Service Design

Service Blueprinting: Putting the Customer First at Zebra Technologies

Challenge

Angry customers and partners! Hardware repair backlogs were increasing their frustration, with devices waiting months for return or coming back unfixed. This CEO-sponsored initiative required coordinating across global, disconnected systems following a major acquisition and digital transformation.

My Role

I was the leading Senior UX Researcher on the Consumer Experience Team. I proposed service blueprinting as the strategic approach, designed and facilitated cross-functional workshops, trained four co-facilitators, and coached the project manager on executive presentation. Led comprehensive reporting and methodology advocacy.

Process

  • Methodology
    • Stakeholder interviews
    • Staff surveys and website feedback data via Qualtrics
    • Service blueprinting workshops (in person, with sticky notes)
    • Validation sessions with globally distributed teams using Mural virtual whiteboarding
  • Key Discovery
    • A critical data point was often missing in sales backstage operations, causing downstream repair center delays.
  • Breakthrough
    • Blueprint framework enabled difficult cross-departmental conversations that had never occurred before.
      • Quote from post-workshop participant survey: “I found the blueprint activity to be the most helpful. The discussions were enlightening and the healthy debates were productive.”
    • By involving leaders and SMEs from all functions in the workshop, we not only increased visibility to issues but gave them actionable data they could immediately share with their teams before the workshop ended.
    • CEO had a roadmap for customer experience investments. Eventually this led to a dedicated Customer Experience team within the Strategy division.

Artifact

This presentation deck is a recap given to the Global Demand Center (under the CMO) emphasizing takeaways relevant to their digital strategy. Blueprint examples are included.

It’s also an glimpse of how I like to structure reports by distilling key points, tailoring to the audience’s needs, and providing a robust appendix for those who want a deeper dive.

A workspace featuring large sheets of paper covered in colorful sticky notes organized into categories, with a laptop on a table in the foreground.
Transcribing blueprints from the workshop into Mural. We took up an entire hallway, where I engaged our many curious colleagues with the process.

Designing a New Service: Gluten-free travel, without the worry

Challenge: Design an innovative new product or service. This was my capstone project from
Northwestern University course MSC 530: Marketing Strategy, with Professor Rick Kolsky.

Methods Used: Service design, qualitative research, innovation, marketing strategy, journey mapping, customer experience design, storytelling.

My Contribution: I conceived, researched, and developed this project solo, under the guidance of my professor.

Minarik Venture Plan - FINAL_qualinsights

What I Learned: At the outset of this project, I had hypothesized that gluten-free eaters would be the primary target market. The research revealed that their loved ones are every bit as anxious – if not more so – about making sure they can help the gluten-free eater feel included and safe in dining activities. The loved ones were actually more willing to pay for a service to help them than the gluten-free eaters, who were often savvier at evaluating dining options and accustomed to fending for themselves (even if that meant satisficing for subpar options, packing their own food, or suffering social isolation).

As a result, I designed an experience to delight both gluten-free eaters and the people who love them. My pitch deck included a story board that imagined a couple using the service to plan a trouble-free honeymoon trip to Paris.

Minarik Venture Plan - FINAL_scenario