Bridge to inclusion - An exploration of service inclusion for customers with cognitive challenges in Coop supermarkets
Authors
Leinum, Amalie Mettine ; Cienciala, Wiktoria Elzbieta ; Kraus, Swenja Christiane Flavia
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2026
Abstract
This thesis explores how service design and inclusive design can be combined to make grocery shopping more accessible for people with cognitive challenges, using Coop supermarkets in Denmark as a case. A literature review identified a gap between theory and practice: while frameworks for service inclusion exist, practical tools for applying them in complex service systems are limited, and research often focuses on diagnoses rather than shared barriers. To address this, the project adopted the Systemic Design Framework and extended Fisk et al.’s Design for Service Inclusion into an actionable method. The work pursued three aims: create a tool to assess inclusion, assess the current service, and design a more inclusive service. The outcome is the Service Inclusion Bridge, applied through field studies (service safaris and journey mapping), qualitative interviews, a survey, co-design, and prototyping and testing. The assessment found that current supermarket experiences are often exclusionary for customers with cognitive challenges. In response, six interventions were developed, prototyped, and evaluated with stakeholders: a crowd counter, navigation signage, color and number coding, a digital store map, an information tablet, and a guide for practical adjustments. The project offers a tested, practice-oriented approach that helps supermarkets and designers identify barriers and implement changes that improve access for people with cognitive challenges while benefiting many other customers.
Dette speciale undersøger, hvordan service design og inklusiv design kan kombineres for at gøre dagligvareindkøb mere tilgængeligt for mennesker med kognitive udfordringer, med Coop-supermarkeder i Danmark som case. En litteraturgennemgang afdækkede et hul mellem teori og praksis: Der findes rammer for serviceinklusion, men få praktiske værktøjer til at anvende dem i komplekse servicesystemer, og forskning fokuserer ofte på diagnoser fremfor fælles barrierer. For at adressere dette anvendte projektet Systemic Design Framework og videreudviklede Fisk et al.’s Design for Service Inclusion til en mere anvendelig metode. Arbejdet havde tre mål: at skabe et værktøj til at vurdere inklusion, at vurdere den nuværende service og at designe en mere inkluderende service. Resultatet blev Service Inclusion Bridge, som blev anvendt gennem feltstudier (service-safari og kunderejsekortlægning), kvalitative interviews, en spørgeskemaundersøgelse, co-design samt prototyper og test. Vurderingen viste, at nuværende supermarkedsoplevelser ofte er ekskluderende for kunder med kognitive udfordringer. Som svar herpå blev seks interventioner udviklet, afprøvet og evalueret sammen med interessenter: en trængselstæller, navigationsskiltning, farvekoder og numre, et digitalt butikskort, en informationstablet og en guide til praktiske ændringer. Projektet bidrager med en afprøvet, praksisnær tilgang, der hjælper supermarkeder og designere med at identificere barrierer og gennemføre ændringer, der forbedrer adgangen for mennesker med kognitive udfordringer og samtidig gavner mange andre kunder.
[This apstract has been generated with the help of AI directly from the project full text]
Keywords