iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Lou Downe @loudowne.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Every episode is on our website, Apple Podcasts and Spotify. If you enjoyed it, try our other podcast, Dead Ends. We ask why the world around us is designed the way it is, and usually end up at "hmm, isn't that interesting." good.services/deadendspodc...

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Lou Downe @loudowne.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

That's a wrap on Season 1 of Bad Services 🎙️ 12 episodes all about bad services: → How to spot one → Where to start fixing it → What that work actually looks like → Why organisations end up delivering bad services in the first place good.services/badservicesp... What should we dig into next?👇

Grid of twelve grayscale tiles labeled in neon green presenting a service-design guide—headings include "Good vs. Bad", "What makes a Bad Service?", "How to spot a Bad Service?", "Context of Use", "Starting Points", "Types of Service Design" and chapters on Purpose, Users, Materials, Risk,

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Lou Downe @loudowne.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Of course, the Bad Services Corporation is a spoof company built by the School of Good Services. You really should make your services easy to find. But we found leaning into some satire a good way to expose the patterns of Bad Services.

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Lou Downe @loudowne.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Be as vague as possible so that only people who assume the service is right for them will use it. These might be the people you want in the service or it might not. Either way the people who make it through will probably have completely the wrong impression of what’s going on

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Lou Downe @loudowne.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Don’t tell your users your prices Don’t tell them what your service does Don’t tell them why it exists or how to access it Definitely don’t tell people how your service works, where to access it or how long it takes

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Lou Downe @loudowne.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Make sure the name of your service makes your users think your service does something completely different to what it actually does. Better yet, call it a proper noun and expect your users to intuit its purpose by thinking hard about what kind of service ‘Jane’ or ‘PS15’ might be

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Lou Downe @loudowne.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Don’t give away any information that would help your users know if this is the right service for them

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Lou Downe @loudowne.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

At the Bad Services Corporation we have 15 principles of Bad Service Design. Principle #3: A bad service does not explain its purpose If you want to implement this principle, make sure you’re extremely vague about what your service does Company Induction: good.services/writing/a-ba...

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Lou Downe @loudowne.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

For more thoughts on how to do this and bring your organisation along with you on a journey of reconnecting with materials, check out Bad Services, out now good.services/badservicesb...

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Lou Downe @loudowne.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

If your organisation is struggling with a detachment to the material it used to deliver your services, you can start simply by mapping what that technology actually is, find who owns it and understand what it can and can't do.

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Lou Downe @loudowne.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Is outsourcing our infrastructure a bad thing? Absolutely not. Is doing it in a way that we become disconnected with how it works and impacts our service? Yes.

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Lou Downe @loudowne.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

...Outsourced technologies are often the only viable option for organisations, but the hands off relationship we have with them is problematic, and can lead to ‘de-skilling’ impact on us, and a habit of being ‘out of sight out of mind’.

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Lou Downe @loudowne.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

This leads to outages, unknown security risks, and having to get people out of retirement to maintain long-dead coding languages...

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Lou Downe @loudowne.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

We make mistakes when we separate ourselves from the materials that make up our services. Mistakes like using the wrong supplier or simply not knowing how to maintain those materials over time.

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Lou Downe @loudowne.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

..there and why A4 paper is rightly the same size as the velum from a lamb’s back. The technology roads we lay ourselves now, will have long term impacts.

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Lou Downe @loudowne.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

The reason why so many of our services work in slightly odd and peculiar ways is the the same reason why film frame rates vary in different countries, depending on the electrical power frequency (and therefore lightbulb flicker rates)

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Lou Downe @loudowne.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

In rewilding the internet, @Maria Farrell and @Robin Berjon say “Whoever controls infrastructure determines the future,.... ‘If you doubt that, consider that in Europe we’re still using roads and living in towns and cities the Roman Empire mapped out 2,000 years ago.’

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Lou Downe @loudowne.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

The groundwork we set for our services can define their future for years to come. Despite this, when trying to fix services, we’re often kept at arm’s length from infrastructure used to run those services.

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Lou Downe @loudowne.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Design your infrastructure or your infrastructure will design you good.services/writing/desi...

Bold black headline on a peach background reading "Design your infrastructure or your infrastructure will design you," urging proactive planning of systems and processes.

