About this knowledge base
An open knowledge base for understanding and practicing service design.
This site brings together an independent, publicly accessible collection of foundations, methods, articles, research references, books, videos, and talks. Content is connected by topic and depth to help you find a starting point and explore further without getting lost in a large library.
About the author
Ricardo Martins
Educator, author, consultant, and speaker Ricardo Martins created this knowledge base to connect academic research, professional experience, and service design education.
30 years of practice350+ projects52 industries served
Educator
I led the master's program in Service Design at SCAD — Savannah College of Art and Design. I hold a Master of Science in Design from UFPR, focusing on healthcare innovation. I teach service design by combining academic rigor with field practice.
Author
I am the most published author in Touchpoint, the Service Design Network journal, and a member of its editorial board. I also contributed a chapter to the Bloomsbury Handbook of Service Design (2026).
Consultant
Thirty years of consulting, 350+ projects across 52 industries. This variety has taught me to recognize the structural aspects of service design and what needs to be adapted to each context.
Speaker
I speak about systems thinking, artificial intelligence, customer experience, and the transformation of work at academic, corporate, and industry events in Portuguese and English.
Education and community
A school expanding the reach of design.
As founder of Vessel Academy, I have turned professional and academic experience into learning experiences for people who want to understand services beyond interfaces. Along the way, I have mentored over 200 undergraduate and graduate students, connecting research, systems thinking, and design practice.
Perspective
Service design, from research to practice.
A service experience does not end at the interface. It depends on the people, decisions, and operations that make it possible. Ricardo focuses his work on this relationship between experience and systems.