Service design helps create better experiences by connecting every part of a service, whether it’s online, in person, or behind the scenes.
Instead of focusing on just one touchpoint, like a website or customer support, it takes a broader look at how everything works together to meet the needs of both customers and businesses.
Jesse James Garrett puts it simply:
When we talk about service design, we are fundamentally talking about the design of systems: the systems that connect people, processes, and touchpoints. 
In other words, service design helps ensure that each interaction a customer has is part of a seamless system.
For anyone looking to improve how services are delivered—whether you’re working in UX design or in customer experience—understanding service design can have a huge impact.
It enables you to see how each part of a service connects, ensuring smoother experiences from start to finish.
In this part of the guide we’ve collected some of the best service design courses out there, to help you understand it better and level up your skills.
What is service design?
Service design focuses on improving the overall functioning of services by adopting a comprehensive view of the customer experience. Instead of isolating individual components, it examines how every element interacts to work seamlessly.
At its core, understanding customer needs drives this approach. Customer journey management allows businesses to pinpoint pain points and discover opportunities to make improvements.
On the operational side, service design also enhances internal workflows. Streamlined processes enable organizations to respond more swiftly to challenges and minimize costs.
What does a service designer do?
Service designers focus on creating and improving service operations, thereby keeping user experiences at the forefront. A big part of their role requires visualizing the customer journey and identifying any gaps or challenges users might face during their experience.
Beyond customer experience, service designers also work closely with teams across an organization. They help connect different departments so that everything runs smoothly behind the scenes and the solutions are practical and effective.
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What do you need to be a service designer?
To become a service designer, you’ll need a combination of skills, tools, some of the best UX resources, and a user-centered mindset.
While a strong grasp of design principles is essential, it’s equally important to think about how entire systems and processes function together to create seamless experiences. Service designers are tasked with looking at the full scope of a service, not just the individual touchpoints.
Some key skills include journey mapping, user research, and prototyping, which help to uncover and address pain points within a service.
However, being able to communicate your insights to stakeholders in a clear, actionable way is just as important as technical proficiency.
Empathy and strong problem-solving skills are at the core of this role. Service designers need to understand user needs deeply while also being able to navigate the complexity of business objectives, finding practical solutions that work for everyone.
Mastering tools such as Adobe XD, Sketch, or service blueprinting platforms is valuable, and platforms like UXtweak are particularly useful for testing and refining user interactions. Try it out today!
Best service design courses
We have researched through a handful of service design courses in order to bring the best options to your fingertips. Here are 25 courses you should consider:
1. Service Design Basics by Coursera
Overview: This one-hour course offers a concise introduction to the core concepts of service design. Participants will explore the fundamental principles and key terminology essential for understanding the field.
Ideal for those looking to get a quick overview without a significant time commitment.
Students’ reviews: Feedback is largely positive, with many appreciating the clarity and straightforward approach. Students often mention that it serves as an excellent primer for further study in service design.
Some, however, felt that the course could delve deeper into practical applications and real-world examples to enrich the learning experience.
2. Human-Centered Service Design by edX
Overview: Spanning across two months, this course emphasizes a human-centered approach to service design, helping participants create services that genuinely meet users’ needs.
The curriculum combines theoretical foundations with practical case studies, encouraging participants to engage in real-world projects.
Students’ reviews: Many learners commend the course for its engaging content and effective teaching style. They appreciate the hands-on projects that allow them to apply what they learn directly.
However, some reviewers mentioned the workload can be heavy, and a few expressed a desire for more interactive elements in the online format.
3. Service Design for Business by Skillshare
Overview: This short course briefly covers the basics of connecting service design concepts with business strategy. Participants learn to identify service opportunities and develop actionable plans that drive results in their organizations.
Students’ reviews: Students generally find the course practical and relevant to their roles in business. Many highlight the actionable insights they can implement immediately.
Critiques focus on the video production quality, with some wishing for higher visual clarity. Others mentioned certain sections felt basic, particularly for those with prior knowledge in service design.
4. Service Design for the Real World by Udemy
Overview: This Udemy course offers a comprehensive look at service design essentials, focusing on end-to-end processes, real-world application, stakeholder management, and practical tools like journey mapping and blueprinting.
Designed by industry experts, it emphasizes challenges and solutions in implementing service design in organizations.
Students’ reviews: Students appreciate the practical approach and clear explanations of complex topics. Many found it particularly useful for applying theory to their workplace context.
5. The Master by International Service Design Institute
Overview: This self-paced course delves into advanced service design methodologies, such as service diagnostics, benchmarking, and performance measurement. It’s aimed at those looking to identify and resolve service inefficiencies.
