The two magic phrases that tell a service designer’s success
- Sérgio Tavares, ph.D.
- Mar 2
- 4 min read
Updated: Mar 17
Service designers operate between strategy and execution, user needs and business goals, exploration and decision-making. The job doesn’t fit neatly into traditional business workflows, and it’s often misunderstood.
Meetings can feel like loops of discovery with no clear conclusion or direction, and the nature of the job is to actively have meetings, and finally translate those into actionable insights. The path is long until action is taken, though. How can you know you are on the track?
But there are two strong ways to end a service design meeting, and know if you are on the right track:
"I'll talk to them." This is the enabling phrase. It comes first. You have has identified someone who holds crucial knowledge, by indication of someone who understood what you are after. It shows you are onto something. Think of a detective that just got a clue, and is stepping into the next person of interest. Here, you are listening to discover.
"I will see what I can do." This is the magic phrase. It comes from good discovery. It means the person you are talking to has entrusted you with solving problems on their behalf. When you are able to state "I'll see what I can do", it means you have a relevant network in the organization. It also means you are ready to take ownership of an action. It’s the clearest sign that your work is creating impact. Here, you are listening to solve.
Why it matters
If you’re leaving meetings without hearing one of these phrases, your insights may not be sticking. You have to listen to actively expand your discovery, and then listen to act.
The Power of Asking: “Who Else Should I Talk To?”
Meetings are often seen as time sinks, yet for a service designer, they don't need to be — ever. Every conversation should yield value—whether in the form of new insights, strengthened relationships, or shared understanding.
Ulla Jones, CEO and Program Director at Ultima Lead by Lähtijät, believes that how a meeting concludes can make all the difference. “As a service designer, you’re always in the business of creating value, and the way you do it in a meeting is to ensure no meeting is a waste of time,” she says.
A simple but powerful question to ask at the end of early-stage project meetings, Jones suggests, is: “Who else should I talk to?” This not only expands the scope of knowledge but also strengthens stakeholder networks.
“This allows you to collect a wider understanding of the issue while also expanding your field of influence,” she explains. By consistently seeking out additional perspectives, service designers ensure their work is informed by the right voices.
As a project progresses, the focus shifts from gathering new contacts to ensuring alignment. According to Jones, a key way to do this is by wrapping up meetings with a structured recap:
“Later on, do not leave a meeting without ensuring that everyone in the room is on the same track. This can be achieved with a simple question: ‘Let me go through what I thought we discussed and agreed.’”
The service designer as an orchestrator
McKinsey highlights in The Business Value of Design that companies outperform competitors when they embed design deeply into decision-making. But that’s not just about hiring designers—it’s about creating cross-functional collaboration.
Service designers aren’t just problem-solvers; they’re alignment orchestrators, making sure feasibility, desirability, and viability are considered together.
That’s why "I will see what I can do" is also a golden phrase. It means your insights have shifted thinking inside the organization. Someone with decision-making power is now translating your work into action. In means that during discovery — and through all the times you committed to talk to someone — you created a track of good impressions, enough to give you a network that you can now activate to solve problems. That’s how service design scales—not through asset deliverables only, but through influence.
Key takeaways
Service design doesn’t fit neatly into traditional workflows, so meetings can feel indefinite.
Your role is to create alignment and move stakeholders toward action.
Two key meeting outcomes signal progress: “I will go talk to them” (seeking insight) and “I will see what I can do” (taking ownership).
McKinsey research shows that embedding design into decision-making creates business success—service designers play a key role in making that happen.
Real success isn’t in deliverables; it’s in shifting how the organization thinks and acts.
Further reading
McKinsey – The Business Value of Design
Marc Stickdorn & Jakob Schneider – This Is Service Design Doing
Jeanne Liedtka & Tim Ogilvie – Designing for Growth
Richard Buchanan – Wicked Problems in Design Thinking
Chris Risdon & Patrick Quattlebaum – Orchestrating Experiences
