Would you like to learn the basics of service design, or are you looking for in-depth insights and concrete tools? Well, you're lucky, in this article we collected our favourite books, podcasts, training courses and conferences. Get inspired and discover how human-centred thinking can make a world of difference.

Books and podcasts are ideal to delve into service design at your own pace and without a large investment. Our service designers selected 7 ‘must reads’ and 7 ‘must hears’ for you.

Must reads

1. Good Services - Lou Downe

This book contains a handy checklist of 15 rules that a good service should meet.

"If you follow these rules when redesigning your service, I can guarantee that your service is already one of the better ones."

— Colleague Laurens

2. This is Service Design Doing - Marc Stickdorn & Jakob Schneider

This book, recommended by managing partner Stina, is a guide to carry out complex projects effectively with proven methods and tools. Stina: “The process of service design is clearly explained and substantiated with real-life examples.”

3. Gamestorming - Dave Gray

Gamestorming provides a diverse toolkit for preparing and facilitating workshops. Tim Brown, CEO of IDEO, calls it “a must have for anyone working creatively and innovatively.”

4. Change by design - Tim Brown

Read this book and get deep insights into how to use design thinking to develop innovative solutions that make a real impact on user experiences and organisations. Service designer Liesbeth finds the concrete examples from NGOs and the business world really valuable.

5. Atomic Habits - James Clear

This useful guide shows you how small habits can encourage big behavioural changes. “You will learn the tools and insights to understand and drive user behaviour, which is crucial for service designers,” says colleague Lien.’

6. Just Enough Research - Erika Hall

Taking a no-nonsense approach, this book reaches out to practical strategies for research. Service designer Suzan became intrigued by Erika Hall during a UX conference in Vienna: “After seeing Erika's keynote, I definitely wanted to read her book. It is to the point and immediately applicable.”

7. ‘Business Model Generation’ & ‘Value Proposition Design’
- Alexander Osterwalder & Yves Pigneur

Both books offer visually appealing methods to develop effective business models and value propositions. Service Innovation Lead Cedric considers them “indispensable for service designers who want to align their services with business objectives while creating value for the end user.”

Must hears

1. Service design podcast - Knight Moves

Listen to inspiring conversations with experts, but equally with people like you and me, who continue to explore service design on a daily basis. “The podcast with Sarah Drummond is my favourite. With simple and motivational do's and don'ts, she makes you realise that service design doesn't have to be complex-you immediately feel inspired to take action yourself and make the world a little better.” says colleague and Service Design Podcast host Laurens.

Sarah Drummond, along with two colleagues, smiling in an office setting. She shares her insights on service design and innovation on the Service Design Podcast.

Two guests wearing headphones and speaking into microphones in a podcast studio, smiling and engaged in conversation.

Two men in a cozy, bright space, sitting at a wooden table with a cup of coffee and books. They are talking about the Service Design Podcast.

2. 99% Invisible

Colleague Stina finds this podcast a rich source of inspiration, as you discover how the smallest design decisions can have a big impact on the user experience. Her 3 favourite episodes are:

“This podcast is a masterpiece in storytelling and shows how design affects all facets of our lives.”

— Lou Downe, author of Goods Services on 99% Invisible

3. Lex Fridman Podcast

Expect in-depth conversations about technology and human interaction. Tip: episode #234 with Stephen Wolfram on dealing with randomness, intelligence and the structure of reality.

4. Design Matters

This podcast shares valuable lessons from leading designers. The episode ‘Scaling Design at IBM with Doug Powell’ teaches you how to apply design at scale in complex organisations.

5. Service Design Show

A valuable source of inspiration full of practical tools for both beginners and experienced service designers. Our recommendation is the episode ‘How to effectively measure a service with Tim Dekker’.

6. Unexpectedly innovative

When tackling societal challenges, you often get stuck on what you cannot change. In episode #2, Fien and Lies talk about how, in that complexity, you can look for where exactly you can bring impact and change. This podcast is only available in Dutch.