Students’ reviews: Students rate it highly for in-depth content and a focus on diagnostics, helping professionals enhance service stability. The course receives praise for its engaging format and interactive learning methods. Students enjoy the focus on creativity and real-world application.
Some feedback suggests that while the content is solid, more practical examples would enhance the learning experience.
6. UX Design and Service Design by Udemy
Overview: This four-week course explores the intersection of UX design and service design. Participants learn how to create cohesive service experiences that enhance user satisfaction and drive engagement.
Students’ reviews: Learners often highlight the practical examples and case studies included in the course. Many appreciate the clear explanations and the integration of UX principles into service design.
However, some reviews indicate that advanced topics could use more exploration to satisfy experienced designers.
7. Service Design Fundamentals by Linkedin Learning
Overview: This brief 2.5-hour course introduces key concepts and methods of service design. It’s structured for busy professionals who want a quick yet informative overview.
Students’ reviews: Participants find the course easy to follow and well-structured, making it suitable for a quick learning session. However, several reviews mention that the depth of content may not be sufficient for those seeking a comprehensive understanding.
8. Selling Service Design with Confidence by Marc Stickdorn
Overview: Created by Marc Stickdorn, this course centers on building confidence in pitching and selling service design projects. It covers techniques for client engagement and project pitching.
Students’ reviews: Participants highlight the course’s impact on their consulting and sales skills, especially for new service designers aiming to grow client portfolios.
9. Service Design (Online Short Course) by UAL
Overview: This course covers the theoretical and practical foundations of service design. Students work on a project that applies methods like user journey mapping and stakeholder analysis, ending with a comprehensive project.
Students’ reviews: Known for its immersive format, students find it helpful in solidifying their theoretical knowledge while working on practical, real-life scenarios.
10. 100 Service Design Principles by Swiss Innovation Academy
Overview: This course provides a quick but intensive look at 100 principles that enhance customer experience through service design, ideal for those short on time but looking for actionable insights.
Students’ reviews: Praised for its condensed, high-value insights, students find it refreshing and easy to implement in day-to-day service roles.
11. Service Blueprint for Lazy People by Swiss Innovation Academy
Overview: This Swiss Innovation Academy course teaches efficient methods for creating service blueprints without compromising quality.
Students’ reviews: Loved for its simple and effective approach, users find this course perfect for rapid learning without overwhelming details.
12. Human-Centered Service Design by IDEO
Overview: Focused on building customer loyalty, this course guides students through the essentials of human-centered service design, emphasizing customer journey maps and service blueprints.
Students‘ reviews: Known for practical applications, students appreciate the hands-on projects that align closely with real business challenges.
13: UX Design & Service Design Masterclass by Udemy
Overview: This 2-hour Udemy course is designed to give a quick overview of both UX and service design, focusing on how the two disciplines overlap.
The course provides practical tools and techniques to improve the user experience of services, with a focus on customer journey mapping and service blueprinting.
Students’ Reviews: Rated 4.5/5, this course is well-received for its concise and straightforward teaching style. Learners found it valuable as an introduction to both UX and service design, though some felt it could include more depth on service-specific content.
14: PDA in Service Design by Dundee and Angus College
Overview: This in-depth program covers customer-centered design and provides tools for real-life applications in service improvement.
Students’ reviews: Participants value the practical, project-based format and appreciate the course’s alignment with workplace demands.
15 UX Academy Plus by Designlab
Overview: Designlab’s UX Academy Plus is an immersive 6-month program designed for those serious about pursuing a career in UX and service design.
The course covers both foundational UX concepts and advanced service design techniques, offering mentorship and real-world projects.
Students’ reviews: With a 4.8/5 rating, UX Academy Plus is highly recommended for its mentorship and career services. Students appreciated the depth of the curriculum and the opportunity to work on real client projects.
Some learners noted the fast pace, making it more suited for those committed to a full-time learning schedule.
Course 16: Service Design Elevate by Academy Xi
Overview: This comprehensive course spans several months, covering in-depth aspects of service design and end-to-end customer experience design. It includes mentor sessions, a personal project, and masterclass webinars.
Students’ reviews: Reviewers commend the practical nature of the course and the portfolio-building project. They highlight the mentorship aspect as a significant advantage and a unique networking opportunity.
The course structure and real-world applications make it a strong choice for professionals.
With an average rating of 4.7/5, students praised the course for its interactive format, including group projects and industry insights. Some noted that the course was quite intensive, making it ideal for those with a serious interest in improving their service design skills.
