Undergraduate Courses
SERV 216 Blueprinting Services
Service blueprinting is described as the mapping out of a service journey, identifying the processes that constitute the service, isolating possible fail points and establishing the time frame for the journey. Students learn how a service blueprint can be used by business process managers, designers and software engineers during development. Service blueprints can be used as a guide to service managers who operate services on a day-to-day basis. Students learn how to map and sequence events sometimes called ‘use-cases’ or ‘flows’ to identify user actions, service responses and the touch points and interactions that enable the service experience to be user-centered. Prerequisite(s): COMM 105, DSGN 115, ENGL 123.
SERV 311 Service Architectures, Ecologies and Touch Points
Students explore current principles and practices that form the basis for the development of service architectures, touch points in the service and sustainable service ecologies. Project topics include preparation of briefs, the development of service architectures and the specific ecology of a service and the strategic mapping of touch points that form the service ecologies. Students are encouraged to develop design processes and methods that enable them as designers to go through a process of ideation and iteration to create service design concepts. Prerequisite(s): IDUS 215, SERV 216.
SERV 312 Prototyping Experiences
An essential part of defining and designing services is the conceptualization, development and simulation of a service concept and its ecology, including all touch points engaged with when using the service. Experience prototypes are used for rapid ideation of services by simulating the experience the customer has. Students learn to develop low, medium and high fidelity experience prototypes. Scenarios are explored where new service concepts are ideated and simulated, describing and configuring the experiences of the user, onstage and offstage. Prerequisite(s): COMM 105, DSGN 115, ENGL 123.
SERV 325 Technology and Services
This course identifies and familiarizes the student with key strategic and enabling technologies that are used to implement and support services. Students learn about enterprise solutions, core technologies, systems and applications that are used to implement services that deliver both information and experiences. This course reviews established and emerging information and communication technologies used today and in the near future. This course examines personal and enterprise computing, information processing, data storage and retrieval, networking technologies and embedded technologies in such devices as consumer electronics, mobile telephony and hand-held personal digital assistants. Prerequisite(s): IACT 315.
SERV 421 Services and Enterprise
This course studies the different and diverse business paradigms that dominate the service sectors. The course examines the nature of different service enterprises and their characteristics. Participants examine a diverse range of sectors, including retail, health, transport, finance and entertainment and logistics among others. Students review the different types of platforms for delivering services and the different company structures and operational models that enable a business to flourish, including small, medium and large enterprises. Students are introduced to the principles and practices of a successful enterprise and the importance of developing appropriate strategies that lead to an innovative and successful business in the marketplace. Prerequisite(s): SERV 311.
SERV 431 Service Design Senior Studio
Students work on solving service design problems developing innovative services, products and experiences within physical and virtual environments. The concept of service design is developed and explored using comprehensive design processes. Specific techniques, guidelines and examples are used to emphasize the practical aspects of service design where students are required to design in a way that is both user centric and market oriented. Students must consider the social, technological and economic considerations when designing services where they research lifestyle and the context of use of the service. Prerequisite(s): SERV 421.
Service blueprinting is described as the mapping out of a service journey, identifying the processes that constitute the service, isolating possible fail points and establishing the time frame for the journey. Students learn how a service blueprint can be used by business process managers, designers and software engineers during development. Service blueprints can be used as a guide to service managers who operate services on a day-to-day basis. Students learn how to map and sequence events sometimes called ‘use-cases’ or ‘flows’ to identify user actions, service responses and the touch points and interactions that enable the service experience to be user-centered. Prerequisite(s): COMM 105, DSGN 115, ENGL 123.
SERV 311 Service Architectures, Ecologies and Touch Points
Students explore current principles and practices that form the basis for the development of service architectures, touch points in the service and sustainable service ecologies. Project topics include preparation of briefs, the development of service architectures and the specific ecology of a service and the strategic mapping of touch points that form the service ecologies. Students are encouraged to develop design processes and methods that enable them as designers to go through a process of ideation and iteration to create service design concepts. Prerequisite(s): IDUS 215, SERV 216.
SERV 312 Prototyping Experiences
An essential part of defining and designing services is the conceptualization, development and simulation of a service concept and its ecology, including all touch points engaged with when using the service. Experience prototypes are used for rapid ideation of services by simulating the experience the customer has. Students learn to develop low, medium and high fidelity experience prototypes. Scenarios are explored where new service concepts are ideated and simulated, describing and configuring the experiences of the user, onstage and offstage. Prerequisite(s): COMM 105, DSGN 115, ENGL 123.
