The Present and Future of Service Design in Hong Kong: An Emerging Design Field

This chapter aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the current service design landscape in Hong Kong. This study comprises information gathered from official statistics, gray literature, and interviews with government officials, design practitioners, and academics. Interview data is used to probe into the design practice in which the participants reflected on their professional journeys and discussed the capabilities of service designers. This study also examines the barriers and enablers of the current practice as well as the future development of service design. Three main barriers were identified that have impeded the adoption of service design in companies, namely the prevalence of a power hierarchy and silo, client disengagement, and high-risk aversion mindset. Additionally, three enablers were found to be conducive to service design integration: the shift to a human-centered business model, the demand for multiplicity design skills and knowledge, and building partnerships with stakeholders. Digital transformation and sustainability are the future considerations to foster sustained development of service design. Suggestions were made to foster sustained development of service design in Hong Kong.