New additional category – Service Design
The best services are often invisible – but always felt.
Service Design redefines the scope of design: not as a product or a space, but as a holistic experience.
You design processes, interfaces and interactions in ways that are meaningful, intuitive and accessible for people – while helping organisations operate with greater clarity, efficiency and humanity.
With the introduction of the new Service Design category, the German Design Award brings this forward-thinking discipline to the forefront. It honours projects that demonstrate intelligent structure, empathetic thinking and a consistently user-centred approach.
What is it about?
Service Design is interdisciplinary – at the intersection of design, business, technology and society. It is process-driven – from concept to implementation. It is user-centred – offering real value. And it is systemic – because service today is more than a single touchpoint: it is a connected experience.
Is your project among them?
Perhaps you’ve reimagined the patient journey in healthcare. Or transformed a service process in education to enable genuine participation. You may have developed a digital platform that wins people over through clarity and relevance – or redesigned an internal business process to streamline complex structures.
If your project shows how service can become better, fairer or more sustainable through design – then it belongs here. On the stage of the German Design Award.
Please note: If your project is additionally honoured in one of the special categories, such as Circular Design or Service Design, a separate service fee applies for the corresponding benefits package.
