identifying roadblocks, creating roadmaps, defining requirements, and mobilising resources for implementation and sustained success. Etc.

Project sponsors: Chief Innovation Officer, Chief Brand Officer, Chief Strategy Officer, CEO, or equivalent

Desired outcomes: ↓ innovation risk, ↑ clarity/focus, ↑ agility and responsiveness, ↑ organizational learning, ↑ engagement, ↑ organisational learning, ↑ business growth (new sources of value and revenue streams), ↑ long-term differentiation and competitiveness, ↑ business growth (new sources of value and revenue streams), ↑ brand reputation

Power tip: The first four project archetypes can be visualized as a maturity ladder, with each step representing an increasing degree of departure from the core/legacy business. The ladder also indicates the corresponding level of risk, ranging from relatively low to relatively high. Throughout this innovation journey, let the North Star (see blog post Going for gold • 3) serve as your lighthouse to guide your innovation efforts and strategic decision-making.

Service Design for Customer Excellence will be covered in the next blog post.

References

Anand, N. & Barsoux, J-L. (2017, Nov–Dec). What everyone gets wrong about change management. Poor execution is only part of the problem. Harvard Business Review.

Christensen, C.M. (1997). The innovator's dilemma: When new technologies cause great firms to fail. Harvard Business Review Press.

Cone, C. (2022). What does a purpose-driven company look like? 5 ways brands with a purpose make positive impact. The 360 Blog. Salesforce.

Kim, W. C., & Mauborgne, R. (2005). Blue Ocean Strategy: How to create uncontested market space and make the competition irrelevant. Harvard Business Review Press.

Norman, D. A. (2023). Design for a better world: Meaningful, sustainable, humanity-centered. MIT Press.

Mau, B. (2004). Massive change. Phaidon Press.

Sinek, S. (2009). Start with Why: How great leaders Inspire everyone to take action. Portfolio.

Robert Bau 9/1/23 Robert Bau 9/1/23

Let’s accomplish amazing things together

Nine HR services to boost team performance

Operating in a post-pandemic world, progressive HR functions play a strategic role in driving collaboration, adaptability, and innovation across organizations. The shift to more fluid operating models will inescapably lead to adaptive work structures and self-organizing teams. How might HR empower project teams to collaborate and perform dramatically better than today?

It takes hard work to work well together, especially in hybrid work environments. High-performing teams are equipped and enabled to lead with clarity, embody a growth mindset, forge healthy relationships, embrace cultural differences, and achieve outstanding results. And high-performing teams are equipped and enabled to stage equitable, engaging, and effective collaborative experiences regardless of where, when, and how team members choose to work.

Based on my experience of directing and leading North Star EX projects for large organizations since 2018, I have written an article in Touchpoint about how HR can help people accomplish amazing things together in project-based knowledge work (Bau, 2023). Please find below an overview of nine services that HR could deliver to improve collaboration and boost performance in project teams.

Nine HR services to boost team performance

As an internal service provider, HR could deliver nine types of coaching services that empower project teams to build collective intelligence, improve collaboration, and boost performance. These enabling, team-level services can be divided into three overlapping categories (Bau, 2023):

(A) Building and maintaining healthy, well-balanced teams

(B) Embracing continuous feedback, learning, and adaptation

Category A: Building and maintaining healthy, well-balanced teams

A1. Coaching for Team Recruitment. HR service that helps leaders form well-balanced and dynamic teams in terms of aptitude, personality, diversity, size, and governance (in the context of project requirements). This service is not only offered in the project initiation phase but also in the project execution phase (as teams grow or shrink due to changing project requirements).
A2. Coaching for Team Onboarding & Offboarding. HR service that empowers newly formed (or reconfigured) teams to lead with clarity, foster sense of belonging, build mutual trust and respect, and forge healthy relationships. Important themes include clarity of purpose, plan, and reponsibility (Rosenstein, n.d.) as well as emotional and cultural intelligence on a team level (see, e.g., Center for Creative Leadership, 2020). This service is offered in the project initiation, project execution, and project closure phases (as teams grow or shrink due to changing project requirements).
A3. Coaching for Team Health & Wellbeing. HR service that empowers project teams to take joint responsibility for their physical, social, and mental health and wellbeing. Important themes include: healthy work/life balance; workplace health & safety; team motivation & engagement; team adaptability & resilience; team diversity, equity & inclusion; and proactive conflict management.

