Human-Centered Service Design

🧠💺 When innovation meets empathy, the future becomes more human. As someone who’s spent decades helping companies integrate AI and automation, I’m always moved when I see technology that serves people—not the other way around. Take this: Standing Ovation. A standing desk aid—born not from corporate labs, but from Peter Lammer’s personal resilience after a life-changing motorcycle accident. Instead of accepting limitations, he designed a C-shaped seat on a rail system—freeing the hands, easing leg and back pain, and empowering people with lower limb disabilities to stand, move, and work with dignity. This isn’t just ergonomic. It’s deeply human-centered innovation. We often talk about “efficiency” in tech. But what about accessibility, purpose, and resilience? That’s the mindset we champion in the IRREPLACEABLE movement. Because thriving in the AI era isn’t just about knowing how to use tools—it’s about staying human while doing it. 👉 Discover the Three Competencies of the Future. Work with tech, not for it. https://zurl.co/C39b #IRREPLACEABLE #HumanCenteredTech #InclusiveDesign #FutureOfWork #Innovation #Ergonomics #WorkplaceWellness #AIWithPurpose

💎 Accessibility For Designers Checklist (PDF: https://lnkd.in/e9Z2G2kF), a practical set of cards on WCAG accessibility guidelines, from accessible color, typography, animations, media, layout and development — to kick-off accessibility conversations early on. Kindly put together by Geri Reid. WCAG for Designers Checklist, by Geri Reid Article: https://lnkd.in/ef8-Yy9E PDF: https://lnkd.in/e9Z2G2kF WCAG 2.2 Guidelines: https://lnkd.in/eYmzrNh7 Accessibility isn’t about compliance. It’s not about ticking off checkboxes. And it’s not about plugging in accessibility overlays or AI engines either. It’s about *designing* with a wide range of people in mind — from the very start, independent of their skills and preferences. In my experience, the most impactful way to embed accessibility in your work is to bring a handful of people with different needs early into design process and usability testing. It’s making these test sessions accessible to the entire team, and showing real impact of design and code on real people using a real product. Teams usually don’t get time to work on features which don’t have a clear business case. But no manager really wants to be seen publicly ignoring their prospect customers. Visualize accessibility to everyone on the team and try to make an argument about potential reach and potential income. Don’t ask for big commitments: embed accessibility in your work by default. Account for accessibility needs in your estimates. Create accessibility tickets and flag accessibility issues. Don’t mistake smiling and nodding for support — establish timelines, roles, specifics, objectives. And most importantly: measure the impact of your work by repeatedly conducting accessibility testing with real people. Build a strong before/after case to show the change that the team has enabled and contributed to, and celebrate small and big accessibility wins. It might not sound like much, but it can start changing the culture faster than you think. Useful resources: Giving A Damn About Accessibility, by Sheri Byrne-Haber (disabled) https://lnkd.in/eCeFutuJ Accessibility For Designers: Where Do I Start?, by Stéphanie Walter https://lnkd.in/ecG5qASY Web Accessibility In Plain Language (Free Book), by Charlie Triplett https://lnkd.in/e2AMAwyt Building Accessibility Research Practices, by Maya Alvarado https://lnkd.in/eq_3zSPJ How To Build A Strong Case For Accessibility, ↳ https://lnkd.in/ehGivAdY, by 🦞 Todd Libby ↳ https://lnkd.in/eC4jehMX, by Yichan Wang #ux #accessibility

