Service Design Show · 2026-06-18 · 60 min
Over-optimized systems are quietly killing the human soul of our services by obsessing over speed and efficiency. In this episode, discover how to break free from the "efficiency trap," embrace design as a genuine practice of hope, and use localized indigenous wisdom to design with authentic care and deep community respect. ️ In this episode The relentless pursuit of transactional and industrialized models has pushed design to prioritize cost-cutting over real human value. In this episode, we sit down with Nan O'Sullivan, former head of the School of Design Innovation at Victoria University, to unpack how to actively push back against this pervasive efficiency trap. We move past standard problem-solving frameworks to explore the transformative power of Mātauranga Māori, positionality, and why designers must learn to look in the mirror before looking out the window to serve others. Here is what we cover: Why treating design like an industrialized assembly line always strips out authentic human care and community reciprocity. How shifting your baseline away from negative problem-solving and toward a practice of hope allows you to forecast a vision of true systemic joy.
Uncovering The Futures Blind Spot in Service Design / Lucy Kimbell / Episode #25758 / 100Practicing Service Design Jiu-Jitsu to Get Things Shipped / JonDelina & Gabriel / Inside SD Ep. #14Selling Journey Management to Your VP / Journey Management Playbook S02E03How AI is Changing the Rules of Service Design / Pablo / Ep. #255The Art of the "Sneaky" Service Designer / Inside Service Design / Max & Jennifer