Bau (2023)

Category B: Embracing continuous feedback, learning, and adaptation

B1. Coaching for Team Leadership & Appraisal. HR services that (a) equip and empower leaders to foster team growth and empowerment through servant leadership, and (b) equip and empower autonomous teams to become truly self-managing, self-designing, and self-governing. This includes new ways of recognising and rewarding performance – shifting the focus from infrequent, top-down assessments of individuals to continuous, multi-directional assessments of teams.
B2. Coaching for Team Learning & Development. HR service that empowers teams to embark on learning journeys, foster a learning/growth mindset, and boost their learning power. Important themes include: T-shaped team members; in-project upskilling & x-skilling; ongoing, situational, and multi-directional feedback; continuous reflection, learning, and adaptation; post-project debriefing; and knowledge management.
B3. Lean Coaching for Teams. HR service that empowers teams to make continuous improvements in projects based on uncovering, analysing, and resolving process inefficiencies, quality gaps, project impediments, performance blockers, conflict triggers, blind spots, sustainability issues, etc.

Bau (2023)

Category C: Supercharging people and teams for success

C1. Hybrid Work Coaching for Teams. Joint HR+IT service that helps project teams stage hyper-personalised, hyper-immersive collaborative experiences regardless of where, when, and how team members choose to work (based on Gartner’s four collaboration modes in hybrid work environments (Baker, 2021)). This includes leveraging enabling technologies such as intelligent/smart spaces, intelligent automation, adaptive AI, cloud-based ‘superapps,’ VR/XR, spatial audio, and decentralised infrastructure. Holistic B2B solutions (hardware, software, services) for inclusive meeting experiences for people and teams exist already in the marketplace (see, for example, Microsoft Teams Rooms with Logitech products such as Rally Bar, Sight, and Scribe).
C2. Performance Coaching for Teams. HR service that proactively guides teams in moments that matter in the project lifecycle to unleash human potential, foster creativity, and boost performance based on thinking modes, collective intelligence, best practices, ideal workflows, and continuous feedback. This service is important for moments in the project lifecycle that have an oversized impact on team performance and value co-creation, such as data collection & sensemaking, ideation & concepting, and participatory decision-making.
C3. Coaching for Team Augmentation. Joint HR+IT service that empowers teams to work seamlessly with the emerging capabilities of machine learning, adaptive AI, intelligent automation, and cobots (collaborative robots). This includes crafting ethical guidelines, redesigning workflows, introducing tools, and building capabilities that help teams evolve into ‘superteams,’ where human and non-human team members work effortlessly and effectively side by side. (Adapted from Schwartz, Mallon & Van Durme, 2020) This service is important for moments in the project lifecycle that would benefit from increased firepower and alternative points of view, such as data collection & sensemaking, ideation & concepting, continuous feedback & improvement, and participatory decision-making.

Bau (2023)

Core and supplementary touchpoints

All nine services would be delivered primarily through on-site or remote in-person coaching. Supplementary touchpoints range from customisable how-to guides and playbooks to AI-assisted chatbots and team simulations (Bau, 2023). See the HR engagement matrix, figure 1.

Figure 1. The HR engagement matrix: Four types of touchpoints in team coaching services (Bau, 2023)

To learn more about the ins and outs of collaboration, high-performing teams, and the strategic roles HR can play to boost team performance, please check out my article ‘Empowering people to accomplish amazing things together’ in Touchpoint Vol. 14 No. 1 (Bau, 2023). (Touchpoint is the journal of service design published by SDN; in this issue, you will find plenty of interesting articles about the intersection of service design and employee experience.)

References

Baker, M. (June 14, 2021). 4 modes of collaboration are key to success in hybrid work. Gartner.

Bau, R. (2023). Empowering people to accomplish amazing things together. Nine HR services to dramatically boost team performance. Touchpoint, 14(1), 72–77.

Center for Creative Leadership. (2020, September 9). Leading a multicultural team. www.ccl.org.

Rosenstein, J. (n.d.). How to lead with clarity of purpose, plan, and responsibility. Wavelength. Asana.

Schwartz, J., Mallon, D., & Van Durme, Y. (2020, May 15). Superteams: Putting AI in the group. Deloitte.