17: Service Design: Designing for Experience by Interaction Design Foundation
Overview: This self-paced course covers designing and improving customer experiences across touchpoints. It’s highly accessible and includes membership access to a broader design library.
Students’ reviews: Learners praise the flexibility and depth of the content. Many particularly value the case studies and membership benefits, which allow access to other design topics.
18: Human-Centered Service Design by IDEO U
Overview: IDEO U’s course dives into human-centred design principles, focusing on customer empathy, ideation, and testing. Ideal for those with some design experience, the course offers rich insights into service design strategy and customer research.
Students’ reviews: Students rate this course highly for its interactive format and IDEO’s design thinking focus. Many found it valuable for its real-world applications and thorough exploration of the customer journey.
19. Service Design Bootcamp by General Assembly
Overview: This intensive bootcamp is designed for those seeking an in-depth dive into service design, with a focus on customer journey mapping and prototyping. It’s ideal for professionals looking to add service design to their skillset.
Students’ reviews: Many participants appreciate the immersive and collaborative environment, noting the bootcamp’s hands-on exercises as excellent preparation for real-world applications.
20. Service Blueprinting by Udemy
Overview: This two-hour course provides an in-depth look at service blueprinting as a key tool in service design. Participants learn how to map out services in detail to enhance understanding and communication among teams.
Students’ reviews: Students appreciate the clear explanations and practical examples included in the course. They find the blueprinting techniques helpful for their work.
However, a few reviews suggest that additional real-world case studies would further illustrate the application of these techniques.
21. Service Design Essentials by Coursera
Overview: This course offers a foundational introduction to service design, including customer journey mapping, prototyping, and design thinking fundamentals. It’s aimed at beginners but provides value for anyone looking to solidify their service design skills.
Students’ reviews: Students appreciate the hands-on exercises and the interactive projects, finding the course concise but impactful. Many noted it was particularly beneficial for those new to service design.
22. Introduction to Service Design by Domestika
Overview: This beginner-level course focuses on the basics of service design with a strong visual component. It includes interactive exercises and practical examples.
Students’ reviews: Learners appreciate the engaging format and clear visuals, making it a favorite among creative professionals. Many felt it was perfect for quickly grasping core concepts.
23. Designing Services for a Better Customer Experience by FutureLearn
Overview: This course emphasizes customer journey mapping and process improvement. It’s a project-based course ideal for those interested in applying service design in customer experience roles.
Students’ reviews: Positive feedback highlights the comprehensive and approachable course structure. Many enjoyed the balance between theory and real-life applications, especially for customer-centric roles.
24. Intro to Practical Service Blueprinting by PracticalByDesign
Overview: This workshop-style course is all about creating actionable service blueprints. It guides participants through planning and executing a service blueprinting session, making it ideal for those needing hands-on experience.
Students’ reviews: Users commend the course for its practical value, noting the relevance of skills gained for real-world applications.
25. Service Design for Business by edX
Overview: This six-week program focuses on integrating service design principles into business strategy. Participants learn how to leverage service design to enhance customer experiences, streamline operations, and drive innovation within organizations.
The course emphasizes practical applications and real-world case studies to illustrate the impact of service design in business contexts.
Students’ reviews: Feedback highlights the course’s relevance to professionals looking to incorporate service design into business strategies. Many students find the real-world case studies particularly enlightening, as they offer concrete examples of successful service design implementations.
Some reviews note that the course could provide more in-depth discussions on the challenges organizations face when adopting service design.
Best university service design short courses
University-based short courses in service design are fantastic options for those looking to dive deeper into theory and practical frameworks without committing to a full degree.
These programs are particularly useful for mid-career professionals, project managers, and anyone who wants to make customer-centric improvements in their organization.
Programs like “Service Design for Innovation” at the University of the Arts London, “Service Design Fundamentals” at the Parsons School of Design, and many more all combine hands-on projects and case studies, which can be great for gaining in-depth knowledge and new skills in a focused, interactive environment.
Wrapping up
Service design courses are valuable resources for anyone seeking to enhance customer experiences, create efficient service models, or gain a fresh perspective on design thinking.
From practical online workshops to intensive university short courses, there’s an option for everyone, whether you’re looking to pivot into service design or simply enhance your current approach.
Finding the right course depends on your goals, available time, and preferred learning style, but with so many options available, there’s something for everyone interested in refining their approach to service design.
When you start getting your hands dirty, you will come across some terms like CX vs. UX, and this is where our comparison guide comes in handy.
