A Software Ecosystem for the Development of Digital Service Design Tools: A Conceptual Framework

Numerous service design tools, techniques, and methods have been developed in science and practice alike (e.g., Persona, Service Blueprint, Stakeholder Map). Some of these tools build on each other, e.g., different developed Personas can be positioned and placed in a broader overall context within a Stakeholder Map. Digitisation of the design process can generate significant benefits; for instance, results can be transferred between different digital tools and devices using a common or standardised file format. However, there are few digital tools to support the service design process and most of them are not interoperable. This prevents the design of services using digital technologies from achieving their full benefits. To address this problem, an ecosystem is needed that can foster the development of digital-enabled service design tools. The paper follows a design science approach to create a framework involving five design objectives as necessary steps towards such a software ecosystem.