Digital Commons Network^™

Redesigning Equine Air Transport: A Product-Service System To Empower The Horse-Owner Alliance, Paola Maria Trapani, Ke Ma, Jiao Mo

ServDes Conference Series

Equine air transport poses significant health, and welfare risks due to stress and environmental factors. Current systems lack proactive solutions, leading to preventable health issues like Shipping Fever (SF) and poor service experiences. Design Challenge: This research explores how Product-Service System Design (PSSD) can mitigate common transport challenges, enhance stakeholder experiences, and reposition the Horse-Owner Alliance (HOA) as a key player. Methods: Using a mixed-methods approach, the study examined system, service, and product levels, integrating UX/UI, product design, and PSSD methods, alongside elements of System Design. Prototypes—including a smart stall and a wearable halter—were tested in real-world settings. Results: The …

Bridging Local Connections With Digital Convenience: Smart Grocery Shopping, Sutop Mukherjee, Seema Krishnakumar

ServDes Conference Series

Urban grocery shopping in India is rapidly evolving through online platforms, shaped by fragmented pricing, discount-driven choices, and a growing disconnect from local Kirana stores—raising questions about how these factors jointly affect consumer behavior and community ties. This study investigates how the lack of integrated price comparison tools and limited visibility of local retailers leads to decision fatigue and disjointed user experiences. While online platforms offer conveniences like doorstep delivery and real-time availability, prior research highlights their role in diminishing hyperlocal engagement. To address this, we apply a service design lens to reimagine grocery shopping as a socially embedded, economically …

Responsible Digital Service Ecosystem Design: Concept And Framework, Kentaro Watanabe

ServDes Conference Series

Rapid advancements in digital technologies profoundly influence lifestyles, norms, cultures, and society through digital services. To address concerns regarding their negative impacts, service ecosystem design offers a promising approach for managing and adapting institutional arrangements (i.e., rules, norms, and cultures) necessary for such services. However, few studies have examined socially responsible design principles and practices in digital service ecosystems. To bridge this gap, this study introduces the concept of responsible digital service ecosystem design (REDSED). By integrating the responsible innovation approach, it presents a conceptual framework for the REDSED process for managing institutional arrangements. The proposed concept and framework support …

Cultivating Cross-Cultural Community Through Counter-Storying: The Power+Place Collaborative, Danielle Lake, Sandy Marshall

ServDes Conference Series

This article offers a feminist pragmatist vision for service design educators and practitioners that seeks to cultivate participatory place-based systemic change through cross-cultural and intergenerational counter-storytelling efforts. After summarizing the story of the Power+Place Collaborative as a service design case study, the article outlines findings from a four-year, mixed-method study. Findings from this initiative indicate that feminist pragmatist practices can cultivate significant changes across social systems when such service design initiatives are sustained over time. Based on study findings, the article concludes by recommending a range of strategies found to be most useful for scaling cross-sector, participatory systems change.

A Study Of Traffic Management Solutions And Emergency Vehicle Response Times In India, Shrutee Ghosh, Saurav Khuttiya Deori

ServDes Conference Series

India, the land of diversity, with a population of approximately 1.4 billion, is one of the fastest growing major economy in the world. The data of 2023- 2024 reveals that India produced a total of 28 million vehicles, including passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, and quadricycles and sold 23.86 million domestically. This is where the fault lies, there are lakhs of vehicles produced and supplied carelessly, but there are no policies that check and implement a smooth, technology-driven and user- friendly traffic management system. Moreover, it is observed that there exists a vacuum not only at a policy implementation level but …

Exploring Service Rituals For At-Work Recovery Toward Healthcare Worker Wellbeing, Ted Matthews, Kajal Khanna

ServDes Conference Series

Service design has increased its attention on healthcare services in both research and practice. Despite the promise of considering the wellbeing of all actors involved in these services, it is very much the patient that is ‘focal actor’, with healthcare workers (HCWs) often being marginalised in these processes. Concurrently, diminished wellbeing of HCWs is leading to burnout and in turn medical errors that seriously impact patients and the healthcare service system. This paper reports on explorative, transdisciplinary design research that makes the HCWs the focal actor of the process and looks to design service rituals as an approach to at-work …

