That moment when you realise your perspective has permanently changed – and why that’s actually brilliant.

Picture this: I’m standing in a coffee shop queue, mentally redesigning their entire customer journey whilst trying to order a simple latte. The barista hands me my drink, and instead of saying “thanks,” I’m calculating touch points and questioning their pickup process. This is my life now, and honestly, I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Let me rewind to 2013, when I got that acceptance email to study M.Des in Design for Services at The University of Dundee. I’d just finished my Bachelor’s in Interior Architecture and was feeling professionally restless. Then service design walked into my life like that friend who introduces you to your favourite band – suddenly everything made sense.

The Year That Changed Everything

The next eighteen months were intense in the best possible way. We weren’t just studying theory; we were implementing it with real users and real clients. We were taught to switch between perspectives, to toggle our Service Designer mindset on and off depending on the situation.

Plot twist: My switch got permanently stuck in the “on” position.

Every interaction became a case study. That smooth UK student visa extension process? I could break down every delightful touchpoint. Opening a bank account? I’d mentally blueprint the entire service ecosystem – why some banks make it seamless whilst others create unnecessary friction at every step.

At first, this felt like a superpower. I could spot friction points others missed, understand why certain experiences delighted or frustrated people. But then I realised something crucial: this perspective isn’t just a professional skill – it becomes part of how you fundamentally see the world.

The Beautiful Truth About Designer Vision

Here’s what no one tells you about service design: once you really get it, you can’t un-get it. You become acutely aware of every poorly designed interaction, every missed opportunity for delight.

But here’s the thing: this isn’t actually a problem to solve – it’s a sign that service design has fundamentally changed how you process the world. What I initially mistook for being stuck in work mode was actually evidence of genuine expertise. The fact that I couldn’t help but notice and analyse designed experiences wasn’t a quirk to overcome – it was proof that service design thinking had become second nature.

Living With Eyes Wide Open

So yes, I spend my coffee shop visits mentally redesigning their service flow. I analyse the UX of every app I download. My service designer switch might be permanently on, but I’ve realised that’s not a bug – it’s a feature.

For any designer reading this: embrace it. That constant awareness, that inability to unsee poor design decisions, that perpetual curiosity about how things work – these aren’t professional hazards. They’re signs that you’ve developed genuine design intuition.

The world needs more people who can’t help but notice when experiences could be better. Your permanently switched-on designer brain isn’t a burden to bear – it’s a superpower to celebrate.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go mentally redesign the process of applying for German citizenship…