Services design for people

Abstract

Service Science, Management & Engineering i.e. SSME, is a framework where new approaches and interdisciplinary connections can be made to produce relevant and useful knowledge to create services that solve people's needs for a better quality of life. New solutions to old problems, new applications for existing technologies and innovative entrepreneurial initiatives are hopefully expected to appear from this new field. Services consequently must be planned and run, procuring customers' confidence for a sustained business success. Design, as an activity focused on service utility and meaning has a key role in customer's perception. Designing services for the future requires a mindset introducing new concepts and disciplines which must be managed precise and correctly. With this mindset, we introduce the concept of Strategic Design as a framework for services innovation and management through creativity considering value creation for all the stakeholders. This paper is aimed to give a guideline to this approach and its new elements with the related knowledge fields involved. © 2010 Springer-Verlag.