Service Design

I the organization I picked is the hotel chain Ibis.Students are required to produce a report that identifies and justifies how they could improve the service design of a chosen organisation using service design theory and practice from the module. Students must choose a multi-unit service based organisation in the leisure and hospitality sector (restaurant, pub, hotel, entertainment venue etc.) and then attempt the following tasks: Task 1: ‘Explore’ the organisation’s existing service design using service design tools and techniques (to include evidence of mandatory site based observations). Analyse the chosen organisation’s service design using relevant theory and frameworks. Compare and contrast the service design with the chosen organisation’s closest competitor. Identify a problem or problems with the chosen organisation’s service design. Task 2: ‘Create’ to identify and develop service design improvement solutions and recommendations that solve the problem or problems identified in Task 1 and demonstrate service design thinking. Task 3: ‘Reflect’ to produce an account of how you have reached your improvement recommendations by documenting and reflecting on your own service design practice (further guidance will be provided on Moodle). Students should avoid purely focusing their reflection on their final design solution. The reflective account must include the feedback on your recommendations received from (a) potential service users and/or; (b) colleagues from your action learning set (ALS) group (essential) and (c) what you would do differently if you could start your design process again from the beginning. All tasks are assessed according to the criteria in the marking scheme provided and all criteria are weighted equally. Students need to ensure that the organisation they choose has been pre-approved by the module tutor before they start work on their assignment. The chosen organisation or site cannot be the same as another student’s based on a first come first served principle. Evidence of service should be collected from both primary research (such as observations) and secondary sources (market research reports available through the library for example). Refer to the Service Design tools and technique sessions for ideas and methods on how to collect evidence. Evidence should be documented in the spirit of the service design methodology with appropriate analysis and commentary. Observation data should be focused on site based customer / employee interactions. Students will achieve higher marks for multiple site visits that are sufficiently detailed and structured. Students should avoid presenting observational data that is just their own personal experience without other perspectives from different stakeholder groups. The assessment should refer to relevant theory and frameworks. Report Structure and Submission Requirements Use the Service Design Process as taught in class to structure the submission into ‘steps’. The submission should be in report style (headings, sub-headings etc.) and reproduced in colour. Students should use the third person throughout unless it is a personal reflection (i.e. Avoid using ‘I’). Hand written work should not be submitted, however diagrams and other pictures appropriately and neatly hand annotated inserted as scans are permissible. A3 sheets or larger can be digitally submitted. If in doubt, discuss with your tutor before submitting the report. The target word count is 3000 words +/- 10%. Submissions that do not meet the target word count will be penalised on a sliding scale in accordance with Faculty policy. References are not included in the word count. Appendices are permissible, up to six sides of A4. The report should use the Harvard referencing system (for which a guide is available on the module Moodle site). Use of full colour diagrams and images, video and other media are positively encouraged but ensure that all file formats can be opened and accessed using MS Office Word, PowerPoint (with embedded video and audio acceptable),Paint and Adobe PDF. Discuss other file format opportunities with your tutor. Work that is accessed on the internet via links in the main body of the report is not permissible. Re-sit Students Only – additional assessment requirements Students who are re-sitting the module need to choose an organisation that is different to their previous attempt(s). Approval must be sought via email from the module tutor before starting work on the re-sit attempt. Re-sitting students should attempt all the elements of their first attempt assessment brief excluding Tasks 3(b) and 3(c). Instead of Tasks 3(b) and 3(c) students must reflect on the differences between their last attempt and their current attempt and the assessment feedback they received, highlighting what they have done differently to meet the assessment requirements of the module in their next attempt.