A Participatory Action Research Case Study: Designing for a Transformative Service Experience with a University Graduate Student Governance Organization

A Participatory Action Research Case Study: Designing for a Transformative Service Experience with a University Graduate Student Governance OrganizationThis thesis examines how design can inform the services offered by a graduate student governance organization at a major university. The research applies the Experience Cycle model (Evenson and Dubberly, 2008) and emerging service design thinking methods to develop a series of service experience lifecycle maps illustrating the interactive components, both tangible and intangible, of student council services. The main research question is How can

This thesis examines how design can inform the services offered by a graduate student governance organization at a major university. The research applies the Experience Cycle model (Evenson and Dubberly, 2008) and emerging service design thinking methods to develop a series of service experience lifecycle maps illustrating the interactive components, both tangible and intangible, of student council services. The main research question is ÒHow can university student governance bodies utilize a service design framework to propose more transformational student experiences?Ó A transformation of student experience focuses on a graduate student journey where students can concentrate on their primary function and less on finding the resources that will help enable their research and writing. Additionally, a transformational student experience can extend from the confines of graduate school into the professional world by providing the necessary skills needed for employment after graduation.