Touchpoint 15-3 Call for Papers: “Designing from Within”

As the practice of service design continues to gain recognition and traction, a notable trend has emerged: organisations are choosing to build and utilise in-house service design teams rather than relying on external agencies. This shift brings with it a host of considerations, both positive and negative, that merit in-depth exploration and critical reflection.

On one hand, organisations recognise that in-house teams possess deep organisational knowledge, allowing them to align service design initiatives closely with the company’s strategic goals and operational realities. Additionally, maintaining an in-house team can be more cost-effective in the long run, reducing the expenses associated with repeatedly contracting external agencies and providing continuous support for iterative improvements.

However, challenges are also evident. In-house teams must ensure they remain innovative and avoid becoming siloed or stagnant. They need to balance short-term project demands with long-term strategic goals. Integration with other departments is crucial, requiring strong collaboration and communication skills. Furthermore, attracting and retaining skilled service designers can be difficult, especially for smaller organisations or those without a strong design culture. 

By exploring these themes, we aim to provide a comprehensive understanding of the implications of this shift towards in-house service design. We invite the community to reflect critically on these issues and contribute their insights and experiences. How can in-house teams stay innovative and integrate service design thinking into the organisational culture? And in what contexts are the perspectives and impact of an external party still more valuable than in-house efforts? Through this exploration, we hope to uncover whether this trend is ultimately beneficial or detrimental to the practice and our outcomes.

We encourage submissions that provide diverse perspectives, insights, and case studies related to the following themes and questions:

Challenges and strategies

• What are specific challenges that in-house service design teams typically face, and what are strategies to overcome them?
• How can in-house service design teams ensure that their solutions are sustainable and scalable across the organisation?

Impact and differentiation

• What is the main impact of in-house service design teams, and how does their work differ from agency work?
• How can in-house service design teams effectively measure and demonstrate their value to the organisation?
• How is the success of in-house service design teams shared and celebrated?

Collaboration and alliances

• Who are the main allies for service design within organisations, and what are successful strategies to team up with them?
• How can in-house service design teams build and maintain strong relationships with external partners and vendors, and what should these partnerships deliver?

Skills and competencies

• What knowledge and skills should an in-house service designer have in order to successfully bond with stakeholders elsewhere in the organisation?
• What are the key competencies and skills required for an in-house service design team to thrive in a rapidly changing market?
• What are the typical career paths and development opportunities for members of an in-house service design team?

Innovation and culture

• How do in-house service design teams stay innovative and avoid becoming siloed or stagnant?
• What are the most effective ways to integrate service design thinking into the existing organisational culture?
• How can in-house service design teams balance short-term project demands with long-term strategic goals?

Tools and research

• What role does user research play in the success of in-house service design projects, and how can teams ensure they are capturing accurate insights?
• What role does technology play in the effectiveness of in-house service design teams, and what tools are essential?

We welcome contributions from throughout the service design community, as well as those with knowledge and experience in this theme, to contribute to this issue. By doing so, you will be helping service designers make the next step towards an even more mature practice of our discipline.

Regular sections

Besides handing in articles related to this issue’s feature, you are also invited to hand in content for the other regular sections of Touchpoint, which are not related to the theme of the issue:

• Cross-Discipline: Highlighting the connection between service design and other disciplines
• Tools and Methods: Introduction and evaluation of techniques and activities for service design projects
• Education and Research: Insights from academia and research. 

Abstract submission:

Read more and submit your abstracts via the online form until  16 August 2024 (23:59 CET).

We are looking forward to many inspiring contributions!