Robert Bau 8/15/23 Robert Bau 8/15/23

Lean & mean innovation machine • 6

Nine types of waste in upstream projects

In the world of software/product development, waste refers to any team activity that does not add value from the customer’s perspective. By continuously identifying and eliminating waste, agile teams can dramatically boost productivity and improve quality of work. What are the implications for x-functional teams working in the fuzzy front-end of service innovation?

In this blog post, I will reintroduce the nine types of waste, present five strategic ways to eliminate waste, and discuss the pros and cons of looking at team performance through the lens of lean thinking and agile practices.

Recap: Wastes 1–9 in upstream innovation projects

W1. The cost of incongruity. The team is creating project deliverables, assets, and solutions that do not seem to fit organizational quests, cultures, and/or capabilities.

W2. The cost of irrelevance. The team is creating deliverables, assets, and solutions that service actors do not seem to need, want, or use.

W3. The cost of complexity. The team is creating project deliverables, assets, and solutions that service actors find too complex to understand, implement, adopt, adapt, and/or reuse.

W4. The cost of rework. The team is altering delivered work that should have been done correctly but was not.

W5. The cost of idle/waiting time. The team (or team member) is waiting for input and/or spending time on low-priority/non-value-added steps, activities, or tasks.

W6. The cost of distractions. The team (or team member) is getting sidetracked by internal or external time-wasters.

W7. The cost of extraneous cognitive load. The team (or team member) is suffering from unneeded expenditure of mental energy.

W8. The cost of psychological distress. The team (or team member) is burdened with unhelpful stress, which may lead to physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion.

W9. The cost of non-utilized talent and knowledge loss. The team is suffering from underutilization and/or loss of knowledge, skills, and experience.

Figure 1. Nine types of waste in upstream innovation projects mapped to the dimensions Product, Process, and People. By continuously identifying and eliminating waste, agile teams can boost productivity (Process + People) and improve quality of work (Product + People).

Five strategic ways to reduce/minimize/eliminate wastes 1-9

► Take a step back and look at the bigger picture

Craft a human-centered, purpose-driven North Star; build a compelling case for change; and instill a sense of urgency (across the organization)
Uncover long-term opportunities for industry and market disruption (rather than ‘just’ chasing short-term value creation)
Identify portfolio gaps based on long-term consumer trends, emerging technology, and industry disruptions
Flatten hierarchies and smash silos through decentralized decision-making, self-managing units and groups, radical transparency, and knowledge sharing
Retrain leaders to become coaches and servant leaders (facilitative leadership)
Recruit people with a customer-centric, collaborative, creative, and entrepreneurial mindset
Promote agile and customer-centric ways of working, and recognize and reward the right behaviors
Drive continuous learning and improvement, encourage talent mobility and skill-building, and bolster diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts
Hold leaders accountable for healthy workplaces, lifestyles, and behaviors
Redesign/optimize team workflows for moments that matter in the project lifecycle (such as onboarding, data collection, and participatory decision-making) built on best practices and best-in-class collaboration tools
Build capabilities in machine learning, adaptive AI, and intelligent automation to add firepower and alternative perspectives in moments that matter (such as collective sensemaking and systematic ideation).
Shape compelling projects that provide purpose, meaning, focus, and direction for teams
Introduce systems, workflows, and rituals for capturing, storing, sharing, and transferring knowledge.

► Set teams & members up for success

Redesign recruiting & onboarding processes for better team composition and dynamics
Provide training to improve collaboration and boost team performance (critical thinking, lateral thinking, divergent & convergent thinking, hybrid work, etc.)
Clarify project purpose, project plan, and team roles & responsibilities (upfront or over time depending on the ambiguity and ‘fuzziness’ of the project)
Clarify project methodology upfront (and be mindful of mixing and matching methodologies & tools)
Discuss and agree upon the right mix of collaboration modes and tools for hybrid work environments
Manage expectations with project stakeholders and push back early on unreasonable deadlines
Build in slack in project plans
Build in recovery & rest time in and between projects

► Boost team adaptability, nimbleness, velocity, resilience, etc.

