Practical Work Sample Exercises for Hiring a Service Design Manager

Service Design Managers play a pivotal role in creating exceptional customer experiences while leading teams of talented designers. They bridge the gap between customer needs and business objectives, transforming insights into tangible service improvements. Finding the right person for this position requires more than just reviewing resumes and conducting standard interviews.

Traditional interviews often fail to reveal a candidate's true capabilities in service design leadership. While candidates may articulate their experience well, only through practical exercises can you observe their approach to real-world challenges. Work samples provide a window into how candidates think, collaborate, and solve problems—essential skills for a Service Design Manager.

The exercises outlined below are designed to evaluate the core competencies required for success in this role: strategic thinking, collaborative leadership, user-centric mindset, data-driven decision making, and effective communication. By observing candidates in action, you'll gain deeper insights into their ability to lead service design initiatives and teams.

Implementing these work samples will significantly improve your hiring process by creating a consistent evaluation framework across all candidates. This approach reduces bias and provides objective data points for comparison, helping you identify the candidate who will truly excel in driving service design excellence within your organization.

Activity #1: Customer Journey Mapping Workshop

This exercise evaluates a candidate's ability to facilitate a collaborative service design process while demonstrating their expertise in journey mapping methodologies. It reveals how they structure workshops, ask insightful questions, and synthesize information—all critical skills for leading service design initiatives.

Directions for the Company:

• Prepare a brief on a fictional or actual service that needs improvement (e.g., customer onboarding process, support experience, or product implementation).
• Assemble a small cross-functional team (3-4 people) to participate in the workshop as stakeholders.
• Provide the candidate with basic information about the service 48 hours before the exercise, including current pain points and business objectives.
• Allocate 60 minutes for the workshop and 15 minutes for feedback and iteration.
• Observe how the candidate structures the session, engages participants, and handles differing perspectives.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Review the service information provided and prepare a 60-minute journey mapping workshop.
• Develop a clear structure for the session, including introduction, activities, and synthesis.
• Facilitate the workshop with the cross-functional team, guiding them through the process of mapping the current customer journey.
• Identify key pain points and opportunities for improvement based on the collaborative exercise.
• Present a summary of findings and initial recommendations for service improvements.

Feedback Mechanism:

• After the workshop, provide feedback on the candidate's facilitation skills and methodology.
• Highlight one strength in their approach and one area for improvement.
• Give the candidate 15 minutes to explain how they would adjust their approach based on the feedback and what next steps they would recommend for the service design process.

Activity #2: Service Design Strategy Case Study

This exercise assesses a candidate's strategic thinking and ability to develop comprehensive service design approaches based on research insights. It demonstrates how they connect customer needs to business objectives and create actionable implementation plans.

Directions for the Company:

• Create a case study packet with user research findings, business metrics, and competitive analysis for a service that needs redesigning.
• Include customer quotes, satisfaction scores, and key performance indicators.
• Send the materials to the candidate 24 hours before the interview.
• Prepare questions about prioritization decisions and implementation challenges.
• Allocate 30 minutes for presentation and 15 minutes for questions and feedback.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Review the case study materials and develop a service design strategy that addresses the identified issues.
• Create a presentation that includes:
• Analysis of key customer pain points and opportunities
• Proposed service design approach and methodology
• Implementation roadmap with prioritized initiatives
• Success metrics and measurement approach
• Resource requirements and team structure
• Present your strategy to the interview panel in 30 minutes or less.
• Be prepared to explain your rationale for prioritization decisions and how you would handle potential implementation challenges.

Feedback Mechanism:

• Provide feedback on the strategic thinking demonstrated in the presentation.
• Highlight one strength in their strategic approach and one area that could be enhanced.
• Ask the candidate to spend 10 minutes revising their prioritization approach based on a new constraint you introduce (e.g., reduced budget, shortened timeline, or new business priority).

Activity #3: Team Coaching Simulation

This exercise evaluates a candidate's leadership and mentoring capabilities by simulating a coaching session with a service designer. It reveals their management style, feedback approach, and ability to develop team members' skills.

Directions for the Company:

• Create a fictional service designer profile with work samples showing both strengths and areas for improvement.
• Include examples of their journey maps, service blueprints, or prototypes.
• Prepare an actor (ideally someone from your design team) to play the role of the service designer.
• Brief the actor on how to respond to feedback and coaching.
• Allocate 30 minutes for the coaching session and 15 minutes for reflection and feedback.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Review the service designer's work samples and profile information.
• Prepare for a coaching session focused on helping the designer improve their work and develop professionally.
• Conduct a 30-minute coaching session with the service designer.
• Provide constructive feedback on their work while maintaining a supportive environment.
• Help the designer identify specific actions they can take to enhance their skills and deliverables.
• Discuss career development opportunities and how they align with service design best practices.