SERV 325 Technology and Services
This course identifies and familiarizes the student with key strategic and enabling technologies that are used to implement and support services. Students learn about enterprise solutions, core technologies, systems and applications that are used to implement services that deliver both information and experiences. This course reviews established and emerging information and communication technologies used today and in the near future. This course examines personal and enterprise computing, information processing, data storage and retrieval, networking technologies and embedded technologies in such devices as consumer electronics, mobile telephony and hand-held personal digital assistants. Prerequisite(s): IACT 315.
SERV 421 Services and Enterprise
This course studies the different and diverse business paradigms that dominate the service sectors. The course examines the nature of different service enterprises and their characteristics. Participants examine a diverse range of sectors, including retail, health, transport, finance and entertainment and logistics among others. Students review the different types of platforms for delivering services and the different company structures and operational models that enable a business to flourish, including small, medium and large enterprises. Students are introduced to the principles and practices of a successful enterprise and the importance of developing appropriate strategies that lead to an innovative and successful business in the marketplace. Prerequisite(s): SERV 311.
SERV 431 Service Design Senior Studio
Students work on solving service design problems developing innovative services, products and experiences within physical and virtual environments. The concept of service design is developed and explored using comprehensive design processes. Specific techniques, guidelines and examples are used to emphasize the practical aspects of service design where students are required to design in a way that is both user centric and market oriented. Students must consider the social, technological and economic considerations when designing services where they research lifestyle and the context of use of the service. Prerequisite(s): SERV 421.
Graduate Courses
SERV 711 Service Design: Principles and Practice
Through a series of presentations, discussions and short projects, students explore the current and emerging principles and theories that form the basis for the practice of service design. Project topics include preparation of briefs, the development of services blueprints, architectures and the strategic mapping of touch-points that form service ecologies. Students are encouraged to develop design processes and methods that enable designers to iterate and ideate complete and whole service systems.
SERV 722 Critical Methods of Prototyping Services and Experiences
An essential part of defining user-centric design services is the simulation of the anticipated experiences of those who deliver and use the service, including all points of contact during the service experience. Experience prototypes are used to do rapid service simulation involving customers, experts and clients in developing and refining the service. Students learn to develop customer service blueprints and the methods for exploring the (mainly) qualitative components during different experiences with the service. They explore new and novel ways of prototyping, describing and configuring user experiences. Prerequisite(s): SERV 711.
SERV 724 User-centered Design for Services
This course examines user-centric design strategies to create interactions with systems that lead to positive and pleasurable experiences when engaged in accessing services. Students are taught about usability impact factors, heuristics and metrics used in assessing interfaces with a service paradigm. Students learn how to design interfaces that are intuitive, using activity-based and task-based approaches. This course provides students with knowledge of the physical, psychological and behavioral characteristics of humans and this information is applied to interaction design to develop usable, desirable and effective interactions leading to satisfying experiences. Prerequisite(s): SERV 722.
SERV 728 Service Design Studio I
In this course, students work in an interdisciplinary environment creating services, products, interfaces and experiences within physical and virtual environments. The practical methods and techniques of service design are developed and explored using comprehensive design processes. Specific techniques, guidelines and examples are used to emphasize the practical aspects of service design where students are required to design in a way that is both user-centric and socially and culturally appropriate. Students must consider the social, technological and economic considerations when designing services. Students research people and lifestyles, use and context, implementation and delivery, economy and commerce of services and the products, networks and environments which enable services to be delivered and experienced. Prerequisite(s): SERV 722.
SERV 753 Service, Innovation and Enterprise
Students apply a broad range of skills to explore and experiment with new and innovative ways of delivering and experiencing services. Students must consider specific sectors and commercial considerations in developing services mindful of the wider social, technological and economic considerations. Students must engage in sustained and in-depth research of user behavior and context of use, applying contextual research techniques in identifying opportunity for change. Students are encouraged to apply pleasure-based approaches in the design of services, exploring interface design issues and the importance of usability assessment methods in defining product platforms, touch-points and service architectures. Students demonstrate the formulation of personal design philosophy through their project work. Prerequisite(s): SERV 728.
SERV 769 Service Design Studio II
Students apply a broad range of skills to explore and experiment with new and innovative ways of delivering and experiencing services. Students must consider specific sectors and commercial considerations in developing services mindful of the wider social, technological and economic considerations. Students must engage in sustained and in-depth research of user behavior and context of use, applying contextual research techniques in identifying opportunity for change. Students are encouraged to apply pleasure-based approaches in the design of services, exploring interface design issues and the importance of usability assessment methods in defining product platforms, touch-points and service architectures. Students demonstrate the formulation of personal design philosophy through their project work. Prerequisite(s): SERV 753.