Make teams truly autonomous and self-organizing (encourage and empower leaders to let go)
Cultivate a strong, cohesive team culture with shared beliefs, attitudes, rituals, and habits
Embrace the upfront ambiguity and ‘fuzziness’ of upstream projects (don’t emerge/converge too quickly)
Challenge project assumptions, reframe problems, and revise hypotheses through research, experimentation, and prototyping
Insert ample opportunities for experimentation, prototyping, and stakeholder feedback into the end-to-end process
Identify strategic opportunities to stop, reflect, learn, and adapt throughout the process
Encourage in-project upskilling and x-skilling
Encourage teams to make project deliverables, assets, features, and solutions that intentionally can be reused for other projects/programs

► Streamline team workflows & dynamics

Introduce team rituals for feedback, reflection, learning, and adaptation (to continuously remove impediments and optimise the flow of value)
Instil a culture of continuous, multi-directional feedback within the team and between team and stakeholders
Make teams truly autonomous and self-organizing (leaders need to let go)
Encourage and embrace multiple perspectives, workstyles, and personalities
Agree upon team process and rituals for participatory/collaborative decision-making
Incorporate proactive solutions for conflict management
Build team empathy and pay attention to team health & wellness
Introduce the role of an independent process coach (like a Scrum Master)
Redesign workflows and introduce workflow automation of mundane tasks if possible
Use machine learning and adaptive AI to provide extra firepower and alternative perspectives when required
Shield team members from time-wasters (e.g., unnecessary administrative duties)
Simplify support processes and systems (e.g., time & expense management)

► Set stakeholders & end-users up for success

Manage expectations upfront with project stakeholders with regard to project purpose, plan, and timeline (in particular for upstream projects)
Co-create solutions with project stakeholders and end-users for better engagement, relevancy, and buy-in
Simplify and hide complexity in project deliverables, assets, and solutions whenever possible
Co-create business cases, roadmaps, and other assets to streamline implementation efforts
Make it easier for stakeholders and users to understand, embrace, and adopt delivered work through familiarity, compatibility, onboarding, training, incentivization, etc.
Educate/train end-users how to best use delivered work in their day-to-day work or lives

Pros and cons

What are the pros and cons of looking at team performance in upstream innovation projects through the lens of lean thinking and agile practices?

Advantages

Relentless focus on the customer/end-user
Relentless focus on team collaboration, productivity, and performance
Relentless focus on continuous feedback, learning, and improvement
Feels relevant for most (if not all) innovation & delivery methodologies

Disadvantages

Teams or individuals may be resistant to change
Teams may not be empowered to make decisions, overcome impediments, and optimise the flow of value
Teams may not embrace the notion of continuous feedback, learning, and improvement
Teams may struggle to resolve/handle ongoing tensions between productivity and quality of work in specific moments that matter in the project lifecycle (such as data collection & sensemaking or ideation & concepting)
Teams may encounter organizational impediments that prove hard to remove/reduce, such as inappropriate/unhelpful planning cycles, reporting structures, and performance management systems
Investment required for redesigned workflows, team upskilling, new collaboration tools, etc.
No direct reference to how to best manage the golden triangle of project management, or how an agile mindset flips the golden triangle on its head – see Team Asana (2022) for a brief introduction

References

Bau, R. (2020). Nine types of waste in software development [unpublished]. Assignment in PROJ_PMI 403-0. School of Professional Studies, Northwestern University.

Design Partners. (2022). Exploring the problem space: Unleashing the human potential in teams [unpublished]. Project work for DELL about the future of collaboration.

Sedano, T., Ralph, P., & Péraire, C. (2017). Software development waste [Conference paper]. ICSE 2017, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Team Asana. (2022). What is the project management triangle and how can it help your team? Asana.

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Robert Bau 8/1/23 Robert Bau 8/1/23

Lean & mean innovation machine • 5

Nine types of waste in upstream projects

In this blog post, I will introduce three more types of waste that may have an impact on team productivity (and ultimately quality of work) in upstream innovation projects.

Wastes 7–9 in upstream innovation projects

W7. The cost of extraneous cognitive load. The team (or team member) is suffering from unneeded expenditure of mental energy.

W8. The cost of psychological distress. The team (or team member) is burdened with unhelpful stress, which may lead to physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion.

W9. The cost of non-utilized talent and knowledge loss. The team is suffering from underutilization and/or loss of knowledge, skills, and experience.

