Student team: Subin Cho, Carey Lin and Tirath Puni

University: Savannah College of Art and Design

Country: USA

Students from the Savannah College of Art and Design conducted a Service Design project aimed at improving the local food justice organization Forsyth Farmers' Market (FFM) in Savannah, GA over the course of 6-8 weeks. The project followed Service Design principles to enhance the services offered by FFM and enable the organizers to improve their everyday operations. The team started by immersing themselves in FFM's servicescape to best understand the system as is, eliminating prior assumptions.

After mapping out the data, the team used the Ishikawa Diagram to analyze the root
cause. Once identified, ideas and solutions were prioritized based on feasibility for the organization.

The team used various Service Design tools and methods to research, ideate, and propose solutions to improve the token system. The proposed solution reduces friction around payment and accounting between stakeholders and empowers organizers to find solutions to address operational challenges. To achieve these goals, the team proposed low-fidelity prototypes for token sorting and handling, which included posters, an infographic, counting cups, color-coded sorting buckets, and counting trays. The Future Service Blueprint mapped out the proposed service journey for FFM's token system.

The team took a participatory approach, volunteering weekly to help with setting up vendor booths and managing the token system. Through these Service Design tools and methods, the team gained a deep understanding of FFM's challenges and opportunities. The proposed innovative solutions have the potential to improve FFM's services and promote food justice and access in the community. The project reaffirms how Service Design methods and tools are effective in determining and prioritizing obstacles and challenges within a service ecosystem.

The impact of the project includes building FFM's credibility and impact on the community, which is a key factor in determining how likely they are to receive funds the following year. The use of tokens proves the reach that FFM has, and accurate token tracking gives them credibility. Hence, these processes have implications for future grant applications and funding for our client organization, Forsyth Farmers’ Market. The project introduced the concept of low-fidelity prototypes and demonstrated to FFM the practice of researching, testing, and workshopping solutions before implementation.

Overall, the project sets an excellent example of how Service Design tools and methods can be used to improve the quality of services offered by an organization. The project used a collaborative approach to identify pain points, co-create solutions, and prioritize ideas based on feasibility and impact. The proposed solutions are innovative, feasible, and have the potential to improve FFM's services and promote food justice and access in the community. The project provides important insights for designers and practitioners interested in Service Design and sustainable practices.