Service Design Melbourne

building a community of interest and practice in service design

What is the value of Service Design jams?

There's been a bit of an on-going heated debate by some SD network members about their impressions of SD Jams. Its started with an e-mail conversation which we thought would be better to make public and to have a good discussion. Here's some bite-size quotes from some of the members. What are your thoughts? If we continue hosting Jams, how can they be improved?

  

Harriet Wakelam said,

"I find the Jam's a bit frustrating personally - just being honest - I find it's very hard to give up an entire weekend without a project owner sponsor- I'm think there IS value in the mentoring side of Jam's, on the other hand, I think there's a degree of 'bastardisation' of the tools we use, which then get taken out and propogated without people really understanding their power. I also think that if a Jam is really to work, there needs to be a project owner who can comit to taking the concepts and devleoping them - otherwise they're a lot of good ideas, with not real process for evaluating, synthesising and using....

   

I also worry about the portrayal of Service Design as something that can be done in a weekend.

   

Sorry to be so negative here.  It's very much a personal opinion...... *ducks for cover*"

   

Tania Ivanka said,

"I actually completely agree. I wouldn't do one again unless there was a specific project to work on that could actually be implemented, eg  like for a NFP etc... and for which there was some serious research (eg ethnography etc) completed before hand to really inform the design development during the jam. otherwise I felt like I was not producing or contributing to anything of lasting value."

Yoko Akama said,

"So, isn't this the kind of stuff we need to say to the organisers [of the Jam] and the community too? Aren't we, as knowledgeable practitioners have a responsibility to offer our feedback and opinion?

  

I say so!

  

Lets ask them to take this feedback on board. Lets also make it a bit of a public debate on the SDNM site, so as a community, we create the events we want to have, rather than be obliged to participate in things that we don't."

Harriet Wakelam said,

"Sounds great! I'd love to see us work with a c[o]uple of corporates to 'sponsor' the development on an idea... Use the jams as ideation/synthesis, using blended teams from the corporates, service designers, interested parties, but with say key facilitators to support the work.... Demonstrate how design supports the innovation process, then build teams to work with the corporates to bring concepts to life.... Learning all round and outcomes."

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jared Bon on February 4, 2012 at 13:55

Hi Harriet,

Yes work is terrible, they work me round the clock, only give me 10 mins for lunch and only  30sec  toilet breaks. I have to punch in at 4:30am every morning or else I get massive beating and I have to punch out no earlier then 10:00pm.

My boss is also a very mean and sinister tyrant who is constantly checking up on me, doesn’t let me work with others and is constantly criticising  my work and if you haven’t noticed yet this is all bullshit and I’m taking the piss.

I use the word serious in my post as a symbol of the two sides that our work can take, it can be serious or playful not everyone can work at NAB and most people who come to the service jam wouldn’t have similar opinions of their own working environments, they would be more of the opinion that work is a serious business with no room for playing games.

I’m going to reiterate this final point:

If you want to participate in an event like the global service jam you should at least try to participate in keeping with the true spirit of the event and not try to change it because it doesn’t suite your agenda, your objectives, your ambitions and definitely not your schedule!

Now having said that I will turn everyones attention back to the original post and statement made by Yoko which is: “What is the value of the Service Design Jam”?

From reading everyones comments I believe that there are plenty of valid reasons explain and support the value of the Service design jam in it’s current state.

I would argue that the question posed by Yoko has been answered and that any further critiques of the jam that aren’t in keeping with the spirit of the jam are moved to a different thread and maybe turned into a new event that has a different objective with different aims.

Permalink Reply by Adam Lawrence on February 4, 2012 at 19:37

Stefanie, thanks,

I will suggest to local hosts that they broadcast "beginners welcome".

I will also ask them to show that "service design" help is available, in cases where that is applicable. Some of them are beginners themselves and do not have any help to offer. And some of them do not use any service design tools because they have other backgrounds - which is great! :)

Adam



Stefanie said:

I think local hosts/organisers need to really drill that point as well on their own websites....

Perhaps there also needs to be some mention of 'help' being offered to those who are complete newbies? ...

Permalink Reply by Adam Lawrence on February 4, 2012 at 19:39

Hmm, but that would be a Jam to the power of three - Jamming on how to hold a  Jam to make Jams better... ow, my head hurts. :)

Harriet Wakelam said:

But in the spirit of iteration - maybe we can have a #jamjamjam.... ;) 

Permalink Reply by Tania Ivanka on February 6, 2012 at 13:52

Hello all,

This discussion certainly moved very quickly in a short time!

I'm not sure there is much for me to add. I will also try to be brief.

Jam's can certainly be amazing experiences for people - but it's important to note that not everyone has those same amazing experiences - even after being open to it and hoping for some of that gold.

For myself, I am happy to leave the Jam where it is. I see it's value in connecting people and exposing people to the discipline, but knowing and teaching SD already, participating in the current Jam model doesn't have much value for me.

I also had unrealistic expectations that we would be working on a real world project (not sure where I got that idea from - no one's fault I'm sure!) so I still hold that from now on I only want to participate in something that takes real world issues to work on. I think this also means "new event name here"needs to be addressing a local issue and thus different in each place it is run. Each situation is different. Which makes me very interested in the Mongolian Jam. I hope that in Mongolia the participants get to work on local issues. Please keep us all updated, I'd love to know how it goes.

