A Systematic Design Framework for Product-Service Systems and Its Implementation

Product-Service Systems (PSS) can offer diverse values for stakeholders in a service-dominant manner to suit for various needs and wants of stakeholders. A typical PSS would be composed of service and product elements tightly integrated. A systematic design framework for PSS composed of design methods and tools is presented with a comprehensive example case. Experience values of relevant stakeholders are identified as well as economical and ecological values. Current service process of the corresponding life-cycle steps of the product is modeled using context-based activity models of the stakeholders involved in the service interaction directly and indirectly using service blueprint tools. Using mapping of the value themes and activities through specific enablers of value themes called value attributes, new activities are designed in to drive the value themes, resulting in a new service blueprint. Activities of the new service blueprints associated with PSS functions so that a service element is defined for each function. By identifying affordances from the interaction of sub-functions and activities, a link between the service element and the product element is established. By designing affordance features for affordances and then combining them into the product element, a service dominant approach of PSS design is achieved for each service element. Service elements are grouped into service units, and service units constitute PSS with corresponding business model design. This comprehensive PSS design method will be illustrated with a case example of Blood Donation PSS design.