Abstract
The transformative potential of service design rests on its ability to enable people to intentionally shape institutionalized social structures. To avoid simply reproducing social structures unconsciously, people need reflexivity—an awareness of existing social structures. Scholars suggest that the use of service design methods can enhance people’s reflexivity. However, the theoretical underpinning of this effect remains unclear, which in turn limits the realization of service design’s transformative potential in practice. In response, using an abductive approach that combines theoretical and empirical inputs, we develop an integrative framework that explains the mechanisms by which service design methods can increase people’s reflexivity. The current study contributes to the evolving service design discourse with an alternative categorization of service design methods, based on their affordances for different modes of reflexivity. The framework also reveals the underlying processes by which the use of service design methods can support people’s work with institutionalized social structures as design materials to enable transformation. This research supports a more thoughtful use and strategic development of service design methods to support transformative aims.
Highlights
Around the world, organizations and communities are enthusiastically adopting service design to drive transformation (Patrıcio et al, 2018)
It illustrates that the use of service design methods can help people build reflexivity by leveraging six different, interconnected modes: temporal, material, corporeal, relational, cultural, and cognitive
Some service design scholars have warned about the detrimental effects of the rapid spread and superficial use of service design methods (Akama and Prendiville 2013); we provide a theoretical grounding for greater intentionality in their uses to support transformative aims
Summary
Organizations and communities are enthusiastically adopting service design to drive transformation (Patrıcio et al, 2018). Their work highlights reflexivity, or an awareness of existing institutionalized social structures, is essential to this effort, because otherwise people reproduce rather than reform the structures surrounding them (see Ruebottom & Ellen R, 2018; Suddaby et al, 2016) In this way, the transformative potential of service design rests at least partly on its ability to enhance people’s reflexivity. The framework outlines three processes facilitated by the use of service design methods through which people build reflexivity: revealing hidden structures, noticing structural conflict, and appreciating structural malleability These core processes make it possible for people to work with institutionalized social structures as service design materials and intentionally shape them over time. The framework lays a foundation for a more thoughtful use and strategic development of service design methods to support transformative aims
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call