Reasons why W7–9 may occur in upstream projects

Lack of empathy/support/empowerment. No sense of appreciation or recognition at work. No/limited control over process, workload, or deadlines. No/limited empathy between team members and/or between team and project stakeholders. No safe space for team members to be vulnerable, take risks, and trust each other. No appreciation or recognition for cultural differences in the team (based on ability, age, gender, ethnicity, expertise, etc.). No joint responsibility for the physical, mental, emotional, and social health of team members. No/limited leadership accountability and support for healthy workplaces, lifestyles, and behaviours. Inadequate/ineffectual workplace or team training for topics such as self-organization, hybrid work, emotional & cultural intelligence, continuous feedback & adaptation, and emotional & mental health. Team feedback to leadership, project owners, project sponsors, etc., often ignored or downplayed.
Lack of clarity and direction. Unclear/shifting project scope, purpose, goals, plans, deadlines, backlogs, etc. Unclear/shifting project roles and responsibilities. Ill-defined or poorly designed processes, workflows, and rituals. Poor rightsizing, sequencing, and prioritization of steps and tasks (due to poorly designed workflows, mismanagement of backlogs, scope bloat, etc.). Unclear/shifting/non-existent quality standards and acceptance criteria for project at hand. Scope and feature creep. Inappropriate choice/blend of project/innovation/delivery methodologies. Unnecessary, non-productive, and counterproductive meetings. Disorganized/cluttered digital and physical workspaces.
Lack of focus and engagement. Disengaged, unreliable, or AWOL team members and project stakeholders. No shared understanding of and commitment to project goals and vision. Inability to find purpose and meaning in the work. No sense of belonging and pride due to poor team cohesion/spirit/morale. Unnecessary multitasking due to constant project or task switching. Workday interruptions/diversions (due to social media, household members/pets, household chores, colleagues, pointless meetings/catch-ups, pointless administrative work, unnecessary travel/commuting, etc.). Inadequate/inappropriate team leadership style. Lack of learning/growth mindset within team. No buffer time (in projects or between projects) to recharge and refocus. Team/individual concerns around career progression and job security. Personal issues (e.g., health issues, family matters, financial concerns).
Lack of alignment and synchronisation. High team turnover or churn. No common sense of purpose. No shared beliefs, attitudes, habits, and rituals. Incomplete, incorrect, misleading, inefficient, or absent communication (especially in handoffs, asynchronous work, and hybrid work environments). Team imbalances in terms of composition and dynamics (too big, too small, too fluid, too static, too uniform, too diverse, etc.). Conflicting/contrasting team personalities and workstyles. Ineffectual and inefficient decision-making processes (too authoritarian, too consensus-driven, too myopic, too slow, etc.). Unresolved/lingering team or interpersonal conflicts. Hard-to-manage dependencies on partners, functions, and other teams.
Lack of (timely) information and feedback. No culture of rapid prototyping and experimentation. No culture of continuous feedback, learning, and adaptation. No/slow/insufficient/unclear feedback from project owners, sponsors, and stakeholders. Unreliable or missing project-related information (project documentation, research findings, clarifications, feedback, test results, approvals, etc.). Limited knowledge transfer between team members, teams, and organizational silos. Inadequate systems for systematic feedback and/or knowledge management.
Lack of (timely) access to resources. Hard-to-use, inflexible, unreliable, unavailable, or missing collaboration tools and enablers (think: spaces, furniture, equipment, applications, supporting services, rituals, etc.). Hard-to-find, hard-to-access, or hard-to-utilize resources pertinent to the project at hand (think: data, information, facilities, equipment, software, infrastructure, methods & tools, expertise, leadership, partnerships, etc.).
(Inspired by Sedano et al., 2017; Bau, 2020; Design Partners, 2022; Gallo, 2023; Fernandez, 2016)

References

Bau, R. (2020). Nine types of waste in software development [unpublished]. Assignment in PROJ_PMI 403-0. School of Professional Studies, Northwestern University.

Design Partners. (2022). Exploring the problem space: Unleashing the human potential in teams [unpublished]. Project work for DELL about the future of collaboration.

Fernandez, R. (2016, January). Help your team manage stress, anxiety, and burnout. Harvard Business Review.

Gallo, A. (2023, February). What Is psychological safety? Harvard Business Review.

Sedano, T., Ralph, P., & Péraire, C. (2017). Software development waste [Conference paper]. ICSE 2017, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

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Robert Bau 6/1/23 Robert Bau 6/1/23

Lean & mean innovation machine • 4

Nine types of waste in upstream projects

In this blog post, I will introduce three types of waste that may have an impact on team productivity in upstream innovation projects. Why does it take longer than expected for the team to deliver project-related activities, deliverables, assets, and solutions that meet tacit/explicit quality standards and acceptance criteria?

