(Frank Spillers:) I think service designers talk about this line of visibility. And can you just talk a little bit more about that – that dynamic between front-end and back-end? (David Bill:) There's actually two lines. There's the line of visibility and the line of interaction. So, the line of visibility is the interactions that the customer can see. And so, that's – let's say you're going to a pharmacy and you're getting your prescription, right?
It's you walking in the door; it's you going up to the pharmacy counter; you interacting with the attendant; she being able to punch in to the point-of-sale device all the information that you're giving her; that is then going into a database. That database is then being connected to some sort of distributor
who is getting the drugs from some sort of pharmaceutical company. So, you know, it's this massive web of interconnectivity. There's obviously lots of layers there, but the line of visibility is really what that individual, that customer can see. And then the line of interaction is what *that staff* is doing and what they're interacting with. And then all the back-end systems – that's what's happening behind the *lower portion* of the line of interaction;
the distribution – you know – the partners, all of that kind of thing; the database. (F.S.:) Yeah. (D.B:) You know – that stuff that *not* the customer *nor* the staff member is going to see. I think that while Service Design can answer a lot of big questions around how services are implemented, I think the trouble is that as much as it can really
dive into some issues when it comes to a particular service, the people, the culture of that organization has to be ready to really embrace it. And – you know – it's the whole idea of taking a horse to water. (F.S.:) Right. (D.B.:) And if you take a horse to water, that doesn't necessarily mean they're going to drink. And so, here – this is something where we're seeing this with the IRS
and the agencies I've worked with in the past. We can show them these different methods, but, you know, they're dealing with all kinds of legislative, technological issues that hold them back from really being able to do a lot of interesting work. It doesn't mean that you don't have good people who want to push the needle. But they're hamstrung. (F.S.:) Right. (D.B.:) And it's a bigger, more complex issue than we would like to really admit.
And I think that a lot of times stuff is just pushed underneath the rug. But I think what's happening – you know, especially in my case, and I feel like I'm lucky in that regard – is we have an agency that recognizes the need for something like this. And they've brought us in to help evangelize and socialize this idea, this concept, this approach of service design
as a means of improving the various products and services that they offer, and ultimately not only improving the customer experience but increasing their bottom line.