SERV 779F Graduate Field Internship
Students in this course undertake a field assignment under the supervision of a faculty member. Prerequisite(s): 15 graduate credit hours, good academic standing.
SERV 779T Graduate Teaching Internship
Students in this course undertake a teaching assignment under the supervision of a faculty member. Prerequisite(s): 15 graduate credit hours, good academic standing.
SERV 790 Service Design M. F. A. Thesis
In this course, students prepare an original thesis that researches an area of their particular interest. The thesis culminates in a written submission, in conjunction with a conclusive exhibition of research as applied to a specified product design. Prerequisite(s): SERV 769 and completion of the review for candidacy.
Through a series of presentations, discussions and short projects, students explore the current and emerging principles and theories that form the basis for the practice of service design. Project topics include preparation of briefs, the development of services blueprints, architectures and the strategic mapping of touch-points that form service ecologies. Students are encouraged to develop design processes and methods that enable designers to iterate and ideate complete and whole service systems.
SERV 722 Critical Methods of Prototyping Services and Experiences
An essential part of defining user-centric design services is the simulation of the anticipated experiences of those who deliver and use the service, including all points of contact during the service experience. Experience prototypes are used to do rapid service simulation involving customers, experts and clients in developing and refining the service. Students learn to develop customer service blueprints and the methods for exploring the (mainly) qualitative components during different experiences with the service. They explore new and novel ways of prototyping, describing and configuring user experiences. Prerequisite(s): SERV 711.
SERV 724 User-centered Design for Services
This course examines user-centric design strategies to create interactions with systems that lead to positive and pleasurable experiences when engaged in accessing services. Students are taught about usability impact factors, heuristics and metrics used in assessing interfaces with a service paradigm. Students learn how to design interfaces that are intuitive, using activity-based and task-based approaches. This course provides students with knowledge of the physical, psychological and behavioral characteristics of humans and this information is applied to interaction design to develop usable, desirable and effective interactions leading to satisfying experiences. Prerequisite(s): SERV 722.
SERV 728 Service Design Studio I
In this course, students work in an interdisciplinary environment creating services, products, interfaces and experiences within physical and virtual environments. The practical methods and techniques of service design are developed and explored using comprehensive design processes. Specific techniques, guidelines and examples are used to emphasize the practical aspects of service design where students are required to design in a way that is both user-centric and socially and culturally appropriate. Students must consider the social, technological and economic considerations when designing services. Students research people and lifestyles, use and context, implementation and delivery, economy and commerce of services and the products, networks and environments which enable services to be delivered and experienced. Prerequisite(s): SERV 722.
SERV 753 Service, Innovation and Enterprise
Students apply a broad range of skills to explore and experiment with new and innovative ways of delivering and experiencing services. Students must consider specific sectors and commercial considerations in developing services mindful of the wider social, technological and economic considerations. Students must engage in sustained and in-depth research of user behavior and context of use, applying contextual research techniques in identifying opportunity for change. Students are encouraged to apply pleasure-based approaches in the design of services, exploring interface design issues and the importance of usability assessment methods in defining product platforms, touch-points and service architectures. Students demonstrate the formulation of personal design philosophy through their project work. Prerequisite(s): SERV 728.
SERV 769 Service Design Studio II
Students apply a broad range of skills to explore and experiment with new and innovative ways of delivering and experiencing services. Students must consider specific sectors and commercial considerations in developing services mindful of the wider social, technological and economic considerations. Students must engage in sustained and in-depth research of user behavior and context of use, applying contextual research techniques in identifying opportunity for change. Students are encouraged to apply pleasure-based approaches in the design of services, exploring interface design issues and the importance of usability assessment methods in defining product platforms, touch-points and service architectures. Students demonstrate the formulation of personal design philosophy through their project work. Prerequisite(s): SERV 753.
SERV 779F Graduate Field Internship
Students in this course undertake a field assignment under the supervision of a faculty member. Prerequisite(s): 15 graduate credit hours, good academic standing.
SERV 779T Graduate Teaching Internship
Students in this course undertake a teaching assignment under the supervision of a faculty member. Prerequisite(s): 15 graduate credit hours, good academic standing.
SERV 790 Service Design M. F. A. Thesis
In this course, students prepare an original thesis that researches an area of their particular interest. The thesis culminates in a written submission, in conjunction with a conclusive exhibition of research as applied to a specified product design. Prerequisite(s): SERV 769 and completion of the review for candidacy.
