The SDN Netherlands Chapter started as Service Design Network Nederland in 2008, a foundation that aimed to provide an independent platform for anyone who is interested in the most up to date knowledge about service design. Since then, the service design community in the Netherlands steadily grew and engaged in many national and local activities. By 2014, a stronger connection with the international SDN seemed natural, and a transition to the SDN Netherlands Chapter was realised.


The mission of the SDN Netherlands is to trigger and support the exchange of knowledge and experience between service design practitioners in industry, public sector, science and education. We also aim to support the dissemination of what service design is to people and organisations who are new to the field and may benefit from a better understanding and access to theory and practice.

To further develop the relatively new and highly interdisciplinary field of service design, it is important to share, question and continuously improve its practice with a wide range of people and professions. Service design builds on the knowledge and experience from several more established disciplines, such as design, social research, business strategy and change management. Through its interdisciplinary and collaborative approach to service improvement and innovation, service design also adds new knowledge and experience on how to add value to both service providers and the people their services are ultimately meant for.

SDN Netherlands functions as a very open and accessible network. By organising various online and offline activities throughout the year, in different locations and with different formats, we offer people from a wide range of different organisations and professional roles opportunities to share and discuss their work, find out about other people’s work, exchange thoughts about challenges and dilemmas, learn more about service design by active experimentation, etc.

One example of a regular activity that SDN Netherlands organises are ‘Service Design Work Outs’, where service design practitioners and others interested in the field get together to explore and discuss opportunities for service design to improve service offerings and experiences in areas that are currently still ‘unusual suspects’ for service design (e.g. urban planning, publishing, educational management, residential housing). These sessions have proven to trigger initial interest and bring people with shared interests together.

 

Key organisers:

  • Marie de Vos, TomTom
  • Klaas Jan Wierda, Isala
  • Jesse Grimes and Susanne van Mulken, Informaat
  • Froukje Sleeswijk Visser, TU Delft
  • Esther van der Hoorn, De Friesland
  • Niels Corsten, Koos Service Design
Klaas Jan Wierda
Klaas Jan Wierda - Information analyst at Isala Hospital

Klaas Jan Wierda works as information analyst for Isala, one of the biggest hospitals in the Netherlands. Trained in applied physics and cultural anthropology, he worked in various innovative projects on developing new products and services. Klaas Jan is really into understanding and applying innovation processes, trying to turn innovative concepts into reality.