A Failed Social Innovation Experiment In Rural China, Chenfan Zhang, Valentina Auricchio, Daniela Selloni

ServDes Conference Series

This paper presents a failed experiment conducted as part of a PhD participatory action research. The experiment originally aimed to develop an experimental framework for fostering long-term sustainable development in villages by extending the impact of short-term design interventions. Throughout the experiment, a toolkit was designed and iterated three times. Results, however, differed significantly from expectations, leading to a temporary failure of the experiment. To reflect on this outcome and refine future approaches, a ‘Reflection-in action’ perspective was incorporated into the methodology. This paper explores the complexities of creating and sustaining legacies in design practices. It emphasises the need for …

Tracing Human-Ai Relations: A Participatory Approach To Genai Integration In Creative Public Service Work, Sanna Marttila, Louise Harder Fischer, Sunniva Sandbukt

ServDes Conference Series

This paper examines a participatory process for integrating Generative AI (GenAI) into the creative work of a public service organization. Through this process, we gain insights into the complexities of human-AI relations, the evolving nature of creative work, and the conditions necessary for meaningful AI integration in service organizations. The paper makes two key contributions: it documents a case of participatory GenAI integration in a public service setting, and it explores implications for creative practice and the evolving role of human-AI collaboration. Findings highlight the importance of reflection, value-driven AI integration, and the need for facilitated spaces for critical reflection. …

Journey Probe: Uncovering Aspirations Of Early-Career Employees Via Narrated Journeys, Sanandan Ratkal, Simran Patankar

ServDes Conference Series

Narrative mode of thought occurs frequently in the design process. The user research phases of a design lifecycle involve stories of users’ pains and aspirations. Aspirations can be abstract and highly contextual to uncover from conventional user research questions. Using journey maps can be an effective means to elicit user needs. Two designers experiment with journey-map styled worksheets i.e., journey probes as a tool for user research. The experiment was carried out to understand aspirations of early-career employees in a multi-national corporation in information technology services. The paper outlines the learnings gathered from the experiment and its potential as a …

Mental Health And Wellbeing Practices In Design Education: A Call For Action, Daniela Sangiorgi, Martina Čaić, Amalia De Götzen De Götzen, Rike Neuhoff, Rebecca Prices, Nuria Solsona Caba, Josina Vink, Hena Ali

ServDes Conference Series

Alarming numbers of university design students are experiencing significant issues related to their mental health and wellbeing. While the conditions affecting their mental health are systemic, universities play a key role in addressing academic related factors. This paper aims to better understand the stressors impacting design students’ wellbeing and identify strategies for addressing them. It reviews general academic and design-specific stressors highlighted in the literature. Drawing from a small sample of European design schools, the paper also shares promising practices for addressing these stressors. Kick-starting cross-institutional sharing, it offers a starting point for further collective efforts to improve student wellbeing.

Service Design And Post-Conflict Communities: Rethinking Tourism Services For Social Reintegration, Beatriz Bonilla Berrocal, Lucia Viganego Ballesteros

ServDes Conference Series

After the 2016 peace agreement in Colombia and through the reincorporation process, communities of ex-combatants from the former FARC guerrilla group initiated their process toward reintegration into civil society. The development of projects that promote their reintegration identified tourism as a key aspect for economic success and reconciliation with Colombian society. Applying tourism activities as a means of supporting their economic growth and guaranteeing the subsistence of the peace dialogues between ex-combatant communities and civilians was the basis that originated many initiatives in this sector. The case of the AETCR Jaime Pardo Leal, Waka Promoviendo Culturas, and Caguan Expeditions exemplifies …

What Can Design Do For Social Impact Measurement? Bridging Evaluation And Creative Practice, Beatriz Bonilla Berrocal, Annalinda De Rosa, Valentina Auricchio

