Benefits of Service Level Prototyping

Abstract

This paper discusses the impact of service design by zooming in on the case of service prototyping. It is suggested that prototyping services is different from prototyping in other disciplines and shows how by discussing prototyping on different levels. On the service level of prototyping, a technique called ‘service walkthrough’ can be a way to understand whole service experiences. The service walkthrough was used in three cases. On an abstract level, what the service walkthrough adds is a technique for service design that allows exploration of the relationship between touchpoints such as composition, continuity, and consistency. In the cases studied, the walkthroughs increased empathy for different roles in the services while generating insights about e.g. technical requirements, transitions between touchpoints, and expectations at various moments of the service. The paper ends with a discussion about the relationship between touchpoints and the potential scope of the service walkthrough technique.

Keywords:

• service design
• prototypes
• case studies
• design techniques
• service walkthrough

Notes

1. The term ‘touchpoint’ is used here because it is the most well-known concept. However, Koivisto (2009) has made a distinction between touchpoints and so-called ‘service moments’. A service moment is a larger concept than touchpoint, and more in line with what we mean when we write ‘touchpoint’.

2. Prototyping on the artefact level can be seen as prototyping the qualities inherent in prototypes rather than qualities that emerge in use (c.f. Passive physicality of prototypes Hare et al (2014)).