Harmonic Design

?? How can service design improve public transit experiences? Join us for Transit Talk: How Service Design Shapes the Rider Experience, a live conversation about how experiential research methods—like a Service Safari—can reveal valuable insights into rider journeys and help us think critically about transit design. We’ll explore: ?? What a Service Safari is and how it helps uncover rider needs ?? Key takeaways from our Public Transit Service Safari ?? Best practices for conducting your transit-focused research To close the session, we’re thrilled to welcome Abby Golfo, Senior Service Designer at Boston’s MBTA, to share insights on accessibility, customer journeys, and designing for public transit users. ?? Tuesday, March 18, 2025 ?? Noon ET ?? Live on YouTube – join the conversation in the comments or on Bluesky using #ExploringTransit Save the date and learn more: https://lnkd.in/eKVW6Hnv #ExploringTransit #ServiceSafari #HarmonicDesign #ServiceDesign #PublicTransporation #MBTA

If your approach to journey management feels more like quality control than transformation, it’s time to rethink. In this episode, Patrick Quattlebaum explains why journey management should be integral to design and implementation, not just measurement. ?? Watch the full episode for more insights: Spotify: https://lnkd.in/eXU7ggBP YouTube: https://lnkd.in/eDhNURCZ

?? What can designers learn from sloths? More than you’d think! A sloth’s fur is a thriving ecosystem where algae, fungi, and moths work together in a perfect exchange. This kind of mutualism isn’t so different from service design—balancing the needs of businesses, customers, and employees. ?? Nature has been refining systems for millions of years. What if we looked outside for solutions? Watch our latest Harmonic Short from Becky Scheel and see how slowing down (like a sloth) might spark your next big idea. Read more about bio-inspired service design at https://lnkd.in/eBp2Daym #ServiceDesign #BioinspiredDesign #Bioinspiration

As organizations seek more connected, intentional experiences, it is worth considering how the field's name may limit its utility. In her latest blog, Mariah Mills, Service Design Lead at Harmonic Design, explores the evolving nature of this practice. She dives into aligning teams, optimizing experiences across touchpoints, and the value of ongoing, data-driven improvements. But what about the name? Should we focus solely on customer journeys or consider a broader approach? Mariah offers her perspective on the challenges and possibilities. It's a conversation worth having. How would you define this practice? Share your thoughts in the comments. Keep the Conversation Going At Harmonic Design, we help teams create connected, intentional experiences by aligning efforts across customer, employee, and partner journeys. Let's work together to make sense of it all! ?? https://lnkd.in/ey5tjni8 #JourneyManagement #CX #ServiceDesign #CustomerExperience #BusinessStrategy #CustomerJourney

Journey management isn’t just a tool—it’s a way of seeing value streams that connect strategy and execution, and customer interactions with back stage processes. All to eventually enhance customer relationships. Are your journeys helping you build relationships and drive brand differentiation, or are they just digital transactions? ?? Watch the full episode with Patrick Quattlebaum for more great insights: Spotify: https://lnkd.in/eXU7ggBP YouTube: https://lnkd.in/eDhNURCZ

Love, Service Design, and the Perfect Match ?? We're looking at love through a service design lens this Valentine's Day. Relationships—like great services—thrive on participation, thoughtful design, and seamless experiences. Here's a collection of blogs all about heart, dating, and design. Yes, we made it work. ?? At the Heart of Services is Participation → Just like in love, engagement, and co-creation make for stronger, more meaningful connections. Read more at https://lnkd.in/eeFtcxPA ?? 10 Signs You're Dating a Service Designer → If they're mapping out your weekend plans with sticky notes, you might be in love with a service designer. Find out here https://lnkd.in/e556TnyW ??? Service Design of Dating: A Journey Map → It starts with recognizing the need (usually after adopting your fourth cat), moves through touchpoints like awkward small talk and overanalyzing text messages, and eventually reaches an inflection point: commit or restart the journey? Explore the journey at https://lnkd.in/eTgXPgCv Good design (and love) is all about intention, iteration, and creating experiences that matter. #ServiceDesign #ValentinesDay #LoveByDesign #JourneyMap #Participation #ServiceDesigner

