Which do you prefer? A service that simply gets the job done.

Or... a service that not only gets the job done but also helps you express your values and identity.

If you choose the second option, you're in for a treat. This week's episode is all about decoding the design of meaningful services.

But first, let's take a moment to acknowledge that the things we buy often reflect our values.

Some of the most successful products allow us to express our identity through them, like driving a Tesla, wearing Havaianas, or collecting Pokémon cards.

These products go beyond functionality, becoming iconic symbols of pop culture. They attract passionate fans and loyal ambassadors.

Now, when it comes to services, it's much harder to find those with the same pop culture status. Why is that?

Our guest, Claire Dennington, has extensively studied this topic and reveals the key: trends. Yes, trends can be a design material for creating services that add meaning and joy to people's lives.

So if you want to learn how trends can be harnessed to design services that people want to use and associate themselves with, make sure you don't miss this conversation!

I admit when I first heard about using trends in services, I was concerned about their sustainability. But in my conversation with Claire, she explains how trends can actually encourage sustainable behavior, particularly in the realm of services.

Enjoy the episode and keep making a positive impact.

- Marc

--- [ 1. GUIDE ] ---

00:00 Welcome to episode 177

04:00 Who is Claire

04:45 Lightning round

07:30 How it all started

08:30 What is pop culture

11:00 Culture vs. pop culture

13:30 Iconic examples

15:15 Where's the opportunity

17:15 Recognizing meaning

20:30 What's the advantage

23:30 How sustainable is this

26:00 Material properties of trends

28:00 What shapes what

29:30 From sub to pop culture

32:00 Traditional services

33:15 Evolution of trends

36:45 How to start

40:15 Picking the trend

42:00 Relationship to branding

44:00 What excites you

47:00 Developing service concepts

49:30 Closing thoughts

--- [ 2. LINKS ] ---

--- [ 3. CIRCLE ] ---

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