ServDes Conference Series

Impact measurement has traditionally been shaped by disciplines such as economics and management, relying on structured methodologies that prioritize quantitative indicators like ROI, cost-benefit analysis, and performance metrics. While these approaches provide valuable insights, they often fail to capture the more nuanced, systemic, and social dimensions of impact. Within design, impact measurement remains fragmented, service design has established structured evaluation methods mainly focused on business value, UX/UI, graphic and product design assess product and market performance, while other design fields engage with impact in an ad hoc manner. However, there is no unified approach that systematically measures social impact from …

Role Of Service Design In The Era Of Industry 5.0, Ravi Mahamuni, Sylvan Lobo

ServDes Conference Series

Industry 5.0 (I5.0) represents a major shift from automated processes of Industry 4.0 (I4.0) to systems that put people first. I5.0 calls for a deeper focus on human centricity, especially on worker wellbeing and human-machine collaboration. This paper recognizes the synergy between the goals of I5.0 and service design. It uses a semi-speculative approach to explore the role of service design as a catalyst to the transition to I5.0, integrating service design’s core principles of empathy, co-creation and holistic systems thinking intro industrial processes. It examines the key challenges to the transitions and highlights how service design can support. It …

Improving Service Information Inclusiveness In Emergency Preparedness And Response: A Case Of Public Service Design In Commercial Large-Scale Mass Cultural Events, Yue Yu, Sijia Yang, Wanqiang Li, Fei Hu

ServDes Conference Series

Attention to the differentiated capabilities, needs, and expectations of vulnerable groups is an important research focus for inclusive service design. In a context where the increasing complexity of urban sites and industry chains has increased the potential risk of disasters, enhancing public emergency services is related to life safety for vulnerable groups. In disasters, user groups with special needs due to differences in cognitive abilities may be more vulnerable than other populations due to their exposure and crisis response competence. These vulnerable groups have more difficulty accessing emergency information and therefore lack adequate resources for emergency response. However, there is …

Structural Coupling As A Strategy For Achieving Stakeholder Co-Benefits: A Case Of Public Service Design In Shanghai Community Childcare, Yuqing Wang, Wanqiang Li, Fei Hu

ServDes Conference Series

Stakeholder co-benefits are critical in public service design, yet existing tools lack systemic capacity to articulate multi-stakeholder values and resources. To address this, the study responds to public service design complexity by leveraging structural coupling theory to identify actionable co-benefit opportunities. Grounded in this theory, it proposes a three-phase service innovation framework—Structural Coupling Status (CS), Structural Coupling Gap (CG), and Structural Coupling Opportunity (CO)—as a design tool that integrates diverse stakeholders’ motivations, activities, and rights/responsibilities (M.A.R.) into a reciprocal analytical structure. Validated through a case study on Shanghai’s public childcare services, the framework identifies coupling mismatches and enhances resource integration …

Beyond Packaging: Service Design As A Catalyst For Sustainable Personal Care And Circular Packaging In India, Divy Sharma, Vrushti Mehta, Anisha Absolom

ServDes Conference Series

Personal care market is drowning in plastic waste. Every week, 420 million lower middle- class consumers discard 2.94 billion sachets, while 560 million middle-class households throw away 2.8 billion bottles and tubes monthly. Despite growing environmental awareness, the gap between intention and action remains huge- 72% of consumers know plastic harms the environment, but only 38% dispose of it properly. This paper argues that while Product-Service Systems (PSS) provide solid theoretical foundations, Service Design is the practical game-changer that can solve India's packaging crisis. Through a mixed-method study involving 95 survey responses and 15 in-depth interviews across Indian cities, we …

Service Observer – Technology Enabled Unobtrusive User Research, Shivani Ganwani, Snehal Gaikwad, Raman Jeengar, Sylvan Lobo, Ravi Mahamuni

ServDes Conference Series

Today's services are complex, multi-channeled and multifaceted influencing user behaviour and experience. User research is a critical part of the service design process. Unobtrusive user research plays a crucial role in service design, offering insights into user behaviour without interrupting or influencing their natural interactions. We discuss our findings and concerns related to conducting naturalistic observations in today’s complex service environments through two case studies. We also explored the use of current technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, behavioural analytics, Internet of Things (IoT) sensors to observe service users in their natural environments. As an example, the paper showcases an AI-enabled …

