Empathic Service Design

There is no good service design without empathy. Empathy in service design functions as a prerequisite for co-production of service experiences, a catalyst for behavioral changes, and a cohesive force for complex system innovation. However, this concept has often remained more abstract than actionable or systematic. This book delves into the essential questions of what empathy is and what it does in service design, through critical discourses and tangible case studies. The book will equip students, researchers and practitioners with the key knowledge to embed empathy in their projects as a mindset, an actionable strategy, and a shared value. * Jung-Joo Lee, Associate Professor and Deputy Head (Research) at the Division of Industrial Design, National University of Singapore, Singapore. *

Dr Melanie Sarantou is a professor of social design at Kyushu University, Japan. Her interests span the role of improvisation in arts and design practices when the unsuspected emerges and surprises the researcher.

Dr Satu Miettinen is a professor of service design at the University of Lapland, Finland, with research interests spanning the themes of design methods in engaging with the Arctic region, service design methods for inclusion, the participatory development of services and socially responsible art and design methods.

Dr Titta Jylkäs is a senior lecturer at the University of Lapland, Finland and a service designer focusing on digital services with artificial intelligence and data science. She also works as an independent design consultant.