Can we build trust by service design? A theoretical approach on multidisciplinary integration

Abstract

Over the past decades, ‘trust’ has gained recognition as an important concept in service research, playing a vital role in establishing long-lasting and strong relationships between service providers and recipients. However, existing research on service trust has predominantly focused on aspects such as service-readiness delivery, management, and operations, while research from a service design perspective remains limited. Despite extensive research highlighting the need to consider trust building within the realm of service design research and development, the actual implementation of trust through service design presents challenges owing to the absence of comprehensive theoretical and methodological models. This doctoral study explores the building of trust between service providers and recipients through service design, proposing a multidisciplinary and convergent theoretical approach. By aiming to enhance mutual trustworthiness and foster enduring relationships, this research contributes to the understanding and practical application of building trust through service design.

Keywords:

• Building trust through service design
• mechanisms for building service trust
• trust-perceived service design elements
• service trust

Acknowledgements

I appreciate Professor Fei Hu for his supervision throughout this PhD study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Funding

This work is funded by the National Social Science Fund of China under grant number 23BG121 (Public Assistance for the Weak: Strategies and Practices of Community Public Service Design).

Notes on contributors

Wanqiang Li

Wanqiang Li obtained his Ph.D. degree from the School of Art and Design, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, China, in July 2023. He is currently a post-doctoral fellow at the College of Design and Innovation, Tongji University, Shanghai, China. His research interests include service design and service trust.