The future of the municipal service center

The future of the municipal service center: A focus on experience and well-being

van der Loop, Koen (TU Delft Industrial Design Engineering)

Desmet, Pieter (mentor)
van Erp, Jeroen (graduation committee)

Delft University of Technology

Design for Interaction

2019-12-02

Municipalities all over the world are struggling to find their role in this fast-paced society. The general attitude towards the government is negative and people experiencing its services as inefficient, irrelevant and unpersonal. Their functioning shapes people’s sense of trust in and expectations of the municipality. Despite efforts by incorporating modern technologies the relationship between citizens and governmental bodies are not improving. To date, service optimizations focusses on improving efficiency, accessibility and transparency. A problem-driven approach might achieve in a state of neutrality. However, the goal of the thesis is concerned with enhancing well-being of citizens in the municipal service center. Reducing or preventing inconveniences does not promises increased well-being. Moving into the positive zone requires a different strategy: a positive design approach. Activities make up 40% of our happiness level and are vital to our well-being. By investigating what people experience during these activities, possibilities will arise to enhance well-being. Analyzing people’s micro-emotions yielded 144 emotional events that elucidate that people experience one positive on two negative emotions. Dissatisfaction, confusion and unpleasant surprise make up for 23% of negative emotions while satisfaction makes up for 47% of positive emotions. Emotional events are either beneficiary or harmful to our needs. The universal need for Acknowledgement and Ease are carrying the majority of negative emotions in the current situation. However, an opportunity is found in contributing to a sense of belonging when framing interactions in a municipal service center of well-being. It aims to bring municipality and citizens closer, shape trusting relationships and aims to provide citizens a feeling that they are accepted and part of a bigger whole. Creating a sense of belonging is put at its core to design a positive and meaningful moment that contributes to people’s well-being. With many concerns in the context, a dilemma driven approach was applied that juxtapositions people’s concerns to inspire ideation. A concept was created that introduces a positive moment in the waiting room. The concept keeps track of people’s appointments, and meanwhile people can listen to stories that stimulate a sense of connectedness in citizens. An iterative process resulted in a final concept that was tested with 12 people. User test concluded that the prototype evoked only positive emotions, one rich experience and it contributed slightly to a sense of connectedness. Altogether, the concept positively created a moment that elevates people, making them feel connected to others and shed a fresh perspective that broadened people’s horizon.

Well-being
Interaction
Experience
Positive design

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:eab350a4-0309-4798-ad5f-0cccfafd46b3

Student theses

master thesis

© 2019 Koen van der Loop