Service Design Consultant

A service design consultant helps organisations improve the end-to-end experience people have when interacting with a service. That includes looking beyond websites and applications to understand the people, processes, policies and technology that support the customer journey. The goal is to identify where services break down, reduce unnecessary complexity and improve the experience for both customers and the teams delivering the service.

UX focuses on the experience of using a specific product or interface. Service design looks at the complete journey, including what happens before, during and after someone interacts with a product or service. It considers the people, processes and systems working behind the scenes as well as the customer experience itself. The two disciplines work closely together, but they solve different problems.

Service design is particularly valuable when problems extend beyond a single website or application. If customers experience inconsistent journeys, internal teams work in silos, manual processes slow delivery or multiple systems are involved, service design helps identify where the underlying issues exist and how the overall service can be improved.

A service blueprint is a visual map of how a service operates. It connects the customer journey with the people, processes, systems and technology working behind the scenes, making it easier to understand how the service is delivered and where improvements should be prioritised. Service blueprints are often used to identify inefficiencies, clarify responsibilities and support transformation programmes.

Yes. Many service problems originate behind the scenes rather than in the customer-facing experience. Service design helps organisations understand how work flows between teams, where bottlenecks occur and how processes can be simplified to improve both operational efficiency and customer outcomes.

Absolutely. Many organisations bring me in to review existing services before making significant changes or beginning a transformation programme. An independent review helps identify what’s working well, where the biggest opportunities exist and which improvements should be prioritised first.

That depends on the type of engagement and the complexity of the service. Most fixed-price engagements are completed within one to two weeks and include a clearly defined scope, timeline and set of deliverables. Larger transformation programmes or organisation-wide reviews may require a broader engagement, but expectations are always agreed before work begins.

Every engagement concludes with practical recommendations, prioritised opportunities and a clear understanding of where improvements should happen next. Some organisations use these recommendations to improve existing services internally, while others continue into further discovery, research or transformation work. The aim is always to leave you with clear next steps rather than simply documenting the current state.

There are times when an agency is the right choice, particularly if you need a large multidisciplinary team working across multiple workstreams. If you’re looking for senior expertise, an independent consultant offers a different way of working. You’ll work directly with the person delivering the engagement from start to finish, without account managers, handovers or layers of communication. Decisions are made faster, the work stays consistent and you benefit from experienced advice that’s focused on solving your problem rather than managing a project. For many organisations, it’s a simpler, more flexible and more cost-effective way to access senior product, UX and user research expertise.

I’m based in Manchester, UK and work with organisations across the UK, Europe and internationally. Most engagements are delivered remotely, although I’m always happy to travel when a project benefits from working together in person.

Yes. Most engagements are delivered remotely using Microsoft Teams, Google Meet or Zoom. Working this way keeps projects flexible, efficient and cost-effective while making it easy to support organisations wherever they’re based.

Yes. While most projects are delivered remotely, I’m happy to travel throughout the UK and internationally for workshops, stakeholder sessions, discovery activities and key project milestones where needed.

Absolutely. Most organisations I work with already have product managers, designers, researchers, developers or delivery teams in place. My role is to strengthen your existing capability by providing additional expertise, independent thinking or senior support where it’s needed most.

Yes. I’ve worked with startups, scale-ups, SMEs, agencies, charities, public sector organisations and global enterprises. Every engagement is tailored to your goals, regardless of the size of your organisation.

Yes. Much of my work involves commercially sensitive products, confidential research and government services. I’m happy to sign NDAs and regularly work with organisations where confidentiality is essential.

The fixed-price services are designed around the most common types of engagement, but every organisation is different. If you need something broader or a combination of services, I’ll put together a bespoke proposal based on your goals and the support you need.

Availability changes throughout the year, but many engagements can begin within one to two weeks. If you have a specific deadline or urgent requirement, let me know and I’ll always do my best to accommodate it.

That depends on the engagement, but I always aim to make the best use of your team’s time. Most projects start with a short kick-off session, followed by regular check-ins as findings and recommendations are shared. Before any work begins, you’ll know exactly what’s expected and when.

It starts with a conversation. We’ll discuss what you’re trying to achieve, where you’re experiencing challenges and whether one of the fixed-price services is the right fit. If not, I’ll recommend a more suitable approach based on your goals.