Interaction that values co-creation in the design of services

In general service design literature finds greater application in Business and Management disciplines. With an increase in the development of service technologies and processes among established and emerging economies there has been a greater emphasis for research and education to augment service innovation [1]. This innovation has the potential to influence economic growth. However, in comparison to the wealth of knowledge accumulated in manufacturing and product development fields, service design remains in the early stages of establishing itself as a discipline [22]. To assist this development Bitner and Brown [1] emphasize the need to develop models and processes that combine interdisciplinary knowledge from business management, computer science, engineering, and the social sciences. Innovation can be understood as the forming of new elements or novel combinations of these elements in the creation or delivery of service products [22]. By developing this theme service innovation will also be considered in relation to its degree of novelty or its ability to extend existing services that contribute to their ongoing development [6]. Attributes of innovative services that meet the expectations of their users positively impact levels of user satisfaction and assists in the development of increased customer value and loyalty [6]. This will impact a provider's financial and strategic success. Therefore the focus of this research centers upon creating customer value that will work to enhance a utility and in doing so increase the provision of a service [2].