Chapter events - Ireland

For Service Design Day 2022 we are back in person at the beautiful NCAD city centre campus. Join us at 6:30pm to hear how Service Design, and the people centred approach is driving greater quality, efficiency and safety in Irish public services. Hear from Emer Darcy, Family Law Reform at the Courts Service of Ireland, and Siobhan Manning, Service Innovation & Design lead at the Mater Hospital as they share examples of their people-centred approach to service design.

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How Change Should Really Happen: From Sticky Feet to Strategy


Emer Darcy, Family Law Reform at the Courts Service of Ireland


I’m not good with weighty tomes and research papers with maths. I like concepts and ideas to be explained in a few short lines. I have also learned that if a change model has more than 4 steps there is a good chance it is not for me.


I will share some practical tips and tools that I use implementing and influencing change in the Courts Service. My journey using these tips started with a 3 week college project to change how we give information to the public about resolution options.


That small project has led to a 10 year reform programme and working with the Department of Justice to develop the first ever Family Justice Strategy for Ireland. In addition to some (4 step) models I will share some information on how a user centric, evidence based and service design mindset is supporting cultural changes needed for us to better deliver our services. From tiny acorns mighty oaks can grow.


About Emer


I have worked in the Courts Service since 2004 and held a variety of roles in a mix of operational and support areas including managing a family law office, HR and leading the Covid-19 response team.


I am now fortunate to be doing my dream job, leading the family reform stream of the Modernisation Programme. It is an area that I am passionate about and know together we will make changes to support better outcomes for people, families and children who are dealing with family law related matters.


I am a big fan of life-long learning. I have a BA in Recreation and Leisure Management, Certificate in Civil Service HR Practice, Advanced Diploma in Applied Employment Law and a MSc in Leadership and Innovation in the Public Sector. I am also an active member of a number of action learning groups with public sector colleagues.

The value of Service Design for innovating in the Public Sector: A Perspective from the Front-Line.


Siobhán Manning, Service Innovation & Design Lead at the Mater Hospital, Dublin


Siobhán will discuss her experience as a clinician-turned-Service Design Lead in fostering a culture of people-centred design within the Mater Hospital. Since 2013, Siobhán and the team at Mater Transformation have been working collaboratively with senior management and frontline staff to drive change in the hospital's systems and services. In recent years, service design has become a key component of their approach to innovation - informing the design of services, systems and touchpoints to enable even better care for the 400,000+ patients that come through the Mater's door every year. Siobhán will present examples from projects across the hospital, including StrokeLINK (a novel service for patients transitioning home following stroke) and ServiceED (a series of solutions to reduce pressure and stress in the Emergency Department waiting room).


About Siobhán


In Siobhán's current role, she is responsible for driving service innovation at the Mater Hospital. She leads on the application of design and 'design thinking' to enhance patient experiences and solve vital strategic challenges faced by the organisation. She has also built multi-site collaborations connecting Mater staff and patients with designers, engineers, academics and other healthcare organisations to co-design new and innovative models of care for our patients.