This is Service Design Thinking Book Summary - This is Service Design Thinking Book explained in key points
Listen to the Intro
00:00

This is Service Design Thinking summary

Marc Stickdorn and Jakob Schneider

Basics, Tools, Cases

4.3 (127 ratings)
13 mins

Brief summary

This is Service Design Thinking by Marc Stickdorn and Jakob Schneider is a guide to service design, a customer-oriented approach to creating successful business strategies and products. It offers practical methods and techniques for designing customer-centric services that meet user needs and expectations.

Table of Contents

    This is Service Design Thinking
    Summary of 5 key ideas

    Audio & text in the Blinkist app
    Key idea 1 of 5

    Service design should revolve around customers, while keeping in mind their potential differences.

    What is service design? Well, there’s no single definition; it’s an evolving and interdisciplinary approach that combines multiple methods and tools to design new services.

    However, there are five common principles that most everyone agrees on.

    The first is that the process of service design should be user-centered. Or, to put it another way, when designing a service, the customer should be treated as a crucial piece of the process.

    Unlike a physical product, a service is a process – an interaction between the service provider and the service user, the customer. So any successful service will recognize the customer as a central part of the process.

    For instance, let’s look at a public transportation service, such as a bus. This is a valuable public service that benefits countless customers; the service would be of little value, however, if the bus didn’t stop at and travel to locations convenient to these customers.

    Okay, so what if you’re trying to design a successful service of your own. There’s one pitfall, in particular, to be wary of: an overreliance on quantitative data, such as statistics.

    Statistics are undoubtedly a great source of information, especially for discovering popular trends, such as when during the day people are most in need of a bus, but this isn’t enough to provide a valuable service.

    Let’s say there are two people with very similar traits. They’re both married and financially successful men, they’re both around 70 years old, and they were both born in the United Kingdom. But based on these statistics alone, you wouldn’t know which one is Prince Charles and which one is Ozzy Osbourne, and it goes without saying that these men are quite different from one another.

    This should remind you that no two customers are exactly alike. Each one has a culture, a set of habits, a range of motivations. If you want to fully understand your customer base, you can’t underestimate these differences; this qualitative information must be considered in combination with statistics in your efforts for a successful service design.

    Want to see all full key ideas from This is Service Design Thinking?

    Key ideas in This is Service Design Thinking

    More knowledge in less time
    Read or listen
    Read or listen
    Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.
    Find your next read
    Find your next read
    Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.
    Shortcasts
    Shortcasts New
    We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.

    What is This is Service Design Thinking about?

    This is Service Design Thinking (2011) presents the core principles of service design. By providing tools and real-life examples, it’s a great introduction to this evolving and interdisciplinary approach to designing services. These blinks present the most salient information on the subject.

    This is Service Design Thinking Review

    This is Service Design Thinking (2011) by Marc Stickdorn and Jakob Schneider provides an insightful exploration into the world of service design and why it is crucial in today's business landscape. Here's why this book is definitely worth a read:

    • With its practical approach and useful tools, it equips readers with the knowledge and skills to design exceptional service experiences.
    • Through numerous case studies and real-life examples, the book showcases the effectiveness of service design in solving complex problems and creating customer satisfaction.
    • Its clear and concise explanations make the subject matter accessible and compelling, ensuring that the book is far from boring.

    Best quote from This is Service Design Thinking

    If you would ask ten people what service design is, you would end up with eleven different answers – at least. Richard Buchanan, professor of design, management and information systems

    —Marc Stickdorn and Jakob Schneider
    example alt text

    Who should read This is Service Design Thinking?

    • Entrepreneurs and innovators
    • Students and professionals of design
    • Marketers and consultants

    About the Author

    Marc Stickdorn, a service-design consultant, is the cofounder of Destinable, a consultancy firm that specializes in designing tourism services. He is also a professor and lecturer at MCI Management Center Innsbruck, in Austria.

    Jakob Schneider is a German visual designer and the creative head of the design agency KD1. Together with Marc Stickdorn, Schneider has cofounded two start-ups, ExperienceFellow and Smaply. He also works as a consultant for brands such as Volkswagen, Deutsche Telekom and Siemens.

    Categories with This is Service Design Thinking

    Book summaries like This is Service Design Thinking

    People ❤️ Blinkist 
    Sven O.

    It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.

    Thi Viet Quynh N.

    Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.

    Jonathan A.

    Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.

    Renee D.

    Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.

    People also liked these summaries

    4.7 Stars
    Average ratings on iOS and Google Play
    30 Million
    Downloads on all platforms
    10+ years
    Experience igniting personal growth
    Powerful ideas from top nonfiction

    Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 7,000+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.

    Start your free trial

    This is Service Design Thinking FAQs 

    What is the main message of This is Service Design Thinking?

    The main message of This is Service Design Thinking is that service design is a powerful tool for creating exceptional customer experiences.

    How long does it take to read This is Service Design Thinking?

    The reading time for This is Service Design Thinking varies depending on the reader's speed, but it typically takes several hours. However, the Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.

    Is This is Service Design Thinking a good book? Is it worth reading?

    This is Service Design Thinking is a valuable read for anyone interested in service design. It provides practical insights and real-world examples to help improve customer experiences.

    Who is the author of This is Service Design Thinking?

    The authors of This is Service Design Thinking are Marc Stickdorn and Jakob Schneider.

    What to read after This is Service Design Thinking?

    If you're wondering what to read next after This is Service Design Thinking, here are some recommendations we suggest:
    • Selling the Invisible by Harry Beckwith
    • The Design Thinking Workbook by CJ Meadows
    • Value Proposition Design by Alexander Osterwalder
    • Change by Design by Tim Brown
    • Business Model Generation by Alexander Osterwalder and Yves Pigneur
    • Subscribed by Tien Tzuo with Gabe Weisert
    • Continuous Discovery Habits by Teresa Torres
    • Do Design by Alan Moore
    • Smart Brevity by Jim VandeHei
    • The Design of Everyday Things by Donald A. Norman