Service design is the application of a design methodology to the creation or improvement of services and systems.

At Innovation Unit, we use service design as a force for good. A way to design for social change at scale, to give agency to those who usually have none. The practice draws on a range of different disciplines including design, anthropology, psychology, sociology, behavioural science and business management. Underpinning service design is deep curiosity about the real experience of both users and staff in accessing, developing or delivering services and the impact that this has on the outcomes. The practice pays attention to all aspects of a service, from the different products used, to the journey people experience, to the role and practice of staff, the operating model that sits behind it, to the values that underpin it and the vision and the strategy that steers it.

The academy is recommended for managers, researchers and consultants who wish to become service designers, as well as staff from our partner organisations and others interested in using service design for social good.

The IU Design Academy offers you the opportunity to grow deep and wide: a chance to deepen your mastery of service design methods and grow confidence in leading and facilitating service design work. It will help you to strengthen your foundational design skills, while applying strategic and systemic design thinking to social challenges.

Upon graduation from module two, you can also choose to apply for a certification that recognises you as an established Service Design Practitioner by the International Service Design Network for an additional £240. This includes a two-year membership from the Service Design Network, including access to its publications and networks.

The academy runs for nine months from September to June.

You can also choose to attend just one of our two modules:

Module 1: Applying service design methods to complex social challenges (September - January)

Module 2: Design leadership for systems change (January - June)

We are now accepting applications for a September 2023 start.

You have until the 30th of June at 5pm to submit your application.

All applicants will be interviewed and successful candidates will be offered a place on a first-come first-served basis.

Yes you can. However, we will want to see evidence that you have covered the skills in module one through education, training or employment.

This will include:

• a relevant service design education and training

• examples of services that you have designed, or helped to design

• experience in applying the core methods covered in the module one curriculum

There are three parts to the application process:

1. Submit an expression of interest. We want to understand why you want to apply and what type of work you hope to be doing in future as a result of doing the course.

2. Shortlisted applicants will be asked to submit a mini-portfolio of their past work and attend an interview. The portfolio of work should demonstrate your creative skills and competencies. You will be invited to present this during an interview with a member of the design team. If you are just applying to complete module 2, we will want to see evidence that you have already covered these skills outside of the IUDA programme.

3. Interviews will be held to make sure there is a good fit between your ambitions and learning style and what we offer. The course starts in September.

Applicants will be selected based on the following criteria:

Motivation and interest
Interest in person-centred design and a passion for growing your design practice.

Commitment
The ability to commit to 80% attendance of this programme

Interest in applying design to drive social change
Validating people’s experiences; a focus on strengths and co-production; the value of iteration and learning; and the power of imagination and creativity

The course is designed as an executive course, to fit around people’s day jobs.

However, this course is not a walk in the park. It requires a significant commitment of time, including weekly or fortnightly interactions with peers through workshops, one-to-ones, visits, etc. The remaining time is designed to be flexible and self-managed.

Before committing to this course make sure your employer is aware and can afford you the flexibility required to do this.

For organisations funding learning placements as part of the IUDA, full payment is required before 1 September.

We accept quarterly payments for self funders. The first payment must be received before 1 September alongside proof of a scheduled monthly payment.

We seek to make this course accessible to all. If you or your organisation will struggle with this payment schedule, let us know.

Innovation Unit is a not for profit social enterprise. Our mission is to grow and scale the boldest and best innovations that deliver long-term impact for people, address persistent inequalities, and transform the systems that surround them.

Our clients range from local authorities and government departments to charities and foundations. We work in close partnership with ambitious leaders who want to embrace challenges and rethink current approaches to big problems.

We work closely with people with lived experience, frontline staff and system leaders. Together, we dig deep to find the root causes of problems, challenge assumptions, design and test new ways of working and help implement change. We develop insights together, build on ideas together, and build shared ownership of change. We help organisations collaborate with one another and build strong partnerships that can transform a system or a place. We help organisations to be better at learning from their own work and learning from one another. The impact is better outcomes and experiences for vulnerable people and better outcomes for the wider system.