A New Generation Of Collaborative Public Services, Daniela Selloni

ServDes Conference Series

This paper introduces the concept of collaborative public services, drawing on exemplary Italian prototypes. It begins by addressing the crisis of public services shaped by Dominant Service Design and outlines a first paradigm shift, where citizens move from passive users to active participants in global social innovation. However, this shift revealed limitations, often depending on the exceptional commitment of a few individuals. A second shift is emerging: collaborative public services sustained by a stronger role for the state and a participatory ecosystem that enables different levels of engagement, expanding involvement across society. The concept of a participatory ecosystem is explored …

‘Team Kazoku’: Fostering Mutual-Care Relationships Among Citizens Through Non-Parent Participation In Childcare, Kyosuke Sakakura, Yuki Kawamura, Rie Tanaka, Ayumi Arakawa, Rika Ishitsuka

ServDes Conference Series

Japan’s low birth rate gives rise to a need for mutual care among citizens to support child-rearing in society. If there is a need for public relationships to repair and sustain society for sustainable livelihoods, what can design contribute to this? This study, therefore, aimed to investigate the factors that promote and inhibit mutual-care relationships among Japanese citizens. To this end, we adopted an action research approach in which non-child-rearing people became involved with families raising children—a group we called ‘Team KAZOKU (family)’. Through a year-long study of Team KAZOKU, we found that mutual-care relationships among citizens were inhibited by …

Bridging Service And Seva For Living Built Heritage: Systems Thinking For Human Centered Design (Hcd) And Community Co Management Of Temple Festivals., Nitin R. Sinha, Shiva Ji

ServDes Conference Series

This paper examines the synthesis of Human-Centered Design (HCD), service design principles, community co-management, Seva (selfless service), and living built heritage, considering the significant role of temple festivals within a systems thinking framework. Hyderabad's Brahmotsavams, Bonalu, Rathotsavams, and Hanuman Jayanti are the life and vitals of this culture. As these significant events become increasingly complex, we are challenged to rethink how they are organized in a way that effectively combines classical seva with modern principles of service design and systems thinking. Through systems mapping, the research suggests a framework to organize better festivals, foster delight for attendees, and ultimately sustain …

Activating Community Through Transmedia Storytelling: A Service Design Case Study Of The Life As Theater Project, Shuxiao Zhong, Wanqiang Li, Fei Hu, Haihao Xu

ServDes Conference Series

In the context of declining sustainability in traditional placemaking practices, this study explores how transmedia storytelling, when integrated with service design logic, can function as a replicable and adaptive mechanism for community activation. Grounded in a media–platform–role framework, this research takes Alipay’s Life as Theater project as a case study to examine how narrative-driven tasks, distributed media touchpoints, and platform-mediated coordination work together to mobilize user participation. Through service design analysis, it identifies how digital platforms serve as both structural orchestrators and narrative translators, aligning user behaviors, merchant interactions, and platform logic into a coherent activation pathway. This study contributes …

Animal-Centered Service Design For Stray Animals In India, Faiza Khan, Shamit Shrivastav

ServDes Conference Series

According to the State of Pet Homelessness Index data of 2021, India has a high prevalence of stray animals, with around 80 million homeless cats and dogs. The living conditions of these animals are harsh and unsafe. Services for stray animals are managed by the animal welfare departments, non-profit organizations, and caretakers. The objective of this study is to investigate the efficacy of existing stray animal welfare services and understand the role of the stakeholders towards creating a safe and healthy environment for these animals. Semi-structured interviews of eighteen stakeholders and site immersions at five Mumbai-based NGOs were conducted. The …

Towards Decolonising Service Design – Ethical Collaborations Between Designers And Indigenous Communities In Vietnam And Australia, Francesco Mazzarella

ServDes Conference Series

This paper argues for decolonising dominant service design practice and discusses the need for designers to develop a certain cultural sensitivity to engage in ethical collaborations with Indigenous communities aimed at fostering social change and cultural sustainability. This is exemplified by ethnographic and participatory action research conducted in Vietnam and Australia adopting a range of co-creation methods to engage with diverse Indigenous communities. The paper proposes an anthropological approach for service designers to elicit diverse communities’ lived experiences and contribute to community empowerment. Going beyond the limitations of both top-down and bottom-up approaches to service design, this paper proposes a …

