2_0_ScanMag_70_Nov_2014_Text:Scan Magazine 1
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Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Visual Creatives - The Best Nordic Agencies
uct, service and experience design, the company’s portfolio of projects is seemingly endless, but few examples demonstrate their commitment to optimal user experiences such as that of Oslo University Hospital. Utilising service design methods, Designit were, through this collaboration, able to reduce the waiting time for breast cancer patients from three months to three days. The result was better informed and less worried patients, better workflows, and most of all, earlier diagnosis and treatment. “Our team sat down with everyone,” says Hallstrup, referring to the hospital staff members and patients Designit worked with to understand the breast cancer clinic’s workflow and service challenges. “They helped us completely re-think the patient journey in the diagnosis process, and gain surprising insights into the bottlenecks that were making the already painful process of potentially being diagnosed with breast cancer even more difficult.” He explains that institutions and companies often forget about end-users, assuming they know the needs and expectations regarding their product or service, “In this case designing a better patient experience was not about applying
more technology, but about redesigning workflow. In the end, we didn’t achieve this by designing something beautiful, per se – we did it by designing something meaningful. As some staff members put it, we went from organizing patients around the hospital to organizing the hospital around the patient,” he says. The ultimate retail experience While beauty is not always essential, a combination of usefulness and aesthetics can have a big impact, says Hallstrup, who explains that while many of Designit’s cases look different, they are all results of the same methodology. “Whether we’re talking about a patient or a customer, the aim is to always deliver a sublime user experience.” He paints a picture of Audi City, a compact, urban cyberstore that lets people experience their dream car with digital technology in a radically new retail space. “In this way,” Hallstrup says, “many brands are starting to lift their products and services into the digital age. We know that we’ve turned digital, that’s no secret, so now it’s about bringing everything together across contact points, in unified product-service experiences.”
As for the future, Hallstrup is enthusiastic about the innumerable opportunities linked to strategic design firms. And, he points out, some of the most exciting opportunities involve combining products, services and spaces into completely new customer experiences. “In a time when technology basically allows for anything we can imagine, companies are not fully realising how much can be done. For instance – what will we do with all the time left over when we get, say, self-driving cars? There’s a huge space to be filled with new product-service experiences.” Responding to what drives his passion for design, the answer is as clear as his vision: “At Designit we literally help create a better future for everyone, everyday. I can’t think of a bigger motivation.”
The core of every client relationship with Designit is collaboration. They invite any company to tackle any problem with them. Get in touch for a workshop!
Say hello and explore Designit’s process and portfolio at www.designit.com
Issue 70 | November 2014 | 25