How do you keep your communication clear and consistent throughout the service design process?

It's always good to start with the project plan: why are we doing this? What is the goal of the project? What are we trying to achieve? This will help you to find and list different stakeholders. Use a simple stakeholder map to visualize your audiences.

A ghost station is a disused train station through which revenue-service passenger trains (especially rapid transit trains) pass but at which they do not stop. The term is also sometimes used for any unused underground station or any unused station, whether or not trains pass through them. In Germany, a station that has been built in the course of constructing something else as a so-called "Bauvorleistung" (roughly: construction pre-effort) is referred to as a "ghost station", despite the different purpose and origin of the terms. Some English-language publications also refer to "pre-built" stations or parts thereof that have yet to see service as "ghost stations".

In my opinion, it's ideal not to mention service design at all but rather focus on the fact that we have tools and processes to solve business problems. Currently, there's an overload of methodologies and approaches like UX, CX, and Service Design. The key is to understand the business objectives of stakeholders and address them effectively.

. By establishing transparent channels and setting communication protocols, we ensure that everyone knows where to find information and how to share updates. Defining roles and responsibilities eliminates confusion, keeping the project on track. We use consistent terminology and standardized documentation so all team members and stakeholders are on the same page. Regular meetings and updates keep everyone aligned, while visual tools like service blueprints make complex ideas accessible. By fostering an open culture that encourages feedback and active listening, we enhance collaboration and innovation. In essence, effective communication streamlines workflows, minimizes misunderstandings, and leads to exceptional service design outcomes.

This very much depends on the type of communication and audience. For example, a Town Hall type of communication would communicate the high-level narrative of a given service design with a wide context using simplified visual methods such as high-level prototypes or journey maps etc. Whereas communication regarding a specific part of the service requires a more specific narrative with focused context and audience using detailed visual methods such as blueprints, and detailed prototypes with supporting insight data and requirements.

The term "ghost station" is a calque of the German word Geisterbahnhof (plural Geisterbahnhöfe). The German term was coined to describe certain stations on Berlin's U-Bahn and S-Bahn metro networks that were closed during the period of Berlin's division during the Cold War because they were an integral part of a transit line mostly located on the other side of the Berlin Wall.

When I’m in the service design process, defining the purpose of each communication is key. It’s easy to get lost in the weeds, especially when juggling multiple stakeholders, design iterations, and user feedback. But every time I communicate, whether it's in a meeting, an email, or a design presentation, I make sure to nail down what I’m trying to achieve first. Am I clarifying a concept? Seeking approval? Gathering feedback? This clarity helps me structure my communication so that it’s targeted and effective. By focusing on the key messages and anticipating how I want my audience to respond, I’m able to cut through the noise and keep everyone on the same page.

In my view, the purpose needs to be tangible and reasonably measurable so that it can be well-defined and designed. This also aids strategy and direction.

In my recent service design project I interviewed public sector and non-profit workers about successful methods for increasing collaboration in service development projects. They highlighted the importance of face-to-face encounters for building trust and encouraging clear communication. For example, establish partnerships or joint ventures around a certain topic with important stakeholders. Or organise events and workshops to create new connections and share knowledge. Starting up face-to-face helps maintain trust and respect even later on in the project if you decide to move towards remote communication methods.

In August 1961 the East German government built the Berlin Wall, ending freedom of movement between East and West Berlin. As a result, the Berlin public transit network, which had formerly spanned both halves of the city, was also divided into two. Some U- and S-Bahn lines fell entirely into one half of the city or the other; other lines were divided between the two jurisdictions, with trains running only to the border and then turning back. However, there were three lines—the U-Bahn lines now designated U6 and U8, and the Nord–Süd Tunnel on the S-Bahn—that ran for the most part through West Berlin but passed for a short distance through the borough of Mitte (the historic city centre), which was East Berlin territory.

When I’m deciding how to communicate during a service design project, I always consider the audience and the message. Reports work well for detailed documentation, while presentations are great for engaging stakeholders. The method I choose depends on what I want to achieve—whether it’s sharing insights, pitching ideas, or getting feedback. Timing and follow-up are just as important, ensuring that the communication stays effective and on point.

These lines continued to be open to West Berliners; however, trains did not stop at most of the stations located within East Berlin, though for technical reasons they did have to slow down significantly while passing through.[1] (Trains did stop at Friedrichstraße, on which more below.) The name Geisterbahnhof was soon aptly applied to these dimly lit, heavily guarded stations by travellers from West Berlin, who watched them pass by through the carriage windows. However, the term was never official; West Berlin U-Bahn maps of the period simply labelled these stations "Bahnhöfe, auf denen die Züge nicht halten" ("stations at which the trains do not stop"). East Berlin maps neither depicted the West Berlin lines nor the ghost stations.

The lines were a vital part of the West Berlin transit network, but because part of the route of some of the lines lay in East Berlin territory, it was difficult for Western support staff to perform maintenance work on the tracks and tunnels. If a train on a West Berlin line broke down in East Berlin territory, then passengers had to wait for Eastern border police to appear and escort them out. The East German government occasionally hinted that it might someday block access to the tunnels at the border and run its own service on the East Berlin sections of these lines. However, this awkward status quo persisted for the entire 28-year period of the division of Berlin.[citation needed]

Every work artifact should be visualized. The outcome of ideation workshops and stakeholder analysis should be concluded with a report. Obvious things like service blueprints and customer journeys should be described, ideally as mini-reports including context, goals, problems, opportunities, and how they relate to the context. To summarize, each stage of the work should be documented either in a PDF or a PPTX and p. If something isn't documented physically, there's no way to communicate the results of your work.

If you don't have pictures of it, it didn't happen. And no matter how good your project is, it's just as good as its pictures. While that's not entirely true, people are quick to judge and will base their first and with that maybe their last impression on what they see. So with that, how do you keep from not having documentation for your portfolio or final presentation? Here's what helps me: 1. Use your phone. It's better, to have suboptimal footage, then not have anything. 2. BUT if possible, use a camera. In my experience, the quality difference is worth it. 3. Overshoot, SD cards are getting huge and better to sort out after them not having the option 4. Use a tripod. great for self recording and less extra work 3. Get a tripod.

At the closed stations, barbed wire fences were installed to prevent any would-be escapees from East Berlin from accessing the track bed, and the electrically live third rail served as an additional and potentially lethal deterrent. An alarm was triggered if anyone breached one of the barriers. As for the entrances, the signage was removed, walkways were walled up and stairways were sealed with concrete slabs. Police stations were built into the windowed platform service booths, from which the whole platform area could be monitored.[citation needed]

This isn't just about keeping records, it's about ensuring that everyone involved has access to the same information and insights. I make sure to document all key decisions and insights as we go, creating a shared reference point for the team and stakeholders. Sharing this documentation through websites, blogs, or newsletters helps spread the word and keeps everyone on the same page. It’s all about creating transparency and keeping the momentum going.

A wide white line on the wall marked the exact location of the border. Later, gates were installed at some stations that could be rolled into place at night while the guards were off-duty. Guard posts at other stations were staffed continuously, creating additional employment positions with the transport police. In the platform area, the guards always worked in pairs, and care was taken in their assignment to assure that there would be no personal ties between them. In addition, superior officers could conduct surprise inspections at any time, thus, maintaining maximum security. Other stations were secured by the East German border guards.[citation needed]