Senior Service Designer - Advanced Research Programs

The Senior Service Designer at Homeward is primarily responsible for leading the design and implementation of innovative healthcare service models. This role requires crafting human-centered experiences tailored for rural populations and involves working closely with leadership to develop a service design strategy. Additionally, the designer will engage in ideation, build service blueprints, and execute solutions that improve care delivery, all while advocating for a user-focused approach throughout the process.

To qualify for the Senior Service Designer position at Homeward, candidates should possess a portfolio showcasing over 5 years of strategic design experience. Practical knowledge of designing hybrid services that involve both human interaction and software is crucial. Additionally, a proven track record of executing service design initiatives, strong collaboration skills across various teams, and proficiency in design tools like Figma and Adobe CS are important for success in this role.

The Senior Service Designer at Homeward enhances member experiences by leading the development of healthcare service models that prioritize accessibility and usability for rural populations. This includes understanding the nuances of rural healthcare needs, translating insights into actionable designs, and working closely with clinical, engineering, and operational teams to implement changes that directly improve health outcomes and overall member satisfaction.

At Homeward, the culture for a Senior Service Designer is centered on collaboration, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to improving health