DMI 2006 on Brands & Longitudinal research

At brand conferences, the usual case story goes approximately like this: 1) first,  look how bad this was. 2)  Next, the thoughtfully arrived at new strategy.  3) then usually there’s story about the tussle with the client or a sr. manager or an outside agency, and then, fourth and finally, here’s how  spectacular the new brand looks.

Often these are great stories.  Inspiring.  Fabulous work.  But as the theme of this conference suggests, there also seems to be something missing—the need for innovation is real.   I’m going to talk today about some of the changes in first, perspective on what brands do, and second, in the way we approach research,

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on Service design @ Emergence

Constant, yet ever changed

Contemplate upon a river, says the old zen master – always the same, yet never the same.  Just keep that image in mind, think about studying a river, really understanding a river, as we talk about service design.

A service is a product

A service is still, in some important ways, a product.  And all products are—also in some important ways–  tools.  A service – like a phone or potato peeler or a Prada bag – is something that people use to accomplish something.  Whether those things accomplished are what was initially envisioned is not in any way a given.

Services are plastic

But on the

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