1. Working On and Learning From Real Problems

By nature, service designers are systems thinkers who strive to make an imprint on the world -- not just the field of design. So the problems we tackle at SDN are just as important as theory and the techniques we practice. This point resonated with people regardless of their tenure in the field.

• What we’re doing: We recently launched the Climate Working Group and hosted a few events on service design in the social sector. In these sessions, we apply techniques to social problems and discuss how service design could better address them. We’ve also talked about hosting “service design clinics,” where practitioners come with either live problems or retrospective stories and receive reflective feedback and support on their approach.

2. Building Service Design ‘Street Cred’

SDN members come to events to pick up vocabulary, practice techniques, and build a portfolio so they can integrate the service design mindset into their careers. Some have also asked for mentorship support. These kinds of requests were more important for folks seeking to transition into service design work.

• What we’re doing: There’s much more we could do here. We’ve held workshops on journey mapping for social impact and service blueprinting, but we don’t do them with regularity or have a core curriculum. We’ve also toyed with the idea of organizing a weekend residency for people to work on their portfolios together and coach each other. If this appeals to you, let us know.

3. Pushing Boundaries and Exploring Parts Unknown

Our community is intellectual and loves thinking beyond the fringes of our own field. Whether it’s biomimicry, politics, machine learning, or psychology, there is something we can learn from other disciplines and apply to service design challenges. Given service design’s multi-disciplinary and multi-stakeholder lens, exploring other disciplines feels critical. People who were more established professionally were more excited by this avenue of learning.

• What we’re doing: Not a ton yet, but we hear you! We deliver content that covers a variety of industries -- from 3D engineering, to wellness and economic development nonprofits, to government services, but most speakers are still designers by training. Are there particular questions or fields we should explore? Know anyone who might be interested in talking about their work with our community? Let us know.

4. Creating Experiences to Match Your Mood and Appetite

Whether you want to soak up knowledge like a sponge or access a venue to share your perspective, there should be something for you. One month, you might want to listen to a VIP speaker; the next, participate in an intense maker activity; the next, meet people for drinks after work. Program diversity is crucial for attracting professionals with all levels of experience.

• What we’re doing: We host everything from intimate, foodie reading clubs, to come-and-go happy hours, to partnering on the multi-day Global Goals Jam with Y Corps this fall. We know the Global Service Jam is a draw for many, and we are in need of leadership hands if that is something you’d be interested in facilitating. Let us know!

5. Connecting You with Good People

We’re not called a “network” for nothing! You may be new to the Bay Area, going through a life change, or just seeking some fresh perspective. SDN offers a low stakes way to meet like-minded people who share your professional curiosity. Without a dynamic community, nothing else we do really works. Everyone I spoke to, regardless of their experience level, was looking for social connection from SDN.

• What we’re doing: From our experience, being in-person is the best way to form real connections. Our tireless volunteer leadership team does work to incorporate informal networking during our events, but we know that we can only organize so many events with existing volunteer capacity. How might we help promote community member and partner-run events to expand the number of in-person touchpoints? Do you have events you’d like our help in promoting? Let us know!