RCA MA Service Design - Graduation & the Next Chapter!

I might just have to pinch myself.. check I'm not dreaming!! :)

?? I’m thrilled to share that, after an incredible year of learning, tenacity, laughter and yes, the odd tear I recently graduated with a Masters Degree (MA) from the RCA Service Design (Royal College of Art).

The past year has allowed me to explore both service and entirely new design fields like Design for Policy and Speculative Design from multiple perspectives. This has given me the chance to encounter new ideas, tack contemporary, multi-dimensional problems, meet incredible people, navigate inter-team cultural complexity and nurture my evolving design practice.

Some Project Highlights

Throughout my time at the RCA I’ve been fortunate enough to explore the potential of design through some amazing projects and in a variety of roles some of which include:

?? Partnering with service design leads, foresight researchers and policy designers from Ministry of Justice UK to co-develop speculative service design visions that simultaneously balance practical potential for enhancing 2040 rehabilitation services with a present day strategic reflection for policy stakeholders. Project under NDA - Please contact me directly if you would like to know more.?

?????? Tutoring and co-coaching several teams during a 6 week, ‘Design for Real People’ joint-venture programme between RCA Service Design (Royal College of Art) and 英国帝国理工学院 Faculty of Engineering, where myself and fantastic team (see below) guided 2nd year Computer Science students to create an innovative, digital touchpoint (basic MVP) and service value proposition, interconnecting Agile software development with human centred design principles(HCD).

The Dream Team: Carolyn Runcie @DrMarkWheelhouse Flora Bowden @Jason Bailey Ivan Procaccini Clare Brass Marco Pizarro de Olazábal et al

?? Becoming a shortlisted finalist (team) at the Student Service Design Challenge 2023/24, where myself, Esha Shah Alomi Parikh & Douwe Kruyt worked with SERVICE DESIGN COLLEGE, ISDIN and IBM to explore, imagine and design an innovative new service that could help turn the tide on the packaging waste epidemic within the cosmetics industry.

After 5 months research & ideation, we developed ‘Drop Club.’ A systemically integrated service, that leverages behavioural science, industry partnership and an intuitive digital experience to positively incentivise in store product return & recycling.?

?? Developed my final MA solo project alongside leading academics (University of Sussex) & active practitioners (Brighton & Hove Council) to re-imagine the architecture of relationships within transitional social care service provision.?Steered by the wonderful Hoda Judah Armani I explored how we might better support front line practitioners’ capacity and practice to navigate the web of complex factors that underpin relationships for young adults (17-25) who are leaving formal care service support.

?? Representing my RCA cohort with Alishka Shah Neekita L. was an absolute privilege and I’m delighted to have been able to discuss, advocate for and collectively enhance students learning experience alongside the RCA teaching team. (Plus getting to curate and co-host a star-studded design discussion panel with the likes of Joe Ferry @LivThompson Ellie Runcie Rahma Jama was a little icing on the cake!)?

Wrap Up

Projects aside, the golden thread that stands out above all else has been the chance to work and learn from an incredible group of talented individuals Ruby Hardy Bullen Madeleine Arnott MA Bashiru Shardow Marco Pizarro de Olazábal Sylvie A. Juliana Edith Rojas @ElvinLu @AlomiParikh Prapti Mishra @DouweKruyt Venkat Rao @AlishkaShah — Thank You ??

A big shoutout must also go to the awesome, passionate tutors & experts @Hoda Judah Armani John Makepeace Nicolás Rebolledo Bustamante Qian Sun Federico Vaz Richard Atkinson Carolyn Runcie Dr Luke Roberts (Complexity Thinking) Dez Holmes for their patience, critical thinking and support throughout the year. Two particular shoutouts of gratitude to Carolyn for all her patient programme coordination work and to Judah Armani for his idea sparking & supportive guidance during my final MA Project. Thank you all. ?

So, what now?…. Well, having now had a wee break (walked the English Coast to Coast route in September) I’m excited to be supporting Nick de Leon and @ESTU deliver their 7 week Film & TV Industry Supply Chain Innovation programme whilst also looking where the road of service design and innovation leads next!

If anyone would like to have a coffee, learn more about my projects, experience or even need a service design thinker & facilitator for projects in early 2025 do get in touch. (I promise I don't bite!)