- I think service design can be crystallised into curiosity and doing things together. It’s about walking in another person’s shoes, understanding their challenges and solving these, summarises Taika Rantanen, who studies in the English language Master's degree programme in Service Innovation and Design at Laurea. 

Rantanen began studies in the Service Innovation and Design programme in autumn 2020. They have now completed the second autumn semester and are about to begin the last stretch. 

Since the application phase and student admissions, the studies have taken place in exceptional conditions. 

- At the very beginning of our studies, we visited the Leppävaara campus in person, says Rantanen.
- That was a very nice thing, because I got to know other students. After learning to know others, group work has worked really well also remotely. 

Working with other students teaches you the most

This is not at all the first time Taika Rantanen is studying at Laurea. Exactly ten years ago, they graduated from Laurea as a Bachelor of Social Services. After graduation, they first worked in the organisation field for several years and the last few years within product information.

- For the first time, I encountered service design five years ago, and I was immediately very interested, Rantanen recalls.
- I work with information, so I thought this information is produced for the benefit of people. I was interested in how to make all processes and systems serve people as well as possible. Service design could be helpful. 

So far, Taika Rantanen has been very satisfied with the Master's studies at Laurea. The studies have been interesting and inspiring. 

- I’d also really like to highlight how great the other students have been. We do a lot of group work in small groups and it’s been great to work with different people and, at the same time, learn a lot from them, Rantanen describes. 

Service design can be utilised in any field

Rantanen believes that another strength related to Master's degree studies is work experience. Applicants admitted to Master's degree programmes are required to have at least two years of professional experience in the field. Practical experience of working life provides a good basis for applying the knowledge learned in the Master's degree studies. 

- I'm constantly thinking, "How can I use this information in my own work", Taika says. 

Rantanen has been on study leave from work during the second year of studies. Now that the studies are coming to a close, Taika has a burning desire to return to work and get to apply service design. She is particularly interested in developing internal services, in other words, how we can make people's work easier by designing services.

- The best thing about service design is that these methods can be used in virtually any field. Wherever there are people and people do something, Taika Rantanen summarises. 

Read more about our degree programmes offered in English!