Using Service Walkthroughs to Co-Create Whole Service Experiences A Prototyping Technique for Service Design

A process for prototyping whole services rather than individual parts in isolation is needed. Prototyping services is different from prototyping physical products, yet many designers still use traditional approaches to prototype services, focussing on specific parts rather than whole services. This is especially surprising considering the descriptions of service design as a holistic approach in research. In this paper we suggest and describe a service prototyping technique termed service walkthrough. The service walkthrough technique allows access to service experiences from a holistic point of view, representing not only specific parts (service moments or touchpoints) but also transitions and coherence of the service proposition. In this case, 25 walkthroughs were conducted by a service design agency in Australia. The approach was iterative in the sense that the customer journey was redesigned continuously, and it was enacted by designers supported by scripts for behaviours based on a previous research phase. The walkthroughs were conducted in a lab with actual customers of the client and used low-fidelity props and collateral. Errors were introduced during the walkthrough to gain a better understanding of what expectations the customers have on the service. The walkthrough technique allowed the designers to understand the service experience in an embodied and holistic way. The walkthrough also emphasised empathy for the experience of the intended customers and other stakeholders in the service. More time in between iterations and dynamic roles might improve the approach.