Stop making people think. It’s costing you money. Most brands overcomplicate their message. They use clever headlines. Fancy metaphors. Internal lingo. And in doing so, they accidentally force customers to think. Bad move. Your audience is lazy, busy and frankly they do not give a flying fudge about you. They will not decipher your offering. Decision fatigue is real. Overstimulation is even more so. And the more mental energy they need to spend figuring out what you do…the less likely they are to say yes. I saw this written on the back of a rental track once: “This holds a queen-size bed.” That’s it. Clear. Obvious. Zero guesswork. Or even better the famous: “1000 songs in your pocket” from the first iPod. Now compare that to the average B2B website: “Empowering scalable ecosystems through collaborative digital transformation.” Or with the average 2025 startup: “They Ai driven XYZ..” What does that even mean? I’ve read it three times and I’m still not sure what’s in for me. The truth is, the brands that win are the ones that remove friction. Not add it. They say: 🧠 This is for headaches 💇♂️ This helps you grow hair 📦 This holds a queen-size bed You’re not dumbing things down, you’re removing the friction to say yes.. Here’s a simple example I love: A B2B payments startup increased conversions by 40% with just four words: “Vendors get paid faster.” Why? Because CFOs don’t care about “automated AP workflows.” Not dashboards. Not integrations. Just: Will this stop angry emails from suppliers? So here’s your challenge: - Go look at your homepage. - Read your tagline. - Look at your product descriptions. Are you communicating or are you confusing? Because clarity doesn't just sell better, it builds trust faster. Do not make them think, make them say “Hell Yeah!”

Yesterday, I led a roundtable at SaaStr on churn in AI adoption. We’re at a critical moment: early enterprise AI contracts are up for renewal, and the novelty is wearing off. AI spend is moving from innovation budgets to operational budgets, where enterprises are asking what business outcomes this technology is actually driving. 5 strategies I’ve seen work: ⚙ Embed to eliminate friction. Don't make customers do the heavy lifting. Too many AI products operate in a silo, forcing users to copy-paste data between systems. That’s friction. And friction is your enemy. Embed into existing workflows and add value right where your customers already are. Once you’ve integrated, you can slowly shift the workflow over time, but only after you’ve won their trust. No one wants to reinvent the wheel on day one. 🏰 Create a data moat. Automation alone isn’t a differentiator anymore. Model capabilities are advancing fast, and if all you’re selling is marginally better automation, you’re in a race to the bottom on price. Automation is best used as a trojan horse that gets you through the door and allows you to develop a differentiated data moat. Customers may come for automation, but they will stay for data. 💲Track your ROI. Internal champions are under pressure. They need hard numbers around business outcomes to justify the spend—hours saved, revenue generated, customer satisfaction boosted. Don’t make them scramble for those numbers. The best teams track customer value relentlessly, embed ROI metrics directly into the product, and serve up those metrics regularly. You need to make it painfully obvious why you’re worth the spend—give them the numbers before they ask. ♻ Kickstart network effects. Network effects are the holy grail, but they don’t happen by accident. Multi-sided AI products (think meeting transcription, presentations) have a golden opportunity to trigger virality—but only if you make the conversion process effortless. Once a viewer sees your product in action, give them a way to jump in right then and there. You want zero friction between seeing the product and becoming a user. Build for the customer's network, as much as for the customer. 💭 Be a thought partner, not just a vendor. Enterprise AI isn’t plug-and-play. It’s more like plug-and-maybe-play, but only after your customers overcome security, privacy, and change management concerns. The best AI companies don’t just sell tech—they sell vision In an era of constant change, being a thought partner is as important as being a technology provider.

While traditional metrics like CSAT and NPS have long been staples in measuring customer experiences, we’re in the post-survey era and companies need to adapt. Here’s what is changing: In the next 2-3 years, we’re set to witness surveys transform into more conversational interfaces. Imagine feedback mechanisms that feel like chatting with a knowledgeable friend, rather than ticking boxes on a form. This approach not only enhances engagement but also captures the depth of customer or employee sentiment more effectively. The future is also about contextual feedback - gathering insights at multiple touchpoints throughout the journey. Moving away from transactional surveys to a journey-based approach allows for a more nuanced understanding of the experiences, identifying specific moments that matter and that have the biggest impact on your business. Moreover, the focus is increasingly on outcome-driven data. Business leaders are seeking actionable insights, not just numbers and graphs. Generative AI specifically will play a pivotal role in transforming surveys. By delivering deeper, more accurate insights and automating the process of turning data into actionable strategies, and at scale, businesses will take a broader perspective on experience-led data. As a result, survey data becomes less relevant. As you embrace these changes - or, perhaps, this new reality - one thing remains clear: The future of surveys is about making every customer feel heard and understood, turning feedback into meaningful conversations that drive business growth. #customerexperience #employeeexperience #artificialintelligence #surveys #csat #nps

