Visualize, Connect, Transform: A Hands-On Toolkit for Holistic Service Design
Service origami—a tabletop method inspired by Hitachi’s business origami technique—has roots at Adaptive Path, a globally recognized design firm acquired by Capital One in 2014. Our co-founder included service origami in his book, Orchestrating Experiences, to further popularize the method. Harmonic’s practice has built on those foundations, adapting its mechanics and applying it to systemic design challenges, including sustainability.
This method also highlights the interconnected cycles occurring both frontstage (visible to the customer) and backstage (invisible to the customer), allowing for a holistic view of the service experience and its impact across the entire system. It uses cards to represent service flows across moments, spaces, and operations, helping participants visualize and explore design options. It can be used as a research tool to analyze and improve services by understanding how different elements interact and affect the end-to-end experience.
Who is this for
- Consultants and coaches
- Designers and researchers
- Government and community organizers
- Not-for-profits
- Start-ups and innovation teams
- Students
Key terms
Frontstage and Backstage
Borrowing from the theater, service design models service delivery using the concepts of frontstage and backstage.
Frontstage includes how customers interact with people, physical artifacts and environments, and digital touchpoints from the beginning to the end of the experience.
Backstage involves many unseen (to the customer) roles, processes, policies, and systems that support the frontstage experience. Designing holistically for frontstage and backstage ensures sustainable service delivery that produces the intended customer experience.
Service
A service is an act of doing something for another. Typically, multiple actors participate in a service, co-creating value as they interact over time. For example, Airbnb is a service in which guests, hosts, and other third parties work with Airbnb employees and systems to gain some benefit—a place to stay, money for a spare room, building equity, etc.
Service Design
Applying design methods and craft to define, create, orchestrate, and evolve services and service ecosystems. Unlike other design approaches, service design approaches experience and operations holistically, understanding and addressing the needs of customers, staff, and the organization.
Service Ecosystem
The system of relationships among people, places, institutions, and things that create constraints and opportunities for a service organization or service.
Service origami components
Actors
People who participate or could participate in the service or product experience.
Canvas
The board (physical or digital) on which you place and move around your cards. Actors: people or organizations who participate or could participate in the service or product experience.
Context
Place, conceptual environment, and moment during which the interactions occur.
Flow
Representations of the direction of information, money, or goods movement within the system.
Touchpoints
A touchpoint is a point of interaction between an actor and the service. This touchpoint could be physical (signage), digital (a webpage), or intangible (a conversation with an employee).
Toolkit Assets
Miro Board
The Miro board provides a template and its components for conducting service origami in a digital environment.
Decks
The decks break down service origami for participants and help guide facilitators through the process step by step.
An Introduction to Service Origami | Harmonic Design (PDF)
Exploring Service Origami With Sustainability | Harmonic Design (PDF)
Service Origami Cards
Service Origami Cards for Printing (PDF)
Further reading and resources
Blog: Round and Round: Infusing Sustainability in Method
Blog: Lessons From the Classroom: Service Design Methods in the Community
Book: Orchestrating Experiences
Start Exploring Service Flows
Unlock new insights and transform your service experience with the Service Origami Toolkit.
Sharing the Harmonic Way
At Harmonic Design, we believe in the power of co-creation and the beauty of ideas flowing freely. That’s why this content is offered under a Creative Commons license that encourages remixing, adapting, and building upon our work—so long as it’s for non-commercial purposes.
When using this work, please acknowledge Harmonic Design as your inspiration. Collaboration thrives on credit where it’s due. When in doubt, reach out—we’d love to connect!
Learn more about what this license allows: Service Origami Toolkit Assets © 2024 by Harmonic Design is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International.
Service Origami Toolkit Assets© 2024 by Harmonic Design is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International
First edition
Published December 2024
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