Service designers of the future support Edinburgh conference

It was a pleasure to be able to support the Service Design in Government conference once again; connecting the organisers with University of Edinburgh students keen to network and learn more about the discipline. It’s been a positive experience all round.

Following on from a very positive and successful experience last year, I was able to reach out to academic colleagues in the Business School and Edinburgh College of Art who promoted the opportunity.

Edinburgh students are service designers of the future – 2019 blog for for Website and Communications

In exchange for volunteering their time to support with conference logistics, the Service Design in Government conference team provided the students with access to the full programme of sessions and workshops, and the opportunity to network with, and learn from, professionals in the field.

Student volunteers wearing Service Design in Government conference tee shirts

University of Edinburgh students did a great job of supporting the Service Design in Government conference organisers

Our student volunteers brought a huge amount of energy and enthusiasm to the team which was utterly infectious. I’ve no doubt we’ll be seeing some of them back with us as attendees and speakers at future conferences.

Jacqui Davidson, Service Design in Government Conference Producer

What the students said

Catching up with the student volunteers over the course of the conference, I was really impressed by their drive and passion for human centred design, and what they felt they were getting out of attending.

I asked each of them to share with me a short write up of their experience.

Dapo

Dapo is undertaking a PhD in Management at the Business School.

…attending this conference has convinced me [a career in service design] is the right fit for me…

I thoroughly enjoyed the conference. It was good to witness the scores of interesting ideas about service design and to learn about the advancement in the field.

I recently developed a keen interest in pursuing service design as a career and attending this conference has convinced me it is the right fit for me.

I can recommend the conference for anyone who is keen to learn about service design and meet wonderful people.

Nel

Nel is studying MA Design for Change at Edinburgh College of Art.

[attending the conference has] …helped me to think about what role I hope to play as a designer in the future… I would recommend this experience to any student.

I volunteered because I wanted to hear how people were applying service design in the public sector. My background is primarily in the private sector and I am hoping to make a transition into more public sector work in the future.

Coming from the US, I think it is also important to learn from people living and working in different parts of the world so the conference gave me a great view into the work being done in the UK and elsewhere. Service design and design in general can be such ambiguous and nebulous words so I am always curious to hear how people define their work and what the future of this field looks like.

My favourite sessions were the keynotes from Carrie Bishop and Cassie Robinson. They helped me to think about what role I hope to play as a designer in the future, a role that leads with both the mind and the heart and is supported by a clear set of values.

I would recommend this experience to any student. Being in school is wonderful but it is always nice to be reminded of the world beyond university walls and the opportunities that exist once studyis completed.

Shawn

Shawn is studying MA Design for Change at Edinburgh College of Art.

…the conference made me really appreciate the passion for service design in the UK…

The whole experience has been wonderful, and the conference made me really appreciate the passion for service design in the UK.

My favourite session was the closing keynote from Shanti Mathew. The talk was infectious, and it made me think the how design can intervene in society. I like to explore the essence of things, and feel design is a good language to enable interaction between citizens and government.

Jacqui Davidson, SDinGOV conference producer

“I love the idea that we are giving something back and supporting the next generation of service designers.

This year’s Service Design in Government was the biggest event to date and we feel as event organisers it was the most successful and certainly the smoothest!

This was partly down to the amazing volunteers we had, which included three University of Edinburgh students. The students brought a huge amount of energy and enthusiasm to the team which was utterly infections and they added a great dimension. They helped in every area of running the event and were absolutely brilliant.

I hope to see them back as participants in years to come or even speakers as we believe they have great futures ahead of them.

We are delighted to be working with the University of Edinburgh to give students opportunities to learn and network at the event. I look forward to continuing the relationship over coming years.”