the service.

enabling people to send letters to the future.

These principles have been used as guidelines throughout the design of the service.

Service Design Principles.

Do not harm. Do not make people feel silly or embarrassed.

Transparency and honesty.

Anticipate well. Be thoughtful, be deliberate in a meaningful way. Be very subtle.

Help people feel secure. Take care of their details, data and information.

Connect the dots.Make it flow. Online >>> Tangible.

Design from the users point of view.

Apologize generously. Be socially apologetic for any mistakes.

Services happen over time, they are dynamic performances delivered through systems of people, things and processes. This reality is even more imperative to the success of Douceurs as it happens over such a long period of time.

Studying the ABS Stanford technique assisted in the development of the service as well as my business case.

ABS Stanford Message

Needs: who it is for and what need it is fulfilling.

(latent need- existing need but not yet developed; hidden; concealed)

Approach: what are going to do and how?

Benefits: what value does it create for people?

Competition: who else is doing anything like this?

Inspiration to answer these questions was obtained from analysing service designs and project with similar values. For example the thoughtful wishing project is really simple, emotional and unique. The creator spent the summer traveling around Britain asking people what their three wishes for the future would be. The service is delivered through the service website.

"Enjoy thinking about your wishes and enjoy your day...I will be hoping your wishes come true for you."

Similarly, the Diary Project is a service that enables people to record lifes events. The website is filled with entries from teens and youths all over the world. It is a non -profit organisation, global multi-media resource, encouraging teens to write day to day about their experience of growing up. Again, the nucleus of the project is the website. Like Douceurs, it portrays values of honesty, openness and connectedness...

working with Gill.

This experience enabled me to work with an expert in human-centered systems. Gills advice was very encouraging and I genuinely did learn alot from working with her. I am constantly reviewing and analysing services we use every day - to broaden my knowledge in touchpoints and learn about the subtleties that makes a good service. This image below shows the breakdown of the NHS 24 hour help line service after testing the service personally.

These images show how I created user scenarios using the character profiles generated in the development stage. An example of the people I concluded would use this service:

• A parent giving advice to child.
• A teenager keen to grow up.
• An alzheimers patient eager to record memories.
• A pregnant women wanting to share emotions and thoughts with unborn child.
• A fiance writing to their partner.

Documented below is the proces I went through to generate the line of visibility. This means what the user of the service can see, what they can't see and when.

I was invited by the Design Council to become a member of Methodbank. This is an on-line community to encourage the exchange of methods and tools when designing services. This was a great tool for learning new tools to prototype my service.

Main intangible touchpoint.

The design of the service website is a crucial part of my service. It is the first point of contact between the user and Douceurs. I designed it with the aim to portray the brand values of the company. It has to be clear and concise and very easy to navigate. It is has been designed as if the service really existed. It is a fully working e-commerce site that allows the user to register, log-in, and make a payment.The site is consistent with the branding integrated throughout the other touchpoints - using the same font and colour scheme. The different sections of the website are as follows:

• telling the story
• products and purchase
• my douceurs
• questions often asked
• get in touch

Telling the story is entitled as such to inforce connotations of letter writing and story telling. This sections purpose is to inform the customer what Douceurs is all about as well as encouraging them to participate in the service by talking about the benefits it will provide. It was for this reason I included some examples of letters people have written to the future to enable the user to see how the service would fit into their own life. This section also illustrates how the service works through a very simple picture diagram. Highlighting important aspects such as how the letter is tracked between storage and delivery to ensure security and safe keeping.

Products and Purchase is used to inform the user of the range of products available, showing the different categories. These categories put the letters into 'themes' they were provided to reinforce to the user how the service fits into their life, for instance seeing the product designed for a love letter or a legacy letter immediatley sparks off ideas and inspiration in the users mind.

The purchase section is of great significance as this is when the service obtains vital details and addresses. It also determines the delivery date which then influences the price, so it is very important this section is clear and easy to follow.

My Douceurs is for use after purchase, it gives the user the opportunity to view how many years, months and days are left until delivery. This is acheived by a flash animateed clock - linked to a database, which can calculate the desired figures. It also lets the user check their letter has been dispatched into storgae safely and if the letter has been delivered safely. However, the latter would not be used regularly due to the large time that passes in between posting and delivery, it is unlikely that many users would log in years later to check but I felt it was still a necessary function to offer.

Questions often asked is used to put the users mind at ease with regards to questions many people ask when thinking about sending a letter to the future. Such as - what happens if I am no longer alive at the time of delivery? What happens if the receipeint moves house? etc. these are questions I have addressed and the answers help to make the user feel comfortable.

Get in touch provides the deta ils needed for people to contact me, and the service head quarters. The way this section is worded is important as communication between the service and its users would be highly encouraged, after all ... the service is all about writing letters.

"Service Design has many things in common with Product Design - users and objects. However, services are much broader in nature. they are 'living systems'." David Townson

The concept of offering the user themed letters was inspired by the Smythson collection. After discussing the idea with Professor Tom Inns it was decided that this approach benefited the customer, the validity of the service and the business case.

Touchpoints.

The stamp that is used on the envelope in which the Douceurs product arrives in is a subtle but important touchpoint. I designed this stamp using the Royal Mail's Smilers service, therefore it enabled me to test an exisiting service whilst creating a new touchpoint for Douceurs.

Reading and learning documents and journals on how to design services. Reading service design blogs daily - choosenick - is my favourite and has definately been the most inspirational.

It is important to ensure service design is understood as different.

"their is no linear process existing in service design unlike when dealing with a product."

An illustration of HOW IT WORKS click here.

Below is an image of the service blueprint please click to expore the blueprint in more detail.

To view the INVOICE that the user would receive upon purchasing a Douceurs product.

To view the first prototype of the promotional video click here.

These touchpoints have been designed with the customer journey in mind. This service is focused on exploring the human condition.