Wastes 4–6 in upstream innovation projects

W4. The cost of rework. The team is altering delivered work (deliverables, assets, and solutions for value creation, facilitation, and co-creation) that should have been done correctly but was not.

W5. The cost of idle/waiting time. The team (or team member) is waiting for input and/or spending time on low-priority/non-value-added steps, activities, or tasks.

W6. The cost of distractions. The team (or team member) is getting sidetracked by internal or external time-wasters.

Reasons why W4–6 may occur in upstream projects

Lack of clarity and direction. Unclear/shifting project scope, purpose, goals, plans, deadlines, backlogs, etc. Unclear/shifting project roles and responsibilities. Ill-defined or poorly designed processes, workflows, and rituals. Poor rightsizing, sequencing, and prioritization of steps and tasks (due to poorly designed workflows, mismanagement of backlogs, etc.). Unclear/shifting/non-existent quality standards and acceptance criteria for project at hand. Inappropriate choice/blend of project/innovation/delivery methodologies. Unnecessary, non-productive, and counterproductive meetings. Disorganized/cluttered digital and physical workspaces.
Lack of focus and engagement. Disengaged, unreliable, or AWOL team members and project stakeholders. No shared understanding of and commitment to project goals and vision. No sense of belonging and pride due to poor team cohesion/spirit/morale. Unnecessary multitasking due to constant project or task switching. Procrastination. Workday interruptions/diversions (due to social media, household members/pets, household chores, colleagues, pointless meetings/catch-ups, pointless administrative work, unnecessary travel/commuting, etc.). Inadequate/inappropriate team leadership style. Insufficient team capabilities and experience.
Lack of alignment and synchronisation. No common sense of purpose. No shared beliefs, attitudes, habits, and rituals. Incomplete, incorrect, misleading, inefficient, or absent communication (especially in handoffs, asynchronous work, and hybrid work environments). Team imbalances in terms of composition and dynamics (too big, too small, too fluid, too static, too uniform, too diverse, etc.). Conflicting/contrasting team personalities and workstyles. Ineffectual and inefficient decision-making processes (too authoritarian, too consensus-driven, too myopic, too slow, etc.). Unresolved/lingering team or interpersonal conflicts. Hard-to-manage dependencies on partners, functions, and other teams.
Lack of (timely) information and feedback. No culture of rapid prototyping and experimentation. No culture of continuous feedback, learning, and adaptation. No/slow/insufficient/unclear feedback from project owners, sponsors, and stakeholders. Unreliable or missing project-related information (project documentation, research findings, clarifications, feedback, test results, approvals, etc.).
Lack of (timely) access to resources. Hard-to-use, inflexible, unreliable, unavailable, or missing collaboration tools and enablers (think: spaces, furniture, equipment, applications, supporting services, rituals, etc.). Hard-to-find, hard-to-access, or hard-to-utilize resources pertinent to the project at hand (think: data, information, facilities, equipment, software, infrastructure, methods & tools, expertise, leadership, partnerships, etc.)
(Inspired by Sedano et al., 2017; Bau, 2020; Design Partners, 2022; Brower, 2023; Christiansen, 2023)

Wastes 7 to 9 will be covered in the next blog post.

References

Bau, R. (2020). Nine types of waste in software development [unpublished]. Assignment in PROJ_PMI 403-0. School of Professional Studies, Northwestern University.

Brower, T. (2023, June). Distraction, diversion and discontent: The truth about remote work today. Forbes.

Christiansen, B. (2023, May). Defining idle time: How to calculate, interpret, and improve it. Limble.

Design Partners. (2022). Exploring the problem space: Unleashing the human potential in teams [unpublished]. Project work for DELL about the future of collaboration.

Sedano, T., Ralph, P., & Péraire, C. (2017). Software development waste [Conference paper]. ICSE 2017, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

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Robert Bau 6/1/22 Robert Bau 6/1/22

Lean & mean innovation machine • 3

Nine types of waste in upstream projects

In this blog post, I will introduce three types of waste that might may have an impact on quality of work in upstream service innovation projects. The following two blog posts will cover the remaining six types of waste.

