My degree work has been an exploration in what specific skills, knowledge and understan­dings that are needed in service design as a practice, in order to successfully engage in complex contexts with multiple stakeholders, different relations, structures and regulations. In this investigation, I have been especially interested in the role of physical forms in a process where social structures are discussed and reshaped.

With the ambition to create a learning process within this area I have, in collaboration with Förnyelselabbet, been part of a study in Malmö that focus on children and youth with migra­tion experiences living in vulnerable housing situations. The study is done in collaboration with multiple actors such as City of Malmö, The Red Cross, Rädda Barnen, Unicef, Skåne Stadsmission, Sensus etc. These are actors that share the same goal to highlight needs and experiences amongst children and youths. In my work I have designed tools with the ambition to unfold and deepen the under­standing of situations, meetings and objects that could enable a feeling of safety, comfort and joy when living in a vulnerable housing situation. In this context, I have recognized the importance of exploring the role of meeting points. For this purpose, I have used three objects; the slide; the sofa and the set table.

As a result of this degree project I created something I call a material probe, a object with the function to visualise needs and trigger responses. This material probe captures three fundamental needs; a slide – the possibility for play and activity, a sofa – the possibility for gaining the feeling of safety and belonging, a table – the possibility for sharing experiences and information.

By visualising and materialising these needs, I hope to create a discussion that unfolds challenges and promotes the children’s perspective. My work to narrow down the needs is based on multiple interviews and stories from children, youths and parents. The main question is what happens to the continued development process when research findings, needs and experiences are visualised.

The main goal of this degree project has been to articulate and reflect on how service designers can combine knowledge within process design, institutional design and design of physical form. How service design as a practice can develop and if including physical forms and visualisations at a higher level in our work can help the development process forward.