Okay I can't help but get philosophical about SD - but I also being extremely pragmatic - for me I need to start with the needs of people, rather than come up with great ideas and then perhaps sell them locally. Life is short and I want to work things that makes peoples' lives better and more sustainable.

I have seen examples of international aid bringing inappropriate technolgoies to Mongolia which are unsustainable and thus unused, and I have seen permaculture principles teach Mongolians to be designers addressing their own needs.

So if any one else wants to work on "new event name here" - let me know what you are up to.

Permalink Reply by Liisa Vurma on February 8, 2012 at 15:21

Hi all,

As I was involved as a participant at last year's Jam and organiser of this year's Jam, I wanted to give my five cents. 

As Marina said - this event changed my life. I've been working as a Service Designer ever since and even though this is my every day job, I'm more than happy to dedicate another weekend to help organise it and spread the word of this wonderful practice and way of thinking that could improve many people's lives.

The 48 hour frame is nothing new - it has proved itself in different creative industries - think of Garage48, Launch 48, short film competitions or other jams.

And finally as Jared said below, this discussion clearly shows that there is a need for an additional kind of service design event in Melbourne. Looking forward to it! :)


Jared Bon said:

I would argue that the question posed by Yoko has been answered and that any further critiques of the jam that aren’t in keeping with the spirit of the jam are moved to a different thread and maybe turned into a new event that has a different objective with different aims.

Permalink Reply by Adam Lawrence on February 8, 2012 at 17:15

Hi Tania,

I'm sorry you didn't enjoy the Jam. :(

I just need to point out that Global Service Jam and GSusJ jammers are encouraged to work on real world issues. I know of only one team out of 200 at GSJ11 who did not.

They are also certainly welcome to work on local issues. As ever, it is up to the Jammers.

Think about the themes of the Jams so far - "Superheroes" and "Playgrounds" - these led to many projects on social and local services...

All the best,


Adam

Tania Ivanka said:

I also had unrealistic expectations that we would be working on a real world project (not sure where I got that idea from - no one's fault I'm sure!) so I still hold that from now on I only want to participate in something that takes real world issues to work on. I think this also means "new event name here"needs to be addressing a local issue and thus different in each place it is run. Each situation is different. Which makes me very interested in the Mongolian Jam. I hope that in Mongolia the participants get to work on local issues. Please keep us all updated, I'd love to know how it goes.

Permalink Reply by Patti hunt on February 14, 2012 at 12:32

Hi everyone,

I wanted to share this awesome video that Marina and the Sydney Crew pulled together for the Sydney Jam. It really captures the spirit and essence of what the jams are all about. Enjoy! :)

http://vimeo.com/36685197

If you would like to sign up for either the Sydney or Melbourne Jams, here are the registration links:

Melbourne: http://www.eventbrite.com/event/2803051001

Sydney: http://globalservicejamsydney2012.eventbrite.com/

Cheers,

Patti

Permalink Reply by Matt Currie on July 11, 2012 at 13:28

I'm a bit late to this but as a local host of two Global Service Jams I have a point of view I'd like to share..

For me the value of SD jams is two-fold: 1/ SD community building  2/ SD practice.

 The two Jams I've hosted in Hamilton NZ have each yielded at least one valuable relationship with a like-minded person I may not've otherwise meet (both in my city, nationally and internationally).  Additionally each Jam has given me the chance to take the pulse of the SD community - see who's doing and thinking what, see who turns up and who doesn't etc.

Each Jam has been a great opportunity for me to reflect on and refine how I, and how we at my company, do SD and design thinking.  I find that the Jam's make me ultra reflective - something perhaps about how frantic and intense they are.

Yep Jams are definitely hard work and not without their frustrations, but the value I get from them makes the ROI pretty good in my books.

Permalink Reply by Gavin Melles on August 12, 2012 at 16:28

Hi

I went to one jam and talked about design thinking. Stayed around for the day. Thought the idea was great but like most seminars i either organize or attend (mostly the former) for productive work to happen people need to prepare and be focused. I remember going to a couple of ISSI seminars on architecture etc., which were great - working with people - making stuff. Just spent a day with digital futures and Melbourne at the Hub - again open, good some good contacts but one comment in the room was again same stuff being talked abut twenty years ago. Talk fests don't do it.  Make it even more focused - maybe have a brief with space to work - then also make sure there are a set of tools people know about b4 hand - customer journey, rapid ethnography persona, etc., doenst matter what but a subset. Then get people working.

Permalink Reply by Adam Lawrence on August 12, 2012 at 16:44

That doesn't sound like any Jam I know. The main rule of the Global Service Jam and its sisters is "DOING, NOT TALKING" - it is emphatically not a talkfest.  And the structure with tool inputs sounds like most Jams too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xnbol7gidGU#t=3m40s

Your story sounds more like an unconference than a Jam. Where was it? :)

Best,

Adam

Permalink Reply by Liisa Vurma on August 12, 2012 at 16:50

Hey Gavin and Adam,

I believe Gavin is talking about the Jam in Melbourne, which I helped to facilitate and take part. 

The problem probably was that Gavin only took part of day 1 (Friday night?) - when there often is more talking and less doing compared to other days. I suggest next time come join us for the last day as well - you will see how much progress can happen in only 48 hours. 

Best,

Liisa

Permalink Reply by Adam Lawrence on August 12, 2012 at 16:53

Ah. that might explain it. Yup, Friday evening is usually talking about what to spend the next two days doing. :)

Thanks Liisa! :)

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