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42Courses

Service Design

9h

Three things you can reliably expect.

A CPD-accredited Mini MBA.

Proper credit for genuine progress. Signed, dated, and easy to verify.

Marked by humans, not bots.

A real person goes through your work and responds, usually within 24 hours.

Personalised to your role.

Our lesson experience is adjusted to fit your job, so you can put it into practice right away on Monday.


About this course

Have you ever noticed how companies like Airbnb, Amazon, Uber and Netflix seem to nail the customer experience? A lot of that comes down to service design.

This service design course shows you how to think the same way to improve the services you already have, and spot growth opportunities that might be hiding in plain sight.

You'll learn from Thomas Cornwall, a service designer with real experience, who built a service design agency and later sold it.

Thomas walks you through the whole service design process, from the first step to the final outcome. You'll get practical tools, simple tips, and real examples you can use immediately.

You'll build a clear approach for shaping your vision, finding the insights that matter, and turning them into an end-to-end service your customers will actually enjoy.

And it's not just theory. You'll learn how to make a big impact with smaller changes, lower customer complaints, and avoid expensive service missteps.

When you finish the course, you'll receive a certification from Thomas Cornwall that you can add to your CV or LinkedIn.

No prior experience is needed, and you can start using what you learn today, then keep seeing the benefits long after the course ends.

Ready to start your path to becoming a confident service designer?

Finally, online learning that feels worth it.

Did you know the typical completion rate for online courses is under 10%?

Many platforms ignore what it really means to learn online compared to sitting in a classroom with real support.

At 42courses, we spent a lot of time thinking about how to create the kind of online experience people actually want to finish.

We use techniques like storytelling, empathic design and great visuals to bring each topic to life, so it sticks and feels inspiring.

Each course is broken into small, easy lessons you can fit around your day. At the end of every lesson, you'll answer questions to check your understanding.

As you move through the material, you'll earn points and badges so you can see how you're doing compared with other learners.

What level of learning is this?

  • Every 42courses course is built to cover the essentials, so you leave with a solid understanding of the subject plus the key methods, models and best practice.
  • Real tutors review your progress throughout the course and guide you if you get stuck.
  • You don't need any previous knowledge to get started.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO COMPLETE A COURSE?

  • Most courses take around 7-9 hours in total. There are no strict deadlines, and each one is split into short, bite-sized lessons.
  • You learn whenever you want, on-demand. Start when you like, finish when you like. No waiting around for assignments to be checked.

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What you'll learn:

  • Follow the full service design process, from beginning to end
  • Learn how to test ideas and design brand-new services
  • Improve customer satisfaction
  • Cut down on complaints and stop costly service failures before they happen
  • Build an advantage over your competitors

Who's it for

Built around real people.

This is for you if you're a:

  • Person who wants to understand service design in simple, everyday language
  • Person looking for new chances to grow a business
  • Entrepreneur who wants to design new businesses

A quick look at what's going on behind the scenes.

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Inside a lesson

Short lessons with a strong narrative, not the kind that put you to sleep. About 15 minutes each. You'll watch, read, then answer a question to make sure the idea really lands.

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AI personalisation

Made to match your day-to-day work and goals. Tell us what you do and what you want to improve. Our AI reshapes each lesson with practical takeaways for your specific role. The core frameworks and data stay the same; the examples are tailored to you.

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Real feedback

A real person is there when you need them. Some questions are reviewed manually by our team. If you want direction, you'll get it. If you're stuck, we can even jump on a call with you.

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The certificate

A Mini MBA certificate you can actually keep. CPD-accredited, signed, dated and trackable. Plus, our completion rate is above 80%, compared with an industry average that's usually much closer to 10%.


42courses vs typical online courses.

Feature 42courses Typical platform
Marking & feedback by real people Within 24 hours Usually auto-marking only
Personalised by role & sector AI adjusts every lesson Everyone gets the same content
Taught by working practitioners The people who wrote the book Often academics or actors
Average completion rate Over 80% 5 to 15% (industry average)
CPD-accredited Mini MBA certificate Every course Sometimes
30-day money back, no questions If you aren't happy, we'll make it right Often a 7-day refund window

Questions you might be wondering about.

Roughly eight hours of learning content, organised into short lessons of around 15 minutes each. Most learners complete it in about two weeks. That said, there's no time limit, and you can pause whenever life or work gets in the way.
Not at all. We start with the basics and build from there. You get a fresh way to understand the subject using insights from well-known experts in the field, whether you're starting from scratch or you already know your stuff and want to sharpen your approach.
Every lesson ends with a quick question to check your understanding. Select questions throughout the course are reviewed by a real person. If you need a nudge, someone on our team replies with notes to help you get to the right place. And if you ever want to talk something through, we're happy to set up a call.
You've got 30 days from enrolment to request a full refund. No hoops, no awkward interviews, no back-and-forth emails. We respond within 24 hours, and often quicker. If you aren't happy, we don't want you to be stuck with a course you don't feel good about.
The books explain the theory. This course focuses on the practical side, tailored to your role and goals, so you end up with usable takeaways from every lesson, not just notes you'll forget later.
Yes. Learners have used it across tech, healthcare, retail, banking, government, charities and education. Our AI personalises each lesson to your role and goals, so the examples and exercises shift to fit your situation.
Yes. Most learning and development budgets should cover this without any trouble. If you need it, we can provide a VAT-friendly invoice. Just email us at groundcontrol@42courses.com. And if you're buying for 10 or more learners, check out Team plans.
It's a CPD-accredited certificate that's recognised across the UK and internationally for continuing professional development. It's personalised with your name, signed and dated, and it's trackable too. Add it to LinkedIn, your CV, your performance review, or wherever you keep professional proof.

Tools You'll Explore

Thomas Cornwall

Thomas Cornwall

Thomas Cornwall is one of the leading service designers in the world. He works through service design challenges for Fortune 500 organisations like Amazon, Samsung, fast-growing start-ups, and even public sector groups. He's also the co-founder of UpRoar, supporting leaders to design, launch and scale what comes next. Twitter : @ThomasCornwall


What we'll cover, in order.

What is service design?

What exactly is service design? Why is it important and what’s the best way to approach it?
So what is service design anyway?
Why does it matter?
Why it's good for business
Ouch! Service design done badly
The flip side: service design done brilliantly

How does it work?

The principles and processes involved that can either make or break a service.
Who's who in the service design zoo?
The core principles
The service design process

Where to begin

Where are you now, where do you want to be, and what problem to you need to solve in order to get there?
How to look at the world like a service designer
Defining your purpose
Defining the human problem

Finding golden insights

What are some techniques to uncovering the insights that make all the difference?
Curiosity is key
The service designer's toolbox
Observation
Ask better questions
Three is the magic number
Really, really know your customer
Customer journey mapping

Turning insight into innovation

How to turn those insights into innovation, how to make small changes that have a big impact, and ways to make people really happy.
Innovation from insight
It's Post It time
The importance of prototyping
Brilliant basics and magic moments

How to keep improving

How to make real change stick and the philosophy of continuous improvement.
Keep getting better
Make change that sticks
Start at the end and work backwards
This is how it's done

Certification Process

1

Complete all the classes

Attend classes, ask questions, and finish your homework. We check your activity and support your learning journey every step of the way.

2

Get the Summary Notes

Receive high-quality supporting documents, summary notes, and recommended readings. Ensure you have access to all tools and resources.

3

Complete 100% Impact

Complete the final assessment to validate your learning. Earn your certificate and share your achievement with your professional network!

Service Design
Free

This Course Includes:

Level Access
9h of Content
Certificate of Completion
English

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