7. Dead Ends

Dead Ends, presented by Lou Downe and Sarah Drummond, is a monthly podcast about how the world around us is designed, and how it has become that way. Episode #1 offers great insights into the concept of Lock-ins with very concrete and sometimes funny examples.

Do you feel like interacting with others while expanding your network? Then we recommend these training courses and conferences.

Interactive training courses

1. Introduction to Human-Centered Design - Acumen Academy Online
This online course introduces human-centred design, with a focus on empathy and creativity to solve complex problems.

2. Fundamental Service Design Training - Knight Moves On-site
During this practical two-day course, you will learn all the necessary tools and knowledge to start working with service design yourself. At the end of the training course, you will understand how to align your service with user expectations.

A group of workshop participants engaged in discussions and working on service design exercises at a table.

Four women lean over a table filled with notes and papers, actively discussing and collaborating on a service design challenge.

Three participants discuss persona mapping and user profiles in front of a wall covered with posters, diagrams, and sticky notes in a workshop setting.

A group of enthusiastic participants poses with their certificates in a green outdoor space, smiling and cheering after completing the service design training.

3. Stakeholder Leadership - School of Good Services Online
Learn how to build strong relationships with stakeholders and align their needs with those of the user. Recommended by colleague Suzan.

4. Masterclass ‘Find and engage your target audience during the design process’ - Knight Moves On-site
Gain insight into the needs, attitudes and perspectives of your target group during this master class. An essential step in the design process. This master class can also be organised in your organisation upon request.

5. Business Cases for Service Design - School of Good Services Online
This 1-day master class teaches you to communicate and implement the value of service design within a business context.

Leading conferences

1. SD in Gov On-site
“This conference focuses on the application of service design in government. You gain a lot of inspiration for government projects at home.” - Recommended by colleague Liesbeth.

2. Service Design Global Conference On-site/Online
This is one of the largest conferences of professionals in the field, organised by the Service Design network.

"This conference brings together the most forward-thinking minds in service design. A unique opportunity to take your work to the next level.”

— Marc Stickdorn, co-author of This is Service Design Thinking

3. ARENA On-site

Het tweejaarlijkse ARENA event van Knight Moves brengt ontwerpers, innovators, academici en bedrijfsleiders bijeen om ideeën uit te wisselen en samen te werken aan oplossingen die een positieve impact hebben op de toekomst van dienstverlening. Zo trokken de edities waar de thema’s ‘Inclusieve digitale transformatie’ en ‘Een mensgerichte energietransitie’ centraal stonden, alvast heel wat bezoekers.

Audience members listen attentively during an event, with a photo exhibition in the background showcasing stories of young people searching for jobs.

A woman in a blue jacket introduces the topic of youth and work during the Arena event by Knight Moves. She speaks into a microphone, with a projector in the background displaying themes such as AI, robotics, and human-centered organizations.

A female speaker is presenting at the Arena event by Knight Moves, with the question "How did we collect these stories?" displayed on a large screen behind her. The audience listens attentively in an atmospheric space with warm lighting.

A woman in a red blouse with a microphone is presenting at the Arena event by Knight Moves on "a human-centered energy transition." The screen behind her displays the message "You'll need more than a good idea." The audience is following the presentation in an industrial setting with a brick wall and a large screen.

4. UX London On site

Colleague Fien recommends this 3-day conference that highlights all aspects of the design process. From user research to product design.

5. Design Thinking Conference On site
This conference stands out for its unique, interactive format, inspired by theatre. Colleague Suzan enriched her skills during this conference: “The small group creates a safe and open atmosphere. There is a good balance between inspiring speakers and active workshops.”

Take the first step towards service design

Ready to immerse yourself in the finer points of service design? Listen to one of our inspiring podcasts, read tips from leading design thinkers or discover in our cases how user-centric thinking is future-proofing your services.