Customers expect seamless interactions across every channel, whether they’re online, in-store, or on social media. While this is the backbone of customer satisfaction and loyalty, ensuring that every interaction feels seamless and personalized can often be a challenge. It’s not just about solving problems as they arise but also about truly understanding your customers' journeys, addressing their pain points, and creating a unified experience across all platforms. So, how do we make this happen? Here are five steps to delivering a consistent omnichannel experience: 1. Know Your Customer Understanding your customers’ preferences, behaviors, and challenges is the foundation of a great omnichannel strategy. Dive deep into your customer data to truly know who they are and what they need. 2. Integrate Your Systems Seamless integration between your systems ensures smooth communication and data sharing across all channels. This prevents disjointed experiences and empowers your team with the right insights at the right time. 3. Maintain a Consistent Brand Image Whether it’s a social media post, an in-store interaction, or an email campaign, your brand identity should remain consistent. A cohesive message builds trust and reinforces your brand’s promise. 4. Create Seamless Customer Journeys Transitions between channels should feel effortless. Customers shouldn’t feel like they’re jumping between disconnected silos but rather engaging with one cohesive system. 5. Implement Personalization Strategies Customers expect personalization. Tailor your offerings, interactions, and messaging to each customer to make them feel valued and understood. Are these steps easy to implement? Not always. I believe that just as empathy in customer service requires ongoing effort and training, delivering a consistent omnichannel experience demands constant evaluation, refinement, and investment. But the payoff is undeniable nevertheless – you realize that stronger customer loyalty, better brand reputation, and more meaningful connections with your audience. What’s your biggest challenge in creating a seamless omnichannel experience? Share your thoughts or insights in the comments. We’d love to learn from your journey! #CustomerExperience #Omnichannel #CustomerJourney #EmpathyInBusiness #CX #KSA

The future of customer experience is proactive, personalized, and powered by AI. This new era in customer experience represents a fundamental shift in how businesses will connect with their customers. Here’s how it’s taking shape: 1. Seamless AI-Human Collaboration The future of CX lies in the synergy between AI and human touch. AI will handle repetitive tasks and complex analysis, freeing human agents to focus on empathy and nuanced problem-solving. This isn't about replacement, but enhancement. 2. Proactive Issue Resolution We're moving beyond reactive CX models. Advanced AI systems will detect patterns and flag potential issues before they impact customers, shifting the paradigm from problem-solving to problem prevention. 3. Real-Time Personalization Beyond basic segmentation, AI delivers truly personalized experiences by analyzing customer data and contextual signals instantaneously. This enables businesses to dynamically adapt every touchpoint, creating experiences that feel custom-crafted for each customer. 4. Emotionally Intelligent Interactions The next frontier is AI that can sense customer sentiment and adjust communication accordingly. This emotional intelligence will be crucial in creating authentic, empathetic customer experiences at scale. 5. Evolving CX Systems: Static systems are becoming obsolete. The future belongs to AI that continuously learns and evolves from every interaction, constantly improving the entire CX infrastructure. The companies poised to lead are doing more than deploying AI—they’re reimagining the entire customer journey with AI at the center. I'm curious to hear from fellow leaders and innovators: What AI-driven CX innovations have caught your attention recently? How do you see these advancements shaping your industry? #CustomerExperience #AI #BusinessTransformation #CX