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Lou Downe @loudowne.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Finally, there are a few spaces left for Agile Service Design taking place on 8th, 15th and 22nd of October. Build the skills you need to design and deliver user centred services in complex agile environments good.services/agile-servic...

good.services

Agile Service Design — Good Services

Agile Service Design is a live 3 day course split over three weeks that focuses on the reality of designing services in changing organisational environments

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Lou Downe @loudowne.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Due to popular demand, we've added some NEW courses to the end of 2026 at the School of Good Services There is a NEW 'Service Design Leadership' course taking place on November 24th and December 1st and NEW Stakeholder Leadership course on the 26th November All courses on good.services/courses

Promotional poster for a 2‑day Service Design Leadership course on a blue background, left shows the course title and a black vertical abstract pattern, right displays a testimonial praising renewed energy, inspiration and confidence with stronger strategy and new tools.

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Lou Downe @loudowne.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

We talk about the evolution of the industry, reflect on where the concept of service design might be misunderstood. From hiring ‘one service designer’ to taking on ‘low hanging fruit’, we talk through why these approaches can be unhelpful to designing good services. Join us for our last episode

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Lou Downe @loudowne.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Season 1 of the Bad Service Podcast comes to an end today. In episode 13, we talk about the statement we often use: Service design is 10% design, 90% creating the conditions for design to happen. good.services/badservicesp...

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Lou Downe @loudowne.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

It's being worked on! In the publisher hands :)

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Lou Downe @loudowne.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

6-8pm. I'm sure afterwards we'll head across the road for a drink. I'm looking forward to my 0% on tap Guinness! Make sure to grab a ticket as spaces are limited. I'll have stickers, some books and lots to say on Bad (and Good) services.

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Lou Downe @loudowne.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Ireland, this is for you On Wednesday 7th October I'll be launching Bad Services in partnership with NCAD Design Labs in Dublin. We'll be talking about Bad Services, and I'll be joined by Irish design and education voices on the night. www.eventbrite.ie/e/bad-servic...

Frustrated office worker at a gray desk with a bright green retro computer and phone, wearing a white shirt and green tie, typing while glancing sideways; nameplate reads "Lou Downe, CEO, Bad Services Corp." with a clock and plant on a shelf behind.

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Lou Downe @loudowne.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

AEST time tickets (Australia and surrounding areas) www.eventbrite.com/e/bad-servic... PST time tickets (U.S and surrounding areas) www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bad-servic...

eventbrite.com

Bad Services in Conversation with Lou Downe, Australian Time Zone

Join us online for a chill chat with Lou Downe about fixing bad services and making things work better!

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Lou Downe @loudowne.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Come join a conversation on the new book, Bad Services and for now, get reading! Bad services is available to buy on Amazon now, and as we receive lists of independent stockists we’ll post them to our website.

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Lou Downe @loudowne.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

So on the 10th November, join me for an online conversation; 6pm AEST Time (8am GMT) for Australian and similar time zoned readers 9.00am Pacific Standard Time (PST) (5pm GMT) for U.S friends and similar time zoned readers

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Lou Downe @loudowne.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Bad Services is out internationally today! To celebrate I'm hosting two conversations on local time zones. I thought I'd give time for the book to get out there, and then discuss your reflections and questions on the themes in the book (1/1)

Person in a white shirt, bright green tie and socks sitting between two green chairs, holding a whiteboard that reads "BAD SERVICES" to convey a negative review of service.

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Lou Downe @loudowne.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

I’m really looking forward to keynoting at the Service Design Global Conference in Frankfurt RheinMain on the 28–30 Oct, 2026 I’ll be talking Bad Services I’ve got a 10% discount code for anyone considering attending. Use LOUSDGC when purchasing tickets. www.servicedesignglobalconference.com

Promotional poster for the Service Design Global Conference (Frankfurt RheinMain, 28–30 Oct 2026) promoting a keynote by the founder/director of The School of Good Services titled "Bad services: how to fix services that don't work," showing a black-and-white portrait of a person holding a corded

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Lou Downe @loudowne.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

But we found leaning into some satire a good way to expose the patterns of Bad Services. good.services/writing/a-ba...

good.services

https://good.services/writing/a-bad-service-does-not-enable-users-to-complete-the-outcome-they-set-out-to

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Lou Downe @loudowne.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Giving conflicting advice to the advice given by other providers of other parts of the service Of course, the Bad Services Corporation is a spoof company built by the School of Good Services. You really should make your services easy to find.

