Evaluation Methods For Service Design

Course

Evaluation is a very topical issue in various contexts: for companies that have to adapt to new sustainability standards, for public organisations that have to verify the effects of their programmes and policies, for the third sector that is expected to produce significant social changes.

Similarly, since operating in the above-mentioned contexts, evaluation is also becoming an increasingly necessary skill and practice for those involved in service design, in order to justify their design choices with objective evidence and to measure the transformative impact of their solutions

The course aims to integrate the professional skills and tools of service designers to meet the evaluation needs of organisations in support of today’s social, economic and environmental challenges.

Didactics

Training objectives

The course proposes a programme that integrates disciplinary and extra-disciplinary contributions, aimed on the one hand at deepening the possible evaluation practices within the service design process and on the other hand at providing evaluation methods and tools to be used in the professional practice.

Specifically, during the course, experts and qualified lecturers from both the design and evaluation fields will accompany participants in the integration of design practice with evaluation practice, sharing approaches, methodologies and tools useful for, among others, setting up a theory of change, structuring evaluation research, defining or constructing qualitative and quantitative indicators, elaborating evaluation conclusions, and dealing with impact measurement.

The course intends to provide those involved in service design with the necessary skills to evaluate existing services that need to be redesigned, service concepts or prototypes to support effective and efficient project development, or new service solutions once introduced to the market, with particular attention to the economic, social and environmental impacts they generate.

Didactic Plan

The didactic contents consist of an online course and an in-presence workshop.

The online course will be structured in  4 modules of 6 hours each, plus a final module of 3 hours (for a total of 27 hours), 2 days per week on Wednesdays and Saturdays, over a period of 5 weeks. The online course could then be complemented by an (optional) in-presence workshop lasting 3 days (for a total of 17 hours), during which participants will be able to put into practice what they have learnt online through dedicated exercises.

The in-presence workshop will be held at Cascina Cuccagna, Via Privata Cuccagna, 2/4, Milano

Didactic Modules

MODULE 1 – Introduction to evaluation and stages of evaluation in the design process 
The first module aims at introducing the topic of evaluation, with particular focus on service characteristics, going through the elements and steps for conducting an evaluation research. The role of evaluation in service design practice is then explored, integrating key stages of process within the design process.

MODULE 2 – Structuring service evaluation frameworks and building indicators 
The second module focuses on how to structure effective service evaluation frameworks (including evaluation objectives and questions, stakeholder mapping, data collection methods, etc…) proposing practical tools and techniques, and explores the creation of qualitative and quantitative indicators. .

MODULE 3 – Introduction to impact evaluation and developing a Theory of Change
This module introduces participants to the fundamentals of impact evaluation, deepening how to assess the social, economic, and environmental outcomes of a service design project.. The module also delves into the development of a Theory of Change, as a key method for laying out the steps necessary to achieve impact objectives.

MODULE 4 – Assessing social and environmental impact 
This module focuses on methods and tools for assessing the social and environmental impact of service design projects, including aspects of economic evaluation thereof. Participants will explore different methods, such as Social Return on Investments (SROI) and the importance of integrating sustainability into service design processes, through examples of application to real case studies.

MODULE 5 – Critical analysis of evaluation 
This module aims at generating a critical perspective on evaluation practices, exploring their potential and limitations for service design practice. Participants will reflect on the validity, reliability and impact of what was learned during the course in a process of peer exchange and self-assessment.

The in-presence workshop will focus on the structuring of a service evaluation framework and of the necessary components for its implementation (indicators, tools, etc.) through the application to a real case. This application case may be proposed by the participant according to a set of requirements provided by the faculty. If the participant does not have a suitable application case, this will be provided by the faculty.

Workshop program

• Day 1 (3h) Launching the exercise and Theory of Change construction
• Day 2 (7h) Structuring the evaluation framework
• Day 3 (7h) Evaluation planning and final presentations

The workshop will take place in a suggestive location to experience three immersive days that have an experiential value in addition to the educational one.

Title Released

At the end of the Course, an open badge will be issued to the Course in Evaluation Methods For Service Design by POLI.design.

Admission

Requirements

The course is addressed at those involved in service design practice within public or private organizations or consultancy firms, as well as at freelance professionals. It aims to integrate the design skills of who work in the field of service design and service innovation with the evaluation skills necessary both to direct the design process and to measure the design outcomes, in favor of a systemic approach endowed with a high transformative value.

The course is open to candidates with a high school diploma or degree in Design, Architecture or Engineering, or in non-polytechnic disciplines, such as Economics, Communication Sciences and Social Sciences for whom the polytechnic disciplines can provide a significant addition to their previous professional training.

Admission to the course is subject to selection procedure.

To access the selection phase, please fill out the application form at the following LINK:

• Curriculum Vitae
• Fiscal code (Front and back scan)
• Scan of the Identity Card or Passport

Deadline for the application: September 1, 2025

Price

The total cost of the Course is 2.806,00 € for each student.

It is possible to purchase only the online course for a cost of 1.830,00 €.
It is not possible to pay for the workshop alone.

Registration for the Course in Evaluation Methods For Service Design and the Course in Service Design For Systemic Change. For those who enroll in both Courses, the total cost is 4.880,00 € (instead of 5.856,00 €).

PROMO

EARLY BIRD: -10%
The promotion for those who have clear ideas, know which educational path can enrich their future, and can’t wait to get back to the classroom.

Application deadline: April 30, 2025.
Deadline for sending the signed contract and the payment of the participation fee: no later than May 15, 2025.

FAMILY SUPPORT: -50%
A chance to gift your siblings the encouragement they need to invest in their future.

FRIEND TO FRIEND: -20%
An opportunity to gift to a friend to make education the foundation of their growth.

POLI.NETWORK: -50%
A promotion designed to strengthen the bond and identity among members of the Politecnico di Milano community.

BACK TO SCHOOL: -30%
The discount for those who have already trusted POLI.design and Polimi, and wish to return to study and build their future.

MORE THAN ONE: -15%
A discount for those who want to perfect their skills, for those who continually invest in education, not just once but multiple times. Thus:

• For those who purchase two Courses, the discount is equal to 15% on the participation fee of the least expensive educational path
• For those who purchase three Courses, the discount is equal to 15% on the participation fee of the two least expensive educational paths

BUSINESS BOOST
The discount designed for companies that recognize training as a crucial factor for growth.

The “Business Boost” discount provides a variable reduction on the participation fee for two or more employees in catalog courses. Specifically, the discount amounts to:

• 15% on the participation fee for the second employee’s enrollment
• 20% on the participation fee for the third employee’s enrollment
• 25% on the participation fee for the fourth employee’s enrollment

Companies wishing to enrol at least 5 employees in one or more courses of the Service Design and Innovation Cluster will have access to a customized offer.

Furthermore, companies that purchase more than one course for two or more employees in the same calendar year can access an additional 10% discount on the total.

SUPPLIERS: -10%
A promotion for those who collaborate or have collaborated with POLI.design. Our way to say thanks and share knowledge.

n. 2 partial exemptions of 50% of the participation fee for the first two candidates who submit an application to enrol in the course. Payment must be made within 10 days of receiving notice of admission to the course, under penalty of forfeiture of the exemption

The fee reductions listed above are not cumulative.

15% reduction to be applied on the participation fee for Architecta members 2020, 2021 and 2022 and 2023, provided they self-certify that they are architect members and the year since they became members.

Faculty