About us
WHY? HOW TO? WHAT IF?
We believe the world around us matters. Its people, families, communities, businesses and governments. Its environment and the systems that comprise it. And we believe that individuals need to take the initiative to challenge themselves and others to rethink and actively contribute to its advancement. We are all potential changemakers, creators, activators, and supporters of positive progress.
All changes, incremental improvements and disruptive innovations, start with questions; Why? How to? What if? They are asked when you are at a crossroads. When your team faces hiccups. When your organisation is challenged.
SIX WAYS OF LEARNING
By asking these questions, we seek to create desirable and sustainable changes in behaviour and habits of individuals, systems, businesses and organisations. It is a multi-stage, iterative and ongoing process of learning. For this reason, we combine six ways of learning:
- blended
- peer-to-peer
- relation-based
- inclusive
- holistic
- continuously
We are a new breed of design school. We are a melting pot of knowledge and experiences with people bringing their expertise and ambitions, strengths and weaknesses, to find encouraging support for their professional and personal development and give that support back to others. Their role changes depending on the question asked. Balancing their needs with those from peers and from society as a whole.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
The Service Design College is an ongoing learning experience built upon the 360° design mindset series. For this to work, we apply six guiding principles:
Experience beats theory
There is an imbalance regarding predefined design processes, methods, and tools. The current focus is on ready-made toolkits rather than on experiences, skills like adaptability, and a design mindset. We believe you can learn more from practitioners than from books, from practice than from theory. Hence, it is better to learn from experts with real-world experience and who are enthusiastic about sharing it.
Peers rather than teachers
We often learn more from our peers than from anyone else. That is why we enable and encourage members to discuss problems and share insights within the community. They can collaborate in a team project or a peer interview, or engage in live discussions and reflections. This interpersonal transfer of knowledge is valuable for professionals just starting their careers or those who have reached a crossroads.
Never stop learning
In a continuously changing environment, people need to anticipate and adapt. Talent is only a starting point from which to progress and develop; abilities and skills can evolve with time and grow with experience. With a mix of criticism and optimism, a drive to grow, and ambition to improve, we can challenge the status quo and get better together. Passionate about learning and curious about the unknown.
Small snacks, no big meals
Modern education isn't about extended training programs anymore. Flexible learning with small-sized portions giving answers to pressing questions, better help us adapt to, try-out, and immediately practice and assimilate the lessons learned in our daily routines.
In the here and now
The world, its culture, and organisations and their offerings are rapidly changing. Consequently, we need fresh, modern examples from all kinds of organisations, small and large, explained by experts who were or still are involved in leading them.
For anyone
Knowledge should be accessible and affordable for everyone. Our spirit of collaboration, sharing knowledge, and bridging gaps goes hand in hand with values like diversity, inclusion, and accessibility. We promote knowledge diffusion in a transparent, fair and rewarding way. A triple win-win.
NAVIGATE AND CREATE CHANGE
We introduce you to a set of design abilities that help you navigate and create change. In a community-like setting, you learn how to use design strategically in many facets, and build a 360° design mindset for your own professional or personal context, as a designer and also if you are not working within the design field.
You learn to ask the right questions and find the best answers. Not only for yourself but also for everyone around you; your team, your organisation, your clients, and even society.
By listening, practicing and discussing, you learn to view situations differently, to adopt a different perspective, to increase awareness, build confidence, and develop new ways of thinking, better approaches and actionable skills.
We are heading into a period of further transformations that will profoundly impact our lives on a personal, social and economic level. Which questions would you ask yourself, your team or your organisation?
Why join?
Work with peers
Listen to specialists. Join workshops. Or find a mentor or tutor to guide you personally.
Expand your network
Collaborate with peers from all over the globe. Connect virtually or meet them in person.
Invest in your career
Get to know other fields. Learn new skills to your day-to-day work to increase your impact.
Gain recognition
Earn credits and professional certificates.
© Service Design COLLEGE. All Rights Reserved.
