UX Design vs. Service Design: Comparing Goals, Methods, and Outcomes

Kola Wale
5 min readMay 11, 2023

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UX design and service design are two approaches to design that focus on creating positive user experiences but differ in their scope and objectives. UX design primarily deals with designing digital interfaces and improving usability, while service design takes a broader view of the customer journey and focuses on creating seamless experiences across multiple touchpoints. Understanding the differences between these two approaches is crucial for businesses and designers to choose the right methodology for their specific needs and goals.

The Goals, Methods, and Outcomes of Each Approach

The goals, methods, and outcomes of UX design and service design are different, reflecting their distinct approaches to design. UX design aims to create positive user experiences by improving the usability, accessibility, and desirability of digital interfaces. Its methods encompass user research, prototyping, and testing. In contrast, service design aims to generate seamless customer experiences across multiple touchpoints by designing processes, systems, and physical environments. Its methods include customer journey mapping, designing touchpoints, and testing.

Defining the Goals of UX Design vs. the Goals of Service Design

UX design and service design goals represent the distinct aims of each technique. UX design seeks to improve the usability, accessibility, and attractiveness of digital interfaces in order to generate pleasant user experiences. It aims to improve customer pleasure, engagement, and loyalty. By creating procedures, technologies, and physical locations, service design strives to provide seamless consumer experiences across various touchpoints. Its objectives include increased client pleasure, loyalty, and income.

How UX Design Aims to Create Positive User Experiences

UX design seeks to improve the usability, accessibility, and attractiveness of digital interfaces in order to generate pleasant user experiences. This includes creating interfaces that are intuitive, efficient, visually beautiful, and accessible to a wide range of people. UX designers do user research to understand their target consumers’ wants and preferences, and then construct prototypes to test and enhance the design. UX design seeks to build interfaces that are pleasurable and rewarding to use by concentrating on the user’s experience and perspective, eventually leading to enhanced customer satisfaction and loyalty.

How Service Design Aims to Improve Customer Experiences and Create Value

By creating seamless and pleasurable interactions across various touchpoints, service design attempts to improve customer experiences. This entails analysing and optimising the customer journey, which includes both physical and digital contacts with a product or service. Service designers employ a variety of techniques, including customer journey mapping and touchpoint design, to build an end-to-end experience that satisfies the customer’s wants and expectations. Service design strives to provide value for both the customer and the business by concentrating on the customer’s experience and demands, resulting in greater customer loyalty, satisfaction, and income.

Explaining the Methods used in UX Design vs. the Methods used in Service Design

The methods used in UX design and service design differ based on their unique approaches. UX design methods include user research, persona creation, prototyping, and user testing, all of which are geared towards improving the usability and desirability of digital interfaces. Service design methods include customer journey mapping, service blueprinting, touchpoint design, and co-creation workshops, all of which aim to optimize the end-to-end customer experience across multiple touchpoints and channels. By using these methods, UX designers and service designers can create effective and meaningful experiences for their target users and customers.

The UX Design Process

User research, prototyping, and testing are all part of the UX design process. Designers obtain information about the target users’ wants and preferences throughout the user research stage. They then utilise this data to develop user personas and user needs. Designers produce low-fidelity and high-fidelity prototypes throughout the prototyping stage to test and develop the design. Finally, designers undertake usability testing with real users during the testing stage to evaluate the success of the design and recommend areas for improvement. UX designers may build user-centred designs that fulfil the requirements and expectations of their target consumers by following this iterative approach.

The Service Design Process

The service design process involves several stages, including mapping customer journeys, designing touchpoints, and testing. In the customer journey mapping stage, designers map out the end-to-end experience of the customer, identifying pain points and opportunities for improvement. They then use this information to design touchpoints that meet the needs and expectations of the customer. In the touchpoint stage, designers create physical and digital touchpoints that line up with the overall customer experience. A final step is to conduct user tests to evaluate the effectiveness of the design and identify areas for improvement. A service designer can create seamless and enjoyable customer experiences if they follow this iterative process.

The Outcomes of UX Design vs. the Outcomes of Service Design

The outcomes of UX design and service design differ based on their unique goals and objectives. The outcomes of UX design include improved user satisfaction, increased engagement, and increased retention rates. The outcomes of service design include improved customer satisfaction, increased loyalty, and increased revenue. Both approaches aim to create positive experiences for users and customers, but UX design focuses on improving the usability and desirability of digital interfaces, while service design focuses on optimizing the end-to-end customer experience across multiple touchpoints and channels.

The Benefits of Good UX Design

A good user experience design has various advantages, including greater user pleasure, engagement, and loyalty. Users who have a favourable experience with a product or service are more likely to use it again and suggest it to others. Good UX design may also contribute to higher conversion rates since users are more likely to execute a desired action if the process is simple and straightforward. Furthermore, strong UX design may set a product or service apart from competitors, resulting in higher market share and income.

The Benefits of Good Service Design

A well-designed service offers various advantages, including greater client happiness, loyalty, and income. Customers who have a pleasant and smooth experience with a service are more inclined to return and suggest it to others. Because delighted consumers are more likely to acquire additional items or services, good service design may lead to higher income. Furthermore, strong service design may set a firm apart from its competitors, leading to higher market share and brand loyalty.

In conclusion, while UX design and service design share some similarities in their approach, they have distinct goals, methods, and outcomes. UX design focuses on creating positive digital user experiences, while service design aims to improve the overall end-to-end customer experience across multiple touchpoints and channels. Good UX design leads to increased user satisfaction, engagement, and loyalty, while good service design leads to increased customer satisfaction, loyalty, and revenue. Ultimately, both approaches are essential for creating successful products and services that meet the needs and expectations of users and customers.

Choosing the Right Approach for Each Project

When it comes to UX or service design, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. The technique used will be determined by the unique project or scenario, as well as the organization’s aims and objectives. UX design will most likely play a larger part in digital products or services, whereas service design may be more useful in physical services. In many circumstances, however, a combination of both techniques may be required to offer a smooth and comprehensive user or customer experience. Finally, the goal is to understand the particular wants and preferences of users and consumers and to build a solution that successfully fulfils those demands.

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Kola Wale

Service Design and Improvement Officer - Improving public sector services through innovative design and transformation methods. www.linkedin.com/in/kolawale