Wastes 1–3 in upstream innovation projects

W1. The cost of incongruity. The team is creating project deliverables, assets, and solutions (for value creation, facilitation, and co-creation) that do not seem to fit organizational quests, cultures, and/or capabilities.

W2. The cost of irrelevance. The team is creating deliverables, assets, and solutions that service actors (customers, frontline employees, backstage teams, etc.) do not seem to need, want, or use.

W3. The cost of complexity. The team is creating project deliverables, assets, and solutions that service actors find too complex to understand, implement, adopt, adapt, and/or reuse.

Three big reasons why W1–3 may occur in upstream projects

► Suboptimal ways of working (inspired by Bau, 2020; Sedano et al., 2017; Mersino, 2015; Martin, n.d.; The Global Metacognition Institute, n.d.)

Lack of clarity. Unclear/shifting project scope, purpose, goals, and priorities. Unclear/shifting project roles and responsibilities. Ambiguous/volatile market conditions.
Lack of contextual awareness. Flawed/insufficient knowledge of long-term trends, external environment, organizational quests, organizational culture (and sub-cultures), stakeholder needs, etc.
Lack of empathy. Flawed/insufficient knowledge of service actors (due to arrogance, erroneous assumptions, blind spots, limited research, flawed personas, instable markets, flawed/biased data, etc.).
Lack of critical thinking. Inability to question/challenge briefs, problem statements, hypotheses, requirements, constraints, boundaries, assumptions, labels, etc. – even in the light of new/overwhelming evidence.
Lack of lateral thinking. Inability to generate and screen multiple alternatives (perspectives, options, ideas, etc.) throughout the process.
Lack of simplicity. Inability to address scope creep, verbosity, cluttered thinking, conflicting perspectives, bloated ideas, convoluted segmentation, fuzzy target groups, feature creep, etc.
Lack of modularity. Inability to create solutions based on the notion of interchangeable modules and shared platforms.
Lack of feedback. No/slow/insufficient feedback from project owners, sponsors, and stakeholders during the project.
Lack of metacognitive skills. Inability to identify gaps in knowledge and understanding inside and outside the team. Inability to critically evaluate the validity, credibility, and reliability of knowledge & information sources. Inability to continuously reflect, learn, and adapt during the project. Etc.
Lack of knowledge transfer. No/limited knowledge transfer between team members, between teams, and between team and organization.

► Internal barriers to adoption (inspired by Abernathy & Clark, 1985; Johnson & Scholes, 1999; Day, 2007)

Lack of institutional & technical knowledge. Flawed/insufficient understanding of the organizational capabilities and technical requirements required for the delivery, implementation, and maintenance of envisioned solutions.
Lack of suitability. Project owners feel that envisioned solutions are not aligned with organizational purpose, vision, goals, strategies, portfolio strategy, etc.
Lack of familiarity. Project owners feel that envisioned solutions are distant to existing business models, technical competencies, and markets.
Lack of feasibility. Project owners feel that the organisation/ecosystem lacks the necessary resources and capabilities to utilize project deliverables and deliver envisioned solutions.
Lack of acceptability (in terms of the risk-reward balance). Project owners feel that the chance of success is too low and/or the projected impact is not substantial enough (see blog post Get the balance right! • 5).
Lack of motivation/commitment. No/flawed/insufficient onboarding, training, and incentivization of onstage employees and backstage teams. No shared sense of purpose and meaning in either the work or the impact delivered.
Lack of urgency. No/limited sense of urgency for change across the organization. No purpose-driven, aspirational vision (North Star) that can provide meaning, focus, and direction.

► External barriers to adoption (inspired by Rogers, 2003; Linares, 2021)

Lack of simplicity. The new solutions are perceived by change agents, influencers, and service actors to be difficult or challenging to understand, specify, buy, use, store, and recycle.
Lack of differentiation (or relative advantage). The new solutions are not perceived by change agents, influencers, and service actors to be different or superior to existing solutions in the market.
Lack of compatibility. The new solutions are not in harmony with prevailing norms, values, and beliefs. The new solutions do not fit seamlessly into existing lifestyles and experiences. The new solutions do not fit with existing ideas, networks, and solution ecosystems.
Lack of trialability & observability. The new solutions are deemed difficult to try, test, and experiment with (before purchase). The new solutions (and/or outcomes) are not visible, detectable, or perceptible to non-users.
Lack of familiarity. The new solutions may require onboarding, training, education, and incentivization (of change agents, influencers, and service actors) to encourage uptake and optimize usage.
Lack of representation & equity. The new solutions intentionally or unintentionally exclude marginalized groups from gaining access (equity of access), engaging fully in the end-to-end experience (equity of experience), or benefiting equally from potential outcomes (equity of impact).