People teams, ever felt lost halfway through a PX initiative? You’ve gathered insights. You’ve got a few ideas. And now you’re under pressure to “just do something.” But suddenly the clarity fades, your confidence drops, and your brilliant (but-oh-so busy) team gets stuck debating ideas instead of building momentum. Well, I've got your back and here’s one of my favourite tools that can help you reset, and move forward with purpose. 👉 The PX blueprint. Based on the trusty service blueprint, this is one of the most underused but powerful tools in the PX-as-a-product toolkit. Why? Because it gives you everything you need to drive the 3Ps in one place (yep, you guessed it, more alliteration). It covers: 💬 Participation Involve the right people. Create a shared picture of what’s really happening in your employee experience; across touchpoints, roles, and systems. You’ll spot gaps and overlaps that only surface when everyone’s input is visible. 🧪 Prototyping Once it’s mapped, you've got a visual that you can put in front of people and you can start testing. And do not aim for perfection, go for that scrappy first draft so you can ask questions like: What if we changed this one moment? Would this solve our painpoints? Would it deliver value? What support would we need behind the scenes? It helps you design and test real improvements in context, not in isolation. 📍 Planning Then, the blueprint becomes your prioritisation tool. It shows where the quick wins are, what’s high effort, and what dependencies you need to navigate. Perfect for shaping a roadmap grounded in reality and not guesswork. If you're early in your PX journey, this is a great place to start with visualising that end-to-end journey, and thinking about what your products look like in practice. I've dropped a visual of what this can look like in the image below, but if you'd like a blank template or a practical how-to, drop me a message or comment below and I’ll send one over. 🖼️ Image: A People Experience Blueprint, mapping 5 stages of the employee experience from Entice, Enter, Engage, Extend & Exit and the supporting interactions, systems and touchpoints that enable that experience. #EmployeeExperience #PXasaProduct #ServiceDesign ___________ Hi 👋 I'm Alicia, co-founder of The Future Kind. We work with founders, execs and People teams to design people experiences and company operating systems that grow with you - and make sure your team and tech actually work together to create standout experiences. Want to know more? Follow along or DM me, I love to hear form you. 💌

“I need insights by EOD!" 🆘 Sound familiar? Here are 5 research methods that take less than an hour, if you need results fast. ⏰ The corridor test (15 mins) Grab your prototype and find 3 people in your office who aren't familiar with your product. Set a timer for 5 mins each. Ask them to complete one specific task while thinking out loud. Not perfect, but you'll spot the biggest usability issues fast. ⏰ Support team shadow (45 mins) Sit with your support team for 45 mins. Listen to calls. Read tickets in real-time. You'll learn more about user pain points than from hours of planned research. ⏰ The 5-second test (20 mins) Show users your design for 5 seconds, then close it. Ask, "What was this about?" "What stood out?" Run this with 5-6 people. If they can't remember your main message in 5 seconds, neither will your real users. How-to: https://bit.ly/4k50ZfG ⏰ Preference test (30 mins) Have two designs? Show both to 5 different people. Don't ask which they "like" better. Instead ask, "Which one would help you [accomplish specific task] faster?" Hard data > opinions. Here’s a quick guide: https://bit.ly/41iP9XT ⏰ First-click test (30 mins) Show users your landing page. Ask, "Where would you click to [accomplish task]?" If they can't find the right button in 30 seconds, you have a problem. How-to: https://bit.ly/3X4l7EN Remember, these aren't replacements for proper research! They're emergency tools when you're strapped for time. Perfect for quick validation or identifying major issues. What's your go-to method when time isn't on your side? 

I just spent 3 years analyzing more than 30 organizations and their accessibility initiatives. Here are 3 trends I noticed: 1. Accessibility Statements = Lots of Promises, Little Action Many organizations have beautifully written accessibility statements, pledging inclusion and access for all. But when you dig deeper? Very few are walking the talk. It’s easy to pledge on paper, but what matters is the execution—action speaks louder than words. Takeaway: Don’t just craft statements—craft change. It’s time to move from promises to real, measurable outcomes. 2. Token Efforts = Great PR, Minimal Impact I’ve seen so many companies invest in token accessibility efforts—building one ramp or adding alt-text to a couple of images, just to check a box. It’s usually enough to get some positive press, but the actual impact on the disabled community? Minimal. Performative inclusion doesn’t solve the deeper issues of inaccessibility and ableism in society or within workplaces. Takeaway: Inclusion isn’t a one-off. Real accessibility requires continuous effort, investment, and a willingness to evolve. It’s not just about looking good; it’s about making a lasting difference. 3. Accessible Design = More Engagement and Satisfaction Organizations that prioritize truly accessible design—both digitally and physically—see better engagement not only from the disabled community but from everyone. Accessible design benefits everyone. It creates a user-friendly environment where people feel seen, heard, and valued, leading to increased loyalty and satisfaction. Takeaway: Make accessibility your competitive advantage. It’s not just about compliance; it’s about making everyone feel included and valued. The bottom line: If you’re serious about disability inclusion, don’t wait for the world to push you. Lead by example and start making changes now that actually impact lives. What are you doing to ensure your initiatives are more than just words?