How can I use a service blueprint as a diagnostic tool?

My two cents

A service blueprint can be used to summarise how a service works, where it works well and where there are challenges. In short, here the steps to follow:

  1. Gather data about what works well and what doesn’t
  2. Display the data in the blueprint
  3. Color code the data to create a sort of heat map
To do so you obviously first need to do some research and gather relevant pieces of information that you can show in the service blueprint.

For example, in the research phase, you could gather:
  • Emotional level
  • Pain points
  • Happy points
  • NPS and other satisfaction or experience level metrics

Once you have all these pieces of information, you can put them in your service blueprint next to the relevant stage of the blueprint or next to the relevant touchpoints.

Now you can do some colour coding to create a sort of heat map. For example, all the negative elements could be colour-coded in red (pain points, low satisfaction scores), and positive elements (happy points, good satisfaction metrics) could be in green. Pro tip: remember to write legends.

Now, if you look at your service blueprint from a Bird's Eye view, you quickly notice where there are zones with lots of red where you should focus your attention first.

The AI answer

I've asked this question to ChatGPT, and here is the raw answer it gave me. Take it with a grain of salt.
A service blueprint can be used as a diagnostic tool to identify and address issues or pain points in an existing service. Here are some steps for using a service blueprint as a diagnostic tool:

  1. Map out the existing service: Create a service blueprint that outlines the key components and processes of the existing service, including the frontstage, backstage, support processes, points of interaction, and other elements.
  2. Identify pain points: Identify any pain points or issues in the existing service by analyzing the service blueprint and gathering feedback from customers, employees, and other stakeholders.
  3. Analyze the root causes of the issues: Analyze the root causes of the identified issues by looking at the specific elements of the service that are causing problems.
  4. Develop solutions: Develop solutions to address the identified issues and pain points. This can involve revising the service design, implementing new processes or technologies, or making other changes to the service.
  5. Test and implement the solutions: Test and implement the proposed solutions to ensure that they are effective in addressing the identified issues.

Overall, using a service blueprint as a diagnostic tool allows organizations to identify and address issues or pain points in an existing service, helping to improve the overall service delivery and customer experience.

Service Blueprint resources

You can find all the Service Blueprint resources I've created here. This includes courses, templates and a library of external links and resources.

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