Ai Enabled Service Design Approach - Demystifying The Myths, Shivani Ganwani, Karthik Konar, Simran Patankar, Sylvan Lobo, Ravi Mahamuni

ServDes Conference Series

There has been a recent surge in Artificial Intelligence (AI) adoption globally across industries. This has triggered widespread discussions about role of AI, particularly in design and creative fields. There are numerous opinions, findings and myths surrounding AI's role, capabilities, and limitations in general and in design too. This paper explores these prevalent myths and demystifies those by conducting a comprehensive literature review and offering insights from practical experiences. From our experience of using AI in different ways in varied service design projects, we argue about certain common myths about AI’s potential. We highlight where AI excels, where it falls …

A Method For Optimizing Specification-Based Regression Test Suites By Analyzing Low-Level Specification Coverage, Hp Inc

Defensive Publications Series

This disclosure describes a method for optimizing specification-based regression test suites by analyzing low-level specification elements. In printer testing, regression test suites often contain thousands of print files across multiple file types, each governed by formal specifications (e.g., operators, keys, attributes, values, names). The disclosed method correlates test file content with specification elements to measure coverage, identify redundancies, and generate a minimal optimized set of tests. The approach reduces test suite size, uncovers coverage gaps, and improves release quality through efficient resource utilization and shorter test cycles.

Nevada's Healthcare And Education Workforce Pipelines, David Damore, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Policy Briefs and Reports

With ongoing workforce shortages in K-12 education, healthcare, and mental and behavioral health—occupations central to the HEAL (health, education, administration, and literacy) economy—this brief utilizes the Nevada P-20 to Workforce Research Data System (NPWR) and data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to explore the current and projected landscape for these workforces in Nevada. Examining the demographic characteristics of those participating in focused career and technical education training and those earning relevant postsecondary credentials illuminates gender disparities in Nevada’s healthcare and education workforce pipelines. After reviewing the current state of these workforces and assessing the available NPWR data, we …

Aswc Meeting Minutes 2025-10-06, Devin Tovar

ASWC Meeting Minutes

No abstract provided.

2025 October 6 - Faculty Senate Agenda And Minutes, Faculty Senate, East Tennessee State University

Faculty Senate Agendas and Minutes

No abstract provided.

Top-Down Instruction Outweighs Emotional Salience: Nocturnal Sleep Physiology Indicates Selective Memory Consolidation, Laura B.F. Kurdziel, Carie Fiedler, Alex Gajewski, Caroline Pongratz

Psychology Faculty Publications

Introduction:

Sleep plays a crucial role in memory consolidation, not only stabilizing newly encoded information but also potentially supporting forgetting. Yet it remains unclear how sleep prioritizes what is retained or discarded when multiple salience cues, such as emotional valence and top-down instructional goals, compete for consolidation.

Methods:

In two studies, we examined how emotional content and intentional memory instruction interact to shape memory performance across a 12 h interval that included either nocturnal sleep or wakefulness. Participants completed a directed forgetting paradigm with neutral and negatively valenced words, followed by immediate recognition and delayed free recall.

Results:

In both …

Soft Skills For Student Success, Tia L. Young

Doctor of Strategic Leadership (DSL) Capstone Abstracts

Soft Skills for Student Success

This capstone project explores the role of etiquette-based training in cultivating soft skills essential for college students’ success in the workforce. Grounded in Human Capital Theory (Becker, 1993), Emotional Intelligence (Goleman, 1995), and Experiential Learning Theory (Kolb, 1984), the study positions etiquette as a transformative tool for enhancing students’ confidence, professionalism, and marketability. Employers consistently rank soft skills—such as communication, adaptability, and professionalism—above technical expertise, yet many graduates lack these competencies. The research question guiding this project asks: How can etiquette training serve as a transformative tool for developing soft skills and improving college students’ …