From November 2013 till January 2014 a minor ‘Smart
Life Rhythms’ was taught at The Hague University of Applied
Sciences. In the minor students used service design
methods to develop solutions for improving life rhythms.
Reflection on the minor produced the insight that building
physical prototypes early on in the design process was
key to success. Further discussions with colleagues and
a literature review gave more arguments for the motto
‘Just build it’ – an encouragement to build simple physical
models in the early stages of the service design process.
Building these simple physical models is not just advocated
by educators and in line with service design principles
such as being iterative and user-centered. In his book ‘the
Craftsman’ (Sennett, 2009) Richard Sennett provides us
with more fundamental arguments regarding the value of
‘making things’. On top of the added value to the design
process in itself, simple physical models are a tool for
engaging both clients, users and students in the design
process. So get out your glue gun and start building!