Feedback Mechanism:

• After the simulation, provide feedback on the candidate's coaching approach and effectiveness.
• Highlight one strength in their leadership style and one area for improvement.
• Ask the candidate to reflect on how they might adjust their coaching approach based on the feedback and what additional resources they might provide to support the designer's development.

Activity #4: Service Metrics Analysis and Presentation

This exercise assesses a candidate's data-driven decision-making abilities and skill in communicating complex service design concepts to executives. It demonstrates how they translate data into actionable insights and persuasive recommendations.

Directions for the Company:

• Compile a dataset of service performance metrics, customer feedback, and operational KPIs for a service with clear improvement opportunities.
• Include some contradictory data points that require thoughtful analysis and prioritization.
• Provide visualization tools or templates if needed.
• Assemble a panel of 2-3 senior stakeholders to receive the presentation.
• Allocate 45 minutes for preparation, 15 minutes for presentation, and 15 minutes for questions and feedback.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Analyze the provided service metrics and identify key patterns, issues, and opportunities.
• Develop a concise executive presentation that:
• Summarizes the current state of the service based on data
• Identifies 2-3 critical areas for improvement
• Proposes specific service design interventions
• Outlines expected impact on customer experience and business metrics
• Recommends an implementation approach
• Present your findings and recommendations to the executive panel in 15 minutes.
• Be prepared to answer challenging questions about your analysis and recommendations.

Feedback Mechanism:

• Provide feedback on both the analysis quality and presentation effectiveness.
• Highlight one strength in their approach and one area for improvement.
• Ask the candidate to spend 10 minutes revising one of their recommendations based on a new stakeholder concern or constraint introduced after the presentation.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should we allocate for these work sample exercises?

Each exercise requires different time commitments. The Customer Journey Mapping Workshop needs about 75 minutes (60 for the workshop, 15 for feedback). The Service Design Strategy case study requires 24 hours of preparation time plus 45 minutes for the presentation and feedback. Plan for half-day sessions when conducting multiple exercises, or spread them across different interview stages.

Should we use real company data for these exercises?

While using real data provides authentic context, it's often better to create fictional scenarios based on real challenges. This protects sensitive information while still testing relevant skills. If using real data, ensure it's anonymized and obtain proper clearances.

How do we evaluate candidates consistently across these exercises?

Create a structured scorecard for each exercise that aligns with the key competencies for the role: strategic thinking, collaborative leadership, user-centric mindset, data-driven decision making, and effective communication. Rate candidates on specific observable behaviors rather than general impressions.

What if a candidate doesn't have experience with the specific tools or methodologies we use?

Focus on evaluating their approach and thinking process rather than familiarity with specific tools. A strong Service Design Manager can adapt to new methodologies. During the exercise, make it clear that you're assessing their problem-solving approach and leadership capabilities, not their knowledge of particular software or frameworks.

How should we incorporate these exercises into our broader interview process?

These exercises work best after initial screening and behavioral interviews. Use them as the core of your final assessment stage, potentially combining one strategic exercise (like the Service Design Strategy) with one tactical exercise (like the Team Coaching Simulation) to get a comprehensive view of the candidate's capabilities.

Can these exercises be conducted remotely?

Yes, all of these exercises can be adapted for remote settings using video conferencing and collaborative digital tools like Miro, Figma, or MURAL. For the Customer Journey Mapping Workshop, ensure all participants have access to the same collaboration platform and provide clear instructions for remote participation.

Finding the right Service Design Manager requires a thoughtful evaluation of both strategic thinking and practical leadership skills. These work sample exercises provide a comprehensive assessment framework that goes beyond traditional interviews to reveal how candidates approach real-world service design challenges.

By implementing these exercises, you'll gain deeper insights into each candidate's capabilities and fit for your organization. Remember that the best candidates will not only demonstrate technical expertise but also show adaptability, collaborative spirit, and a genuine passion for creating exceptional customer experiences.

Ready to elevate your hiring process for all roles? Yardstick offers powerful tools to streamline your recruitment efforts, including AI-powered job descriptions, interview question generators, and comprehensive interview guides. Learn more about how we can help you find the perfect Service Design Manager by visiting our Service Design Manager job description.

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