Ready to take your service design skills into the wild? Meet the Service Safari Toolkit—your step-by-step guide to uncovering service insights firsthand. From empathy-building to identifying pain points, this toolkit equips designers, researchers, and innovators with everything they need to explore services from a customer’s perspective. ?? What’s Inside? ? Framework for structured observations ? A research notebook example to model your note-taking to ? A presentation deck for step-by-step instructions and case studies Whether you’re a designer, researcher, or just someone curious about a service, this toolkit helps you dig deep into service ecosystems and turn insights into action. Ready to build better experiences? Download the toolkit, or subscribe to our email for exclusive resources and workshop invites! ?? Download the services safari toolkit at https://lnkd.in/ez_CRb7h Find out more about our service safaris at: ?? Service Safari, Elephants Included: https://lnkd.in/eHTkwVMY ?? Exploring Transit Systems: Lessons from a Multi-City Service Safari: https://lnkd.in/etG4gvcK ?? Central Library Service Safari (video): https://lnkd.in/eBWFwhPf ??If we were to do a workshop on this (say in April), what else would you want to learn? #ServiceDesign #WorkshopTools #ThisIsHarmonic #ServiceSafari #DesignResearch #DesignToolkit #Toolkit

Journey Management as an Operating Model Customer journeys aren’t just maps—they’re strategic tools that connect business vision to execution. On the latest PROMISE Podcast, our CEO and co-founder Patrick Quattlebaum (PQ) joins Harald Lamberts to discuss: ?? Why journey management is a business capability, not just a framework ?? How leading organizations scale customer-centricity & break down silos ?? The role of CX in balancing efficiency, differentiation, and business growth This episode is essential to transform journey mapping from a one-off exercise into a powerful operating model. ?? Listen here: https://lnkd.in/edBXFqVE #JourneyManagement #CustomerExperience #ServiceDesign #ExperienceOrchestration #Podcast

?????? Designers on the Move: Lessons from Our Multi-City Transit Service Safari Our design team of Amy J., Becky Scheel, Darwin Muljono, Meghana Srinivasan, and Yeji H. embarked on a multi-city service safari to explore transit systems in New York City, Boston, Pittsburgh, and Atlanta. From scenic subway rides to bus stops without shelter, we observed firsthand the pain points and moments of delight that shape every rider’s journey. This blog dives into: ? The value of simple, intentional observations to uncover impactful design solutions. ? Insights from four transit systems on accessibility, navigation, and payment challenges. ? How service safaris can inspire better transportation experiences Whether you’re a designer, a city planner, or just someone passionate about improving everyday experiences, this post has something for you. Learn how a low-tech, hands-on approach like a service safari can reimagine the systems we use daily. Check out the blog and explore our Service Safari Toolkit to get started on your journey. Together, we can transform transit into something that works for everyone. ?? Read the blog: https://lnkd.in/eM273B_X ??? Explore our service safari toolkit: https://lnkd.in/ez_CRb7h ?? Video in the comments below #ServiceDesign #PublicTransportion #PublicTransit #ServiceSafari #UserExperience #DesignResearch #RiderExperience #MTA #MARTA #MBTA #PRT Metropolitan Transportation Authority, MARTA (Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority), MBTA, Pittsburgh Regional Transit

Welcome, Darwin Muljono! We are excited to welcome Darwin Muljono to Harmonic Design as a Senior Service Designer! With a passion for critical realism, complexity, and design futures, Darwin brings a systems-thinking approach to tackling deep-rooted challenges. His experience spans design research, academia, non-profits, startups, and big tech, always seeking to uncover the structures shaping human experiences. Beyond design, Darwin explores complexity theory, speculative fiction, political-economic philosophy—and occasionally, things he claims to understand barely. We can’t wait to see the curiosity, critique, and creativity he brings to the team! Find out more about Darwin at https://lnkd.in/eUXJj7_d #ServiceDesign #HarmonicProfiles #servicedesigner