International Service Design Experiences Comes to Cork

The International Service Design Experience, an international conference on the ergonomics of services- where accessibility, fairness and convenience are made a priority- will place on September 26th 2017 in Fota Island Resort, Cork.Hosted jointly by Cork County Council and Cork Institute of Technology (CIT), the conference will feature a number of speakers on the subject of service design. The International Design Experience covers three main topics: the standards of service design internationally, the role of good design in the public sector, and the future of service design for commercial usage.The concept of service design is a modern one, but has gained a great deal of traction in recent years. The UK and Scottish governments both employ a Head of Service Design and User Research, and the area is emerging as an increasingly popular field of study in universities worldwide. Ireland is also set to focus more on its importance. Service RePublic, a collaboration between the county council and CIT, is a new initiative aimed towards reforming public service for easier and more efficient use. “Cork County Council is excited to be leading the way in the public sector in Ireland by using Service Design for transforming our services with the public.” said Tim Lucey, Chief Executive of Cork County Council. “We are proud of our strong connections with citizens, businesses and communities across Cork county, and we are in a unique position to use and develop these relationships to improve services and make people’s lives better.” Tim Lucey is one of the event’s organisers and will also speak at the conference.Other prominent Cork figures involved in the International Design Experience include Heather Madden, project manager at CIT, as well as several of UCC’s own experts, including Professor David Sammon, research fellow Paidi O’Reilly, and Project Manager of Student Services Redesign, Michelle Nelson. Other speakers listed include project managers, design experts, advocates and other researchers from a variety of fields including government service design, public health services, the Irish Environmental Protection Agency, and several commercial bodies, such as the Service Design Network (SDN).The central theme of the conference, and indeed of service design thinking, is accommodating people on a fundamental level by engaging with them.  The conference may be of interest to any student looking to work in public service or accessibility, or wishing to innovate their own companies and products in the future. The event will also provide panels, Q&A sessions, and networking opportunities. Registration for the conference can be completed at www.servicedesignireland.com.