Last week we published
The Journey to the Interface: how public service design can connect users to reform. One of the things we argue is that we need to stop viewing services as commodities where their value lies in being an efficient operation: instead, their value lies in something less tangible - the sense that they are supporting you, helping you uncover your needs, working for and on behalf of you. Back in 2002,
The Support Economy argued that support would become the new 'metaproduct'. This year we've seen some hints that this prediction will come true. From
DIY being replaced by DFY (do it for you), to
personal travel agents being the new rivals to Travelocity, opodo et al, to Alex Cheatle at
TEN UK selling support rather than specific products and services, it looks like we are losing interest in assembling our own lives and looking for people who can help us out. Seeing services as a form of support like this has some big implications for the reform agenda in public services, which we explore in the pamphlet. Let us know what you think.
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