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A master's thesis from Aalborg University
Book cover


Facilitating strategic conversations through service design: Communicating a startup studio vision

Translated title

Facilitating strategic conversations through service design

Authors

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Term

4. term

Publication year

2021

Submitted on

Pages

174

Abstract

Denne afhandling undersøger, hvordan servicedesign kan understøtte strategiske samtaler og beslutninger. Den bygger på et konkret samarbejde med lederen af den danske kommunikationsdesignvirksomhed Stupid Studio. Projektet gik ud på at hjælpe ham med at formulere og formidle en klar vision for et startup-studio, så den kunne deles med potentielle interessenter og lanceres på en bæredygtig måde. Teamet brugte servicedesign til at igangsætte og rammesætte de strategiske samtaler ved at bidrage med faglige indsigter, udvikle grænseobjekter – fælles materialer og værktøjer, der gjorde det udviklende koncept konkret og til at tale om – kortlægge et muligt service-værdisystem for at vise, hvordan servicen kunne skabe og levere værdi, samt orkestrere processen og facilitere aktiviteter. En åben, tillidsfuld og samarbejdende relation mellem kunde og designere var afgørende for at sætte lederen i stand til at handle. Samtidig måtte designerne arbejde mere agilt og forretningsdrevet efter kundens behov. Projektet fungerede derfor som et laboratorium til at vurdere servicedesigns styrker og begrænsninger, når det anvendes i en forretningsstrategisk kontekst.

This thesis examines how service design can support strategic conversations and decision-making. It is based on a real-world collaboration with the head of the Danish communication design agency Stupid Studio. The project helped him shape and communicate a clear vision for a startup studio so it could be presented to potential stakeholders and launched in a sustainable way. The team used service design to prompt and structure these strategic conversations by offering expert input, creating boundary objects—shared tools and materials that made the evolving concept concrete and discussable—mapping a possible service value system to show how the service could create and deliver value, and coordinating the overall process and activities. An open, trusting, and collaborative client–designer relationship was essential to empower the leader. At the same time, the designers had to work in a more agile, business-driven way, adapting to the client’s needs. The project thus served as a living lab to assess the strengths and limitations of service design when applied in a business strategy context.

[This abstract was generated with the help of AI]