I messed it up, but it’s okay

Having worked as a Service Designer in the UK’s local government for 2 years, I’ve encountered situations where I believed I’d mastered a concept only to find myself backtracking. Through this journey, I continuously learn, unlearn, and relearn from everyday challenges, seeking ways to improve for the future.

This article aims to outline three significant mistakes I’ve made and the changes I’m experimenting with. I want to share my lesson learned with you and remind myself ‘even if I messed it up, it’s okay! — what truly matters is how we adapt and grow from them.

A brunch, much like the design process, may seem chaotic with its array of elements and ingredients, but it has the potential to result in something delicious and harmonious.

Showing unprocessed user feedback to the wrong audience

One of my favourite parts of my job is always to listen to the user stories. Upon gathering rich insights from residents, I eagerly aimed to share these learnings with a broader audience to enhance the service.

However, the presentation didn’t go well. I got lots of understandable pushback then and the staff felt frustrated to see the challenging feedback from the very users they are dedicated to help with.

As a service designer, I see problems as opportunities, while for people who work hard to provide the best experience for users from day to day, the problems can be viewed as criticism.

What I do differently now…

1. Identify the right audience to share the findings. The aim is to share feedback with those who have the authority or influence to make meaningful adjustments and improvements based on the insights received.
2. Be aware of the context and tell the story of why the current system or process doesn’t work for everyone.
3. Take into account the unintended consequences of sharing ongoing work

Come with a perfect workshop plan, end with a car crash

I love workshops. I see that as a space and opportunity to foster engagement and generate diverse ideas within a team or organisation. I often find the most valuable ideas emerge during workshops with staff. To further unlock creativity and align with the service, I tend to schedule sessions frequently to ensure ample opportunities for participation from both staff and leaders. But it’s often challenging to find a suitable time due to their busy schedules within the demanding service.

Therefore, I tend to overload a single workshop, hoping for a productive session that clears all the operational bottlenecks.

I once meticulously planned a workshop and rehearsed with the team multiple times, but due to miscommunication, we ended up spending an entire hour discussing the first item without reaching a conclusion. This left us with no time for the remaining five crucial topics. I felt awful for wasting the participants’ time. It became clear that I tried to fit too much into that workshop. Even with a perfect plan and allocated time slots, things can always go unexpectedly. Instead of overstretching your goal and people’s time, prioritising the outcome and focusing on it would be the better approach.

What I do differently now…

1. Acknowledge that a workshop may not solve every issue. Clearly define your objectives and determine the most efficient method to achieve them.
2. Don’t be precious with your plan. Remain flexible with your plans, and save space for adjustments
3. Realistically assess the available time and what can be accomplished within that timeframe.
4. Finally, focus less to achieve more. Ensure a more meaningful and productive discussion by prioritising no more than 3 items in 1 session.

Creating numerous outputs without focusing on the outcome.

It’s often challenging to demonstrate the value of service design, particularly because the changes we deliver might not always appear tangible.

I used to present elaborate and polished slides and detailed maps to convey my understanding and propose changes to service leaders. However, this approach sometimes overwhelmed staff and limited stakeholder engagement, giving the impression that there wasn’t enough room for collaborative input.

Frequently, I’m enthusiastic about suggesting service changes from my viewpoint and presenting the service leader with an appealing future vision to obtain their approval for the change. What I’ve observed is that this envisioned future service often contains flaws, making it challenging for staff and leaders to engage with it.

I realise I need to let go of the assumption that as a designer, I can’t solve all problems solely through the design lens.

What I do differently now…

1. Repurpose every output I create — to communicate and to be used by the service leader. I’m not the expert in the service; the true experts are always the individuals who use or provide the service. The best ideas consistently originate from them.
2. Reframe my role to assist the service leader in conveying their vision and priorities. Focus on understanding the service’s vision rather than presenting options for them to select. Aid in identifying the disparity between the vision and the current work.

Take a breath, reflect, and try again

Developing new digital elements can often be a rapid and occasionally straightforward process, but changing the service itself is typically more challenging and time-consuming.

The timelines for altering process elements can vary significantly, encompassing team sprints, service priorities, funding cycles, policy agendas, infrastructure, and governance. Implementing positive outcomes tends to take a considerable amount of time due to the complexity of delivering changes within a complex system.

It’s okay to feel frustrated in this long slog. Acknowledging the complexity and interconnectedness of various factors helps in aligning expectations with the actual realities of the situation.

Whenever I feel I mess up in this ongoing marathon, I always try to remind myself everything is fixable, even trust and relationships. Just remember to be present, give yourself space and time to reflect, and try to do differently next time, you will be able to put things on the right track again.