Developing the ServDes.2020 Brand

Behind the Scenes of ServDes.2020 engaged students in exploring and creating services and experiences to explore conferences themes Tensions, Paradoxes and Plurality. RMIT School of Design Students from Second and Third year Communication Design Studios and the Master of Communication Design participated as Work Integrated Learning. Many of these propositions had to be abandoned due to COVID-19 disruptions but here are some previews of the thinking and ideation for the conference experience.

One of the first studios linked to ServDes 2020 was the development of the branding. The winning design by Chiara Croserio, Paul Putra Panudiana Kuhn and Peem Thaugsuban showed the potential to visualise the conference themes of Tensions, Paradoxes and Plurality through the bending and collision of line elements.

Other concept exploring global hemispheres were by Alice, Kenya, Michelle and Philla, RMIT Communication Design students in 2019.

Studios

These studios were ideal opportunities to learn about and practice a broad range of methods and research in Service Design while developing the services and experiences of the conference. Codesigning, workshops, testing, prototyping and evaluating with a variety of potential and actual ServDes.2020 attendees was an important approach in their learning and development of their propositions.

Food Experience and Sustainability

Food production and consumption makes up 37% of the Victorian Ecological Footprint, so having a sustainable food experience was an important factor to consider when organising the onsite ServDes.2020 conference.

These design propositions aim to educate delegates about food choices and start conversations around zero-waste and sustainable futures. These self-serve type of food delivery aim to be more efficient and boost socialization between attendees:

• 100% vegetarian grazing table to allow for easy catering, management and reinforces the ServDes.2020 sustainability principles.

• Minimal single use items, such as china crockery, metal cutlery/serving platters and glassware. Crockery to be washed and a possible washing station where attendees clean their own dishes.

• Fusion bar as an interactive food experience featuring different cuisines each day, mixing different food cultures together.

• Daily seasonal food delivery from local and sustainable sources to minimize waste and incorporation of native ingredients (herbs, fruits, succulents and spices) where possible to celebrate the diverse cultures of Australia

• Fresh food made on site, avoiding the use of par-made or frozen goods

• Recycling and/or organic disposal of all food waste, which can be locally composted with food scraps

The suppliers we chose (Mabu Mabu and Mary & Steve) include local non-profit organisations that are working with people experiencing homelessness, drug and alcohol rehabilitation, long-term unemployment and social disadvantage. We also aim to work with suppliers that are family businesses, community-run and support Indigenous enterprises.

Due to COVID-19 health risks and logistical issues, ServDes.2020 are unable to take these ideas forward, but we honoured their ideas to support local food businesses and producers, especially those who work towards causes for the community.

Works by Jacob, Laita, Feitong, Stefeny, Hanna Mae, Siyang, Jiayi, Suxuan, Joe, Zedequan, Yee, Xinyu, Ping, Daniel, Ektaa, Hua, Limeng Liang, Samantha - RMIT Communication Design Students 2019-2020

Melbourne Story

This proposition aimed to engage visitors through an interactive map of the Kulin Nation. It began as a curiosity of not knowing the history and culture of Melbourne for these international students. In the end, their curiosity became an immense learning opportunity, since they are from countries that were also colonised (Singapore, India and Hong Kong) and felt closer to the devastating effects such as the erasure of their own culture and the implementation of racist policies that divided their communities that are still ingrained in their societies. The prototype was developed to celebrate the significant sites for the various groups of the Kulin Nation.

Student works by Belinda, Daniel, Thy and Zaneida, Ella, Francisco, Ashley, Tim, Chloe, Hui Min, Janhavi, Pui Yi, Shakira, RMIT Communication Design Students 2019-2020

Online Engagements

ServDes.2020 will be the first time this conference series will be adopting an online approach. By leveraging new channels presented through online mediums, students have proposed unique interactive approaches that are derived from experiences of a variety of attendees of conferences from all around the world and insights from service design professionals responsible for running some of the largest service design conferences.

Works by Wenqian, Jing, Shuang, Ying, Kara, Aaron, Simon, Sarvani, Xiaoyu, Jiayu, Yuqi, Le Hong, Uyen Cat Le Khac. RMIT Communication Design Students 2020

Lanyards

Why do we still use lanyard when everything is moving towards digital?
Why do we need to carry something around our neck?

​Students have proposed to remove the usual conference clutter to eliminate waste and help delegates travel lightly. They also explored how a lanyard could become a simple yet modular artefact with most of the information that delegates need in an accessible format. They proposed a Koorie Heritage Trust custom-made strap to help make this a meaningful keepsake.

Works by Wayne, Shuchen, Shuai, Arianna, Ektaa, I-an, Tarun, RMIT Communication Design Students 2019-2020

ServDes.2020 website 2019-2020

Students understood the website as a central touchpoint for the ServDes.2020 conference. Thorough research, testing and prototyping enabled them to improve the initial basic website in content, user experience and accessibility to help conference participants to find relevant information and become more excited about participating. The student website was live and in use during the whole of 2020. This website was updated in 2021, re-designed by AMICI.

Tensions and paradoxes explored by students

The students also examined other hidden systems of labour concerning cleaners, maintenance, service staff as key stakeholders that are often burdened during large events. Discussions in the classroom and guiding students to research, visualise and communicate hidden systems as part of their education prompted them to reflect on the labour conditions of their own home countries in Asia as well as the experiences they are observing regarding the precarious labour markets for fellow migrant workers. Both in Australia and elsewhere, international students take up part-time work to supplement their cost of living and high tuition fees, and due to their temporary legal status they are often low-paid, pressured and exploited. Folding in the students’ first-hand experiences and empathy for their fellow migrant workers allowed them to work with these tensions productively to consider alternative proposals for labour for the conference. This generated controversial propositions, such as instructing the conference delegates to self-serve, wash, tidy, clean and sort out the waste themselves as a way of contributing in this labour. Systems for washing up stations, waste-sorting containers, coffee-composting bins and educational videos were designed as touchpoints to scaffold this proposition and provoke discussion. Viewing this work triggered serious debate among the conference organising committee, for instance, would this form of labour offend or alienate high-profile professors and leaders in business, and what power-dynamics might we witness if they refused to participate, in turn, creating more hassle and pain for the cleaners and service staff? What are the ethics of enforcing such a system on to the delegates during their meal breaks? What other scaffolds are needed to open up the lived actualities of the paradoxes that this conference has sought to expose?

Unfortunately, the cancellation of the physical, on-site conference due to COVID-19 meant that many of these propositions were also abandoned. These, together with other persuasive student works, such as those that critiqued patriarchal and binary norms explored breastfeeding facilities, childcare services and gender-neutral toilets; or noting the absence and sensitivity to faith-based practices in Design that engendered ideas for prayer rooms and mindfulness meditation.

Works by Xin, Hua, Dui, Yuchen, Zhengxuan, Long, Yunxi, Jinghan, Xiaoyu, Yiling, Aamena, Arius, Kate, Khuyen, Madeleine, Yutang, Darren, Yunyan, Anqi, Tiezheng, Limeng, Wenai, Xu. RMIT Communication Design Students 2019-2020