Prof Kazuo Sugiyama

Topic: Service Innovation Design

Abstract
The term "Service" does not merely indicate working for the benefit of others in the spirit of self-sacrifice. It is in fact a concept that describes shouldering the burden of time or effort for someone else, and is a valid economic action. The service industry occupies a large share of the real gross domestic product (GDP) of developed nations such as the United States, Japan and Hong Kong - impressive 70%, according to last year’s World Bank statistics (World Development Indicators (WDI)). When such a high percentage is involved, any improvement in the productivity and quality of service would impact directly on national prosperity. In a bid to improve service productivity, which compares poorly to that of manufacturing, Service Science, a new area of study that examines service itself, is being advocated and is already being taught in several major universities in the U.S. Its disciplines are found in the realm of IT, business school, and management studies, and design is not part of the equation. However, one cannot improve the productivity and quality of service without drawing on design or its science. The situation calls for an input from the power of design to create a service that satisfies needs that even the user was not clearly aware of, along with the design of physical components of that service. If we are to enjoy national prosperity, we must pursue service innovation design that builds on the foundation of service science research and makes it a reality.