Service Design in France, an interview with Bertrand Cochet, Laurence Body, Asako Nakano, Chiara Nocco and Pablo Buet.

We asked the co-founders of the Service Design Network in France (SDN France) for their opinion on the evolution of Service Design in their country. Many thanks to Bertrand, Laurence, Asako, Chiara and Pablo for their answers.

What is the state or level of maturity of Service Design in France?

SDN France: Despite several start-ups of the French chapter of the Service Design Network, and a few dedicated conferences, we are just getting started.

There is a great deal of confusion among professionals, but also in the public services, which indifferently call for the help of ux [User Experience] designers, cx [Customer Experience] designers, design thinkers, sprint masters, etc.

In most of the other European countries where we were able to visit and meet public players, they are all acculturated or even trained in Service Design tools. This is not really the case in France.

So there is a lot of educational work to be done. This is one of the reasons why we decided to recreate the French chapter of the Service Design Network.

How can I learn about Service Design in France?

There are a few courses in schools and universities that deal with Service Design. However, most university and school courses are currently held abroad.

Otherwise, we organize two short courses with Marc Stickdorn, Adam StJohn Lawrence, and other guests: "Deep Dive Facilitation TiSDD" and "Masterclass This is Service Design Doing".

These service design courses are usually held in Paris or Lyon.

In which cities or regions is it the easiest to find work as a service designer in France?

The three leading cities to find a job in the field of Service Design in France are, in our opinion, Paris, Nantes and Lyon.

What are the leading organizations and companies in the world of Service Design in France?

For us, the leading organizations using service design methods are MAIF, Michelin, Leroy Merlin, Decathlon, Air Liquide, to name just a few.

There are many other companies working on this methodology but it is marginal. Some probably deploy these specific methodologies but without necessarily putting a name to what they do (or naming them wrongly).

Which communities promote Service Design in France?

In France we have a local "chapter" that represents the Service Design Network. As far as purely Service Design aspects are concerned, we are not aware of any other communities that exist.

A partnership is in place with IxDA at the international level but they are still more focused on interaction design.

If I am looking for a job as a Service Designer in France, what other terms should I use?

The term "designer de service" is also used by some organizations in France.

Are there any other French resources or personalities I need to know about in the service design world in France?

You will find on the Service Design Network France website a page with all our members. There are also a few not-to-be-missed meetings like Service Design France, Expérience Client Paris and Service Design Thinking France - by Different FactorY which often deal with topics that may be of interest to service designers.