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Managing Service Design and Operations - Syllabus Fall 2015 - V1

This document provides the syllabus for a course on managing service design and operations offered through Harvard Extension School. The course is taught online and explores both traditional operations management concepts like efficiency as well as emerging service design thinking approaches centered around human needs. It is structured in two modules, with the first covering operational topics and the second focusing on tools from service design thinking. The course aims to help students understand how to design and manage successful service models through a combination of presentations, case studies, discussions, and in-class workshops promoting collaborative and experiential learning.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
146 views7 pages

Managing Service Design and Operations - Syllabus Fall 2015 - V1

This document provides the syllabus for a course on managing service design and operations offered through Harvard Extension School. The course is taught online and explores both traditional operations management concepts like efficiency as well as emerging service design thinking approaches centered around human needs. It is structured in two modules, with the first covering operational topics and the second focusing on tools from service design thinking. The course aims to help students understand how to design and manage successful service models through a combination of presentations, case studies, discussions, and in-class workshops promoting collaborative and experiential learning.

Uploaded by

vicky
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Harvard

 University  
Extension  School  

 
Management  E-­‐5061  –  Managing  Service  Design  and  Operations  
Syllabus  V1–  Fall  2015  
Instructor:  
 
Contact  Info  &  Social  Media  
 

Ramiro  Jara,  ALM,  MBB    


Process  and  Metrics  Excellence  Manager   [email protected]  
HR   @MGMT5061,  #MGMT5061  
Bridgewater  Associates   https://twitter.com/MGMT5061    
 
Office  hours  by  appointment  
 

 
Course  Logistics  
-­‐ Time:  Please  refer  to  class  site  for  most  recent  information  
-­‐ Location:  Please  refer  to  the  Canvas  site  for  link  to  Blackboard  Collaborate  classroom  

About  the  Course  


Overview  
My  goal  with  this  course  is  to  explore  at  an  introductory  level  the  two  sides  of  service  operations:  1)  the  
traditional  domain  of  operations  management,  focused  on  efficiency,  efficacy,  and  productivity;  and  2)  the  
nascent  field  of  Design  Thinking,  centered  in  human  needs,  beauty,  and  empathy.  I  see  both  as  two  
indispensable  complements  of  a  satisfying,  sustainable,  and  successful  service  experience.    

This  course  explores  how  leaders  design  and  manage  service  models,  and  systems  to  manage  employees  and  
customers,  with  the  goal  to  consistently  deliver  exceptional  and  profitable  services.  Through  recent  and  
relevant  literature,  case  studies  from  a  variety  of  industries,  and  the  sharing  of  direct  professional  experiences  in  
a  community  of  learning,  students  will  gain  practical  insights  that  can  be  readily  applied  in  the  workplace.    

A  key  theme  of  the  course  is  balancing  acquisition  and  application  of  knowledge.  Every  session  is  designed  to  
provide  plenty  of  practical  examples  of  concepts  and  ideas,  drawn  from  case  studies  and  our  professional  
experiences.  As  an  example,  Module  2  is  largely  delivered  via  workshops,  where  students  can  get  practice  in  the  
application  of  the  tools,  and  feedback  from  the  instructor  and  their  peers  in  a  safe,  learning  environment  where  
mistakes  are  seen  as  just  another  path  to  success.  

Course  Structure  
Module  1:  In  the  initial  module,  we  will  discuss  operational  topics,  including  the  trade-­‐offs  involved  in  the  
service  model,  the  customer  and  management  systems,  and  the  funding  mechanism.  We  will  touch  upon  
customer  satisfaction,  loyalty  and  profitability.  The  concepts  of  service  journey  (vs.  touch  points)  and  capacity  
and  demand  management  cap  this  module.  We  will  discover  tools  and  frameworks  to  instill  a  sense  of  efficiency,  
effectiveness,  and  productivity  in  the  service  delivery.  

