Course content

The course deals with design principles in service design and how these can be adapted to work in one's own business in the public or private sector to achieve good user experiences across different contact points. Commitment and awareness around co-creation, change and interdisciplinary teams play a central role in this topic. It also focuses strongly on the opportunity that arises as a result of technology development and digitization in the services of the future. The theme for tasks, exercises and project work will largely be based on the company's needs. This means that the exercises and project work are linked to specific cases that are relevant and relevant to the business. This means that the course participants are in practice at work during the course, and can take the result home to their business and use it directly in the further development of the service they offer.

Learning outcome

Knowledge: After completing the course

● the candidate can describe what design of services entails

● the candidate can identify key principles (user-centered, co-creative, holistic, visual, tested) in service design

● the candidate can visualize and actively participate in a service design process

● the candidate has knowledge of prerequisites for successful change processes (leadership, anchoring, decision-making, organization, creativity) that ultimately benefit the end user, service provider and society

● the candidate has knowledge of how technology and digitalisation can create new and better services

Skills: After completing the course

● the candidate has training in application of principles and use of different methods for service development

● the candidate can formulate a problem and further plan a service design process

● the candidate can document, interpret and analyze insight data

● the candidate can include relevant actors and meet their wishes and needs in the design process and develop solution solution for improved or new service

● the candidate can use the service design methodology in his business

General competence: After completing the course, the candidate has expanded understanding and ability to create new and value-creating services that benefit the end user, service provider and society

Learning methods and activities

Course participants choose the cases themselves or in collaboration with teachers, based on their own background, work experience and learning objectives.

The cases form the basis for exploration using well-known service design methodologies. The teaching is based on gatherings/two day seminars, with lecturers from both NTNU Trondheim and NTNU Gjøvik. It will be decided before the semester starts, whether the gatherings are carried out physically or digitally.

Work on project assignment 15 hours

Seminar 1, 15 hours

Online teaching between sessions 1 and 2 including colloquium and guidance, 7.5 hours

Work on project 40 hours

Seminar 2, Trondheim 15 hours

Work with project report before submission: 100 hours

Mid-term and final presentation.

Compulsory assignments

• Participation workshop 1+2
• Participation online courses 1+2

Specific conditions

Recommended previous knowledge

The primary target group is managers, project managers and advisers in the private and public sector. The need for this course will apply to all sectors and disciplines that work with digitization processes in connection with service development and service innovation. The secondary target group is project staff, developers, designers and other participants in service development.

Required previous knowledge

Minimum completed bachelor's degree in addition to two years of relevant professional experience.

For the course to count as a part of the MTDO master, the bachelor's degree must be within one of the techical disciplines approved by MTDO.

Course materials

This Is Service Design Doing: Applying Service Design Thinking in the Real World (Stickdorn, et al, 2018) Articles and video material are made available upon study start.