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Lou Downe @loudowne.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Not telling your user what they need to do next after your part of the service, or if there are any steps they need to complete before your part of the service Providing something that actually makes their task harder rather than easier

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Lou Downe @loudowne.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Are they trying to set up a new business bank account? Exhaust them with endless questions about the nature of their business that there’s no way to answer! Put this into practice and try; Making sure your part of a service is completely isolated from all of the other parts

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Lou Downe @loudowne.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Are they trying to get their child into nursery? Make sure they can register but not pay! Are they trying to buy a house? Make sure they can put in an offer, but don’t do they survey in time so the offer falls through

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Lou Downe @loudowne.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Never tell them you are doing this - Provide only vague promises that it might be possible to accomplish what they set out to do, then at the last minute make it clear that your service doesn’t not in fact connect, integrate or work with any of the other steps required

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Lou Downe @loudowne.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

If you want to implement this principle, help your user to achieve only one small part of their overall goal. Preferably do this in such a convoluted or disconnected way that it makes any of the other tasks involved in this goal impossible, meaning that they never get what they need

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Lou Downe @loudowne.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

At the Bad Services Corporation we have 15 principles of Bad Service Design. Principle #2: A bad service does not enable users to complete the outcome they set out to Make sure you've completed your induction: good.services/writing/a-ba...

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Lou Downe @loudowne.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Our structure defines the shape of our services Joining materials is fundamental to any design discipline. Our work needs to focus on designing better conversations and finding better ways to work together to deliver more joined up services that work for people. good.services/writing/orga...

Large heading: "Joining materials is fundamental to any design discipline — so too with service design." Right panel shows a black-and-white photo of men in caps and aprons hand-stitching heavy canvas in a workshop, suggesting traditional craft and collaborative workmanship.

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Lou Downe @loudowne.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Episode 12 of Bad Services is out on STRUCTURE. We delve into the challenge of siloes, and how they impact the delivery of good services. We weave between types of siloes, Austrian scythes and Conway's Law. good.services/badservicesp...

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Lou Downe @loudowne.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

So this is exciting. I'll be keynoting at Service Design Disrupted on Bad Services in Barcelona. There's some amazing speakers on the line up I'm looking forward to hearing from and some old friends to catch up with. I've got a 15% discount code for tickets, just use LOU-X-SDD sddisrupted.com

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Lou Downe @loudowne.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

If you want to add a date on the tour, please do reach out on hello(at)good(dot)services

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Lou Downe @loudowne.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Dublin: National College of Art & Design 7th October (Link to be announced soon) Barcelona: Service Design Disrupted 15-16th October sddisrupted.com Frankfurt: Service Design Network Global Conference, October 30th www.servicedesignglobalconference.com

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Lou Downe @loudowne.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Bad Services is going to be in Europe - we are going on another short book tour! After a fun launch touring around the UK and visiting some of our collaborators past and present to put on Bad Service events, we are headed to Europe in October. We're going to be in...

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Lou Downe @loudowne.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

Risk aversion is increasing your risk of delivering a bad service Doing nothing is riskier than trying something We've written about risk and bad services good.services/writing/why-risk-aversion-is-increasing-your-risk-of-delivering-a-bad-service

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Lou Downe @loudowne.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Join us as we weave analogies about sailing to the horizon, developing monocultures of bananas and juggernaut cars to explore why it’s actually more risky for organizations to continually invest in short term solutions, or do nothing with their services

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Lou Downe @loudowne.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

A new podcast episode is here, this time on Risk. In episode 11, we talk about how the decisions we make in services, and how we design them are influenced by how an organisation treats and responds to risk. good.services/badservicesp...

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Lou Downe @loudowne.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

good.services

Principle #1: A bad service is hard to find — Good Services

At the Bad Services Corporation we have 15 principles of Bad Service Design. Principle #1: A bad service is hard to find  If you want to implement this principle, name your service using your...

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Lou Downe @loudowne.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

Ask your staff to vote on their favourite names, do not test the name with users of your service Make sure directions to your offices are opaque Definitely do not publish your phone number on the internet And do not test this name with people who may use your service now or in the future

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