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Module  2:  The  course  then  turns  to  the  emerging  Service  Design  Thinking  toolset,  including  human-­‐centered  
approaches  such  as  blueprinting,  customer  journeys,  and  the  Hear-­‐Create-­‐Deliver  methodology.  We  will  explore  
creative  and  innovative  approaches,  tools,  and  frameworks  to  make  services  desirable,  fulfilling,  and  human-­‐
centered.  

Methodology  
“Tell  me  and  I  forget,  teach  me  and  I  may  remember,  involve  me  and  I  learn.”  –  Benjamin  Franklin  

The  course  will  be  taught  using  a  combination  of  presentations,  case  studies,  topic  discussions,  simulations,  and  
in-­‐class  workshops  designed  to  facilitate  understanding  of  key  concepts,  and  their  application  in  the  workplace.  I  
do  not  lecture,  as  I  believe  a  participant-­‐centered  approach  creates  unequaled  value  in  the  educational  process.    
Expect  being  part  of  an  interactive  classroom,  collaborating  in  frequent  break-­‐out  sessions,  and  engaging  in  
extensive  teamwork,  as  I  believe  collaborative  and  experiential  learning  is  most  effective  for  adult  learners.  
 
The  provision  of  services  is  not  an  exact  science,  and  students  should  expect  to  contend  with  complex,  multi-­‐
factor  situations  that  do  not  have  clear-­‐cut  solutions.  
 
Additionally,  students  are  expected  to  monitor  current  business  news  and  correlate  events  as  they  unfold  in  the  
real  world  with  concepts  reviewed  in  class.  We  will  use  the  course  Twitter  feed  to  enrich  our  class  discussions.  
Relevant,  concise  contributions  will  result  in  a  better  class  participation  grade.    

Objectives  
-­‐ Understand  that  service  success  depends  on  the  careful  design  and  execution  of  a  set  of  interrelated  systems  
and  capabilities  to  reliably  deliver  a  service  that  customers  value  
-­‐ Understand  that  a  successful  service  provision  is  achieved  by  a  deliberate  set  of  tradeoffs  involving  the  
service  offering,  funding  mechanism,  and  employee  and  customer  management  systems  
-­‐ Learn  and  apply  key  Design  Thinking  concepts  and  tools  as  applied  to  service  design  
-­‐ Explore  how  continuous  improvement  and  change  management  can  refine  and  amplify  the  strategic  
advantages  created  by  successful  service  provision.  
 

Course  Materials  
• Digital  course  pack  [DCP]:  The  course  pack  for  this  this  course  contains  the  background  notes,  case  studies,  
and  some  of  the  articles  we  will  use.  It  is  available  at  a  discount  from  Harvard  Business  Press.  
 
-­‐ Books  [B]:    
REQUIRED:  This  is  Service  Design  Thinking,  Stickdorn,  Marc  and  Schneider,  Jakob,  Wiley,  2012,  ISBN:  
978-­‐1-­‐118-­‐15630-­‐8  (hardcover  or  Kindle  editions  are  acceptable,  but  hardcover  is  more  beautiful)  
 
We  will  use  chapters  from  the  following  textbook,  which  will  be  available  as  part  of  the  Digital  Course  
Pack  at  a  substantial  discount.  There  is  no  need  to  purchase  this  book  separately.  
 
-­‐ Service  Management,  7th  Edition,  Fitzsimmons,  James  and  Fitzsimmons,  Mona,  McGraw  Hill,  2011,  
ISBN:  0-­‐07-­‐340335-­‐0.    
 

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• Canvas:  The  course’s  Canvas  site  will  be  the  central  hub  for  interaction.  Selected  lecture  slides,  articles,  an  
assignment  drop  box,  a  discussion  forum,  and  links  to  digital  resources  will  be  posted.  Requests  for  
technical  assistance  should  be  directed  to  Information  Services.    