Wastes 4 to 9 will be covered in the next two blog posts.

References

Abernathy, W.J. & Clark, K.B. (1985). Innovation: Mapping the winds of creative destruction. In: Tushman, M.L. & Moore, W.L. (Eds.), Readings in the management of innovation (2nd ed.). Harper Business.

Bau, R. (2020). Nine types of waste in software development [unpublished]. Assignment in PROJ_PMI 403-0. School of Professional Studies, Northwestern University.

Day, G. (2007, December). Is it real? Can we win? Is it worth doing? Managing risk and reward in an innovation portfolio. Harvard Business Review.

Johnson, G. & Scholes, K. (1999). Exploring corporate strategy. Prentice Hall.

Linares, M. (2021, April). Frameworks for measuring product inclusion and product equity. Medium.

Martin, T. (n.d.). All you need to know about modularization. Modular Management.

Rogers, E.M. (2003). Diffusion of innovations (5th ed.). Free Press.

Sedano, T., Ralph, P., & Péraire, C. (2017). Software development waste [Conference paper]. ICSE 2017, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The Global Metacognition Institute. (n.d.). What are metacognitive skills?

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Robert Bau 6/26/21 Robert Bau 6/26/21

Lean & mean innovation machine • 2

Nine types of waste in upstream projects

In this blog post, I will compare and contrast four ways to drive innovation (see table 1). This will help us map the nine types of waste to upstream projects (in the next three blog posts).

Before we begin, let me clarify my assumptions:

Service innovation teams work on projects that are classified as either upstream or downstream.
Upstream projects are about addressing complex challenges and exploring wicked problems in a systemic, people-first, and solution-agnostic way. Upstream teams follow a blended systems thinking and design thinking approach. Upstream teams are manager-led (see previous blog post).
Downstream projects are about developing and releasing specific inventions/solutions for specific customers in an incremental and iterative way. Downstream teams follow a blended lean startup and agile approach. Downstream teams are self-organizing (see previous blog post).
In both upstream and downstream projects, innovation teams and project stakeholders embark on a learning journey based on continuous experimentation, reflection, and adaptation.
Upstream projects may lead to any number of downstream projects. And downstream projects may spark the need for bigger-picture, upstream work. Hybrid projects may occur but are (arguably) not optimal from a learning perspective.

Four ways to drive innovation

Table 1. Side-by-side comparison of four ways to drive service innovation

In the next blog post, I will introduce three types of waste (out of nine) in upstream innovation projects.

References

Acaroglu, L. (2017). Tools for systems thinkers: Getting into systems dynamics… and bathtubs. Medium.

Beck, K., Beedle, M., Cockburn, A., Cunningham, W., Fowler, M., Grenning, J., Highsmith, J., Hunt, A., Jeffries, R., Kern, J., Marick, B., Martin, R., Mellor, S., Schwaber, K., Sutherland, J., Thomas, D., & van Bennekum, A. (2001). Manifesto for agile software development.

Blank, S. (2013, May). Why the lean start-up changes everything. Harvard Business Review.

Brown, T. (2008, June). Design thinking. Harvard Business Review, 86(6), 84–92.

Design Council. (2007). Eleven lessons: Managing design in eleven global brands. Desk research report. Design Council, UK.

Design Council. (2021). Beyond net zero. A systemic design approach. Design Council, UK.

Kim, Daniel H. (1999). Introduction to systems thinking. Pegasus Communications.

Mersino, A. (2015). Agile project management. Vitality.

Ries, E. (2011). The lean startup: How today’s entrepreneurs use continuous innovation to create radically successful businesses. Currency.

van Ael, K., Vandenbroeck, P., Ryan, A., & Jones, P. (2021). Systemic Design Toolkit Guide. Systemic Design Toolkit.

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7. Circularity > Linearity

6. Members > Users

5. Inclusion > Exclusion

4. Journeys > Transactions

3. Individualization > Standardisation

2. Solutions > Products

Five strategic ways to reduce/minimize/eliminate wastes 1-9

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