Digital or Physical

This chapter examines the nature of service delivery in the profession, specifically looking at the balance between digital and physical environments. As the field evolves, understanding whether work is primarily focused on digital products, physical services, or a hybrid of both provides critical insight into the modern service design landscape.

The Survey Question

This chapter is based on the question asking respondents about the primary focus of their service design work.

Filter the Data

Focus Composition

The following chart provides a high-level comparison of delivery focus across different segments. It highlights the "Digital-Physical Gap" between various cohorts.

Understanding the Scale:

Respondents were asked to position their work on a 5-point scale, representing the transition from purely digital to purely physical environments:

• Exclusively Digital: Work is entirely focused on digital products, screens, and virtual services.
• Mostly Digital: Primary focus is digital, with occasional consideration for physical touchpoints.
• Hybrid: A balanced split between digital interfaces and physical/service-based interactions.
• Mostly Non-Digital: Primary focus is on physical spaces, human interactions, or analog systems.
• Exclusively Non-Digital: Work is entirely focused on non-digital environments, such as physical retail, healthcare operations, or urban planning without a primary digital component.