Service design for public services, charities and businesses
Service design
Services that work end to end, not just on screen. I map the whole journey across channels, people and systems, then redesign it so it is simpler for the people using it and easier for the teams running it.
Fix the whole service, not just the website
Most problems people blame on a website actually start somewhere else. A form asks for information the back office never uses. A phone line exists because an online journey breaks halfway. A process spans three teams and nobody owns the full picture. Service design looks at all of it: the people, the channels, the policies and the systems behind each step.
I lead the work from research to delivery. That means talking to residents, customers and staff, mapping the current service in detail, and running workshops that bring teams together around one shared picture. From there we design the future service and test the most important parts before anyone commits to building them.
I have led UX/UI and service design for a UK council, so I know how public services are funded, governed and assessed. I work to the GDS service standard and design patterns, to WCAG 2.1 AA for accessibility and to GDPR for personal data. I am also eligible for SC (Security Check) clearance for sensitive government work.
What my service design work includes
Service blueprints
A detailed map of every step, channel and team involved in delivering the service.
End-to-end journey mapping
The experience as users really live it, from first search to final follow-up.
Stakeholder and user workshops
Sessions that bring teams together and turn research into shared decisions.
Current and future state mapping
A clear view of how things work today and how they should work tomorrow.
Pain point and opportunity analysis
Where people struggle, why it happens and what fixing it is worth.
Content and information architecture
Structure and wording organised around what people need to do, not internal departments.
GDS standards and patterns
Services designed to meet the GOV.UK service standard and its proven patterns.
Accessibility to WCAG 2.1 AA
Inclusive design checked throughout, so everyone can use the service.
How a Service design project works
Understand
Research with users and staff, plus a review of data, contact reasons and existing processes.
Map
Current state journeys and service blueprints that show where and why the service breaks.
Redesign
Workshops and prototypes that shape the future service with the people who will run it.
Deliver
A clear roadmap, designs and support through build, launch and improvement.
Who this service is for
Councils and public services moving services online, charities with processes spread across teams and volunteers, and businesses whose customer journey breaks between departments. A good fit if you hear the same complaints again and again and want to fix the cause rather than the symptom.
Related work
Service design questions
Straight answers before we talk. Anything else, just ask.
UX design usually focuses on one product or website. Service design covers the whole service, including the offline steps, the staff involved and the systems behind it. The two work best together, and I do both.
Yes. I have led UX/UI and service design for a UK council and work to GDS, WCAG and GDPR standards. I am also eligible for SC clearance.
A focused discovery on one service can take a few weeks. Redesigning and delivering a larger service takes longer and is usually planned in stages, so you see value early.
Often, yes. Simpler services mean fewer calls, fewer errors and less manual work. Part of the research is measuring where effort is wasted, so the business case is clear.