Grading  
“The  only  way  to  be  truly  satisfied  is  to  do  what  you  believe  is  great  work.”  -­‐Steve  Jobs  

The  final  grade  will  be  determined  as  follows:  


-­‐ New  Service  Design  Project:       30%  
-­‐ Case  Studies  (2  submissions,  in  teams):     20%  
-­‐ Disruptive  Services  Research  Project:     20%  
-­‐ Class  Attendance  and  Participation:     20%  
-­‐ Queuing  Problem  Set  (team  submission):   10%  
 
For  information  regarding  grades,  please  visit  http://www.extension.harvard.edu/exams-­‐grades-­‐policies/grades      
 
• Assignment  Policy  
All  written  assignments  are  due  in  the  corresponding  digital  drop  box  on  the  course  Canvas  before  11:59PM  the  
day  before  the  class.  For  example,  the  assignment  for  the  September  14  session  will  be  accepted  until  
September  13  at  11:59PM,  US  EST.  Late  submissions  will  be  accepted  up  to  2  days  after  the  due  date,  with  a  
penalty  of  25%  of  the  grade.  No  exceptions.  Please  plan  accordingly.  
 
• Class  Attendance  and  Participation  
Active  class  participation  is  an  essential  part  of  the  educational  experience  in  this  course.  The  success  (or  utter  
failure)  of  a  course  based  on  the  case  study  method  hinges  upon  the  preparation  and  participation  of  the  
students,  and  the  facilitation  skills  of  the  instructor.  To  encourage  and  reward  this  behavior,  attendance  will  be  
checked,  and  participation  graded,  during  every  session.  In  consideration  to  busy  professional  schedules,  
students  may  miss  one  class  with  no  repercussions.  Missing  a  second  class  will  impact  the  Attendance  and  
Participation  component  of  the  grade.  

Assignments  
• Short  Introduction  
To  assist  me  in  better  calibrating  the  class  to  your  interests,  expectations,  and  goals,  please  submit  a  2-­‐page  
personal  summary  prior  to  our  first  class.  Page  1  should  be  a  current  resume.  Page  2  is  a  short  essay  indicating  
whether  you  have  been  admitted  to  the  ALM  degree  program,  why  you  are  taking  this  class,  your  goals,  
expectations,  and  the  features  you  consider  make  for  a  successful  course.    
 
All  Short  Intro  Assignments  will  be  posted  to  the  course  Canvas  to  assist  your  classmates  determine  the  teams  
for  the  Case  Study  Assignments  and  the  Final  Project,  and  to  foster  networking.  I  won’t  grade  this  assignment,  
but  it  will  count  towards  your  first  class  participation.  
 
• Case  Studies  (teams  of  4  students)  
Every  student  needs  to  prepare  for  the  discussion  of  every  case  study,  as  that  will  determine  their  participation  
grade.  In  addition,  each  4-­‐person  team  needs  to  turn  in  a  written  analysis  of  2  case  studies.  The  makeup  of  the  

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teams  and  their  selection  of  cases  are  due  by  the  end  of  the  third  session.  Questions  for  all  Case  Studies  will  NOT  
be  provided,  as  I’ve  found  they  constrain  the  creativity  of  the  teams.  
 
The  format  for  the  analysis  is  the  Problem  Identification/Analysis  and  Evaluation/Recommendations  framework.  
Please  keep  your  reports  to  a  maximum  of  5  pages  (plus  coversheet),  using  a  12-­‐point  font  and  1-­‐inch  margins.  
Correct  use  of  the  frameworks  and  tools  covered  in  class  will  yield  a  higher  grade.  You  are  free  to  include  any  
supporting  material  you  deem  relevant  in  appendices.  As  in  the  workplace,  professional-­‐level  content  and  
presentation  will  be  considered  in  your  grade.    
 
If  you  are  new  to  the  case  study  method,  I  strongly  recommend  reading  ‘A  Guide  to  Case  Analysis’,  available  in  
the  Resources  section  of  the  Canvas.  
 
• Disruptive  Services:  Tools  and  Cases  Research  Project  
The  world  of  services  changes  very  quickly,  and  this  is  our  opportunity  to  learn  from  each  other’s  experience  and  
research.  Highlights  of  the  assignment  follow:  
-­‐ Each  4-­‐person  team  will  research  a  service  innovation  topic  of  their  interest  and  lead  a  15-­‐minute  
presentation  (plus  a  5-­‐minute  Q&A  session).    
-­‐ I  will  approve  the  topic  no  later  than  Session  3.  Some  ideas  are:  Minimum  Viable  Product/Service  (MVP),  
quick  pivoting,  Lean  Startup  concepts,  freemium  pricing  models,  the  New  Share  Economy,  Service  Design.  
-­‐ Each  tool  must  be  complemented  by  a  short  application  case,  e.g.  Netflix  vs.  Blockbuster,  Capital  One  360  vs.  
Traditional  Banks,  Apple  and  the  Music  Industry,  AirBnB  and  the  new  ‘Share  Economy’.  
-­‐ The  deliverable  is  the  presentation,  which  should  consist  of  5  slides  or  less,  plus  appendices  if  you  so  choose,  
uploaded  to  the  class  iSite.    
 
• Service  Design  Workshops  
We  will  have  three  hands-­‐on  workshops  where  teams  will  be  presented  with  a  Service  Design  Challenge,  and  
coached  to  complete  fundamental  Service  Design  deliverables.  These  practical  sessions  require  intense  focus  
and  some  preparation,  and  result  in  immediate  development  of  skills.  To  promote  a  gratifying  educational  
experience,  the  outputs  won’t  be  graded,  but  class  participation  will.  
 
• Queuing  Problem  Set  
Developing  intuition  around  how  queues  are  managed  is  crucial  to  effective  service  management.  A  short  
problem  set  will  be  assigned  to  practice  real-­‐life  scenarios.  
 
• New  Service  Design  Project  
In  lieu  of  a  final  exam,  and  in  keeping  with  the  practical  orientation  of  this  course,  the  final  project  represents  
the  application  of  all  the  concepts  we’ve  visited  throughout  the  course.    
 
Your  4-­‐person  team  will  design  a  new  service  offering  or  a  major  rethinking  of  an  existing  one,  and  present  it  to  
the  class  in  a  showcase.  In  order  to  do  well  in  this  exercise,  it  is  imperative  that  the  proposed  new  service  
incorporates  correctly  the  key  concepts  covered  in  the  course.  The  service  needs  to  have  a  reasonable  chance  of  
success  in  the  marketplace.    
 
The  deliverable  is  the  presentation,  following  the  same  guidelines  as  the  Disruptive  Services  section.    

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Other  common-­‐sense  rules  
• Academic  integrity.  The  Extension  School  has  stringent  and  clear  policies  regarding  plagiarism  and  
cheating,  and  has  spelled  out  the  responsibilities  of  students  and  instructors  at  
http://www.extension.harvard.edu/resources/career-­‐academic-­‐resource-­‐center/plagiarism-­‐proper-­‐use-­‐
sources  .  Please  make  sure  you  have  read,  and  understand,  what  the  policies  mean.  
• Professional  conduct.  In  the  classroom,  and  in  our  digital  interactions,  you  should  be  free  to  express  your  
ideas,  thoughts,  and  feelings,  and  are  encouraged  to  challenge  and  discuss  ideas.  The  corresponding  
obligation  to  this  right  is  civil  conduct.  Respectful  communications  are  expected  throughout  the  class  in  
every  forum.  
• Responsiveness.  Please  allow  up  to  2  business  days  to  receive  a  response  to  any  inquiries.  Questions  
should  be  directed  to  the  class  email  address  OR  posted  in  the  discussion  forum,  and  not  sent  to  the  
Twitter  account.  
• Have  fun!    In  my  time  as  a  student  and  instructor,  the  best  courses  combined  solid  academic  thinking,  
practical  application  of  concepts,  and  a  fun  learning  environment.  Together,  we  can  create  a  great  
learning  experience  for  all.  

Course  Outline  and  Schedule  


Session  1-­‐  September  1:  Course  Overview  and  Introduction  to  Managing  Service  Operations  
Readings:  
-­‐ DCP:  “Putting  the  Services  Profit  Chain  to  Work”,  by  J.  Heskett,  T.  Jones,  G.  Loveman,  W.E.  Sasser,  Jr,  and  
L.  Schlesinger,  Harvard  Business  Review,  July-­‐August  2008  
-­‐ “Dish  Network,  The  Meanest  Company  in  America”,  Bloomberg  BusinessWeek,  January  2,  2013  

Assignment:  
-­‐ Short  Introduction  posted  to  iSite  

Session  2  –  September  8:    Designing  Successful  Service  Models  


Readings:  
-­‐ DCP:  “The  Four  Things  a  Service  Business  Must  Get  Right”,  by  Frances  X.  Frei,  Harvard  Business  Review,  
April  2008  
-­‐ Spirit  Airlines:  'Dollar  Store  of  the  Sky',  Wall  Street  Journal,  11/20/2012,  http://goo.gl/jDx9MU      

Assignment:    
-­‐ DCP:  “Commerce  Bank”,  HBS  Case  9-­‐603-­‐080  

Session  3  –  September  15:  The  Funding  Mechanism  


Readings:  
-­‐ DCP:  “Want  to  Perfect  Your  Company's  Service?:  Use  Behavioral  Science”  by  Richard  B.  Chase,    Sriram  
Dasu,  Harvard  Business  Review,  June  2001  
-­‐ DCP:  “Putting  the  Services  Profit  Chain  to  Work”,  by  J.  Heskett,  T.  Jones,  G.  Loveman,  W.E.  Sasser,  Jr,  and  
L.  Schlesinger,  Harvard  Business  Review,  July-­‐August  2008  

Assignment:  
-­‐ DCP:  “Innovation  at  Progressive  (A):  Pay-­‐as-­‐You-­‐Go  Insurance”,  Harvard  Business  School  Case  9-­‐602-­‐175  
 

MGMT-­‐E5061  –  Managing  Service  Design  and  Operations  –  Fall  2015   Page  5  


 
Session  4  –  September  22:    The  Operating  Role  of  Customers  (I)  
Readings:  
-­‐ DCP:  “Influencing  Customer  Behavior  in  Service  Operations”,  Harvard  Business  School  Note  9-­‐606-­‐061  
-­‐ “Why  Do  Zipcar  Users  Abuse  the  Cars?  4  Lessons  for  the  Access  Economy”,  triplepundit.com,  July  23,  
2012,  http://goo.gl/JeDyIB    

Assignment:  
-­‐ DCP:  “Zipcar:  Influencing  Customer  Behavior”,  Harvard  Business  School  Case  9-­‐605-­‐054  

Session  5  –  September  29:    The  Operating  Role  of  Customers  (II)  


Readings:  
-­‐ DCP:  “Breaking  the  Trade-­‐Off  Between  Efficiency  and  Service”,  by  F.  Frei,  Harvard  Business  Review,  
November  2006  

Assignment:  
-­‐ DCP:  “eBay  (A):  The  Customer  Marketplace”,  Harvard  Business  School  Case  9-­‐602-­‐071  

Session  6  –  October  6:    Managing  the  Operating  Role  of  Employees  and  Culture  (I)  

Readings:  
-­‐ DCP:  “Building  the  Bottom  Line  by  Developing  the  Frontline:  Career  Development  for  Service  
Employees”,  by  Donald  W.  Jackson,  Nancy  J.  Sirianni,  Business  Horizons,  2009  
-­‐ “Walmart  vs.  Union-­‐Backed  OUR  Walmart”,  BloombergBusinessweek,  December  13,  2012,  
http://goo.gl/5pAmnS    
-­‐ “Management  Be  Nimble”,  New  York  Times,  January  4,  2014,  http://goo.gl/S2bRJn    

Assignments:  
-­‐ DCP:  “Four  Seasons  Goes  to  Paris:  53  Properties,  24  Countries,  1  Philosophy”,  Harvard  Business  School,  
Case  803-­‐069  

Session  7  –  October  13:    Managing  the  Operating  Role  of  Employees  and  Culture  (II),  and  Customer  Satisfaction  

Readings:  
-­‐ DCP:  “The  Rules  of  Measurement:  Understanding  the  Fundamentals  of  the  Net  Promoter  Score  (NPS)-­‐-­‐
And  How  It  Can  Help  Your  Company  Thrive  in  a  Customer-­‐Driven  World”,  by  Fred  Reichheld  and  Rob  
Markey,  Harvard  Business  Press  Chapters,  September  2011.    
-­‐ DCP:  “Stop  Trying  to  Delight  Your  Customers”,  by  M.  Dixon,  K.  Freeman,  and  N.  Toman,  Harvard  Business  
Review,  July-­‐August  2010  
-­‐ “NPS  Trailblazer  Series:  Zappos”,  Bain  &  Co.,  September  25,  2014,  http://goo.gl/GLkQeB    
-­‐ “How  can  American  Express  help  you?”,  Fortune.com,  April  19,  2012,  http://goo.gl/3KDUL2    

Assignments:  
-­‐ DCP  –  Multimedia  Case:  “Zappos.com  2009:  Clothing,  Customer  Service,  and  Company  Culture”,  Harvard  
Business  School,  Case  612701-­‐HTM-­‐ENG  

MGMT-­‐E5061  –  Managing  Service  Design  and  Operations  –  Fall  2015   Page  6  


 
Session  8  –  October  20:    Managing  Capacity  and  Demand  
Readings:  
-­‐ DCP:  “Operations  Management  Reading:  Managing  Queues”,  by  Elliott  N.  Weiss    
-­‐ TB:  Chapter  9:  Managing  Capacity  and  Demand,  pages  265  -­‐  278  

Session  9  –  October  27:    Disruptive  Services:  Tools  and  Cases  Research  Presentations  
Assignment:  
-­‐ 20-­‐minute  team  presentations  (15-­‐min  presentation,  5-­‐min  QA)  on  disruptive  service  tools  and  cases.  

Session  10  –  November  3:    The  Service  Journey  and  Improving  Services  
Readings:  
-­‐ DCP:  “The  Truth  About  Customer  Experience”,  by  A.  Rawson,  E.  Duncan,  C.  Jones,  Harvard  Business  
Review,  September  2013  
-­‐ Essentials  of  Lean  Sigma  Process  Improvement  for  Services  (provided  by  Instructor)  

Assignment:  
-­‐ DCP:  “Lean  at  Wipro  Technologies”,  Harvard  Business  School,  Case  9-­‐607-­‐032  
-­‐ Due  (all  teams):  Queuing  Problem  Set  

Session  11  –November  10:    Design  Thinking  Essentials  


Readings:  
-­‐ DCP:  “Design  Thinking”,  by  Time  Brown  
-­‐ ‘How  to  Design  Breakthrough  Inventions’,  60  Minutes  segment  by  Charlie  Rose  ,    
http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/how-­‐to-­‐design-­‐breakthrough-­‐inventions-­‐50138327/  ,    

Assignment:  
-­‐ DCP:  “Design  Thinking  and  Innovation  at  Apple”,  Harvard  Business  School,  Case  9-­‐609-­‐066  

 
Sessions  12,  13,  14–  November  17,  24,  December  1:    Service  Design  Thinking  Workshops  
Readings:  
-­‐ Explore  http://thisisservicedesignthinking.com    
-­‐ Textbook:  “This  is  Service  Design  Thinking”,  pages  158-­‐161,  204-­‐207,  212-­‐213  
-­‐ DCP:  “An  Anthropologist  Walks  into  a  Bar...”,  by  C.  Madsbjerg,  M  Rasmussen,  Harvard  Business  Review,  
March  2014  

In-­‐Class  Activity:  
-­‐ Service  Design  workshop  

Sessions  15  and  16  –  December  8  and  15:    New  Service  Design  Project  Presentations  
-­‐ Each  team  presents  their  Service  Design  in  15  minutes,  plus  an  additional  5-­‐minute  Q&A  session.  

MGMT-­‐E5061  –  Managing  Service  Design  and  Operations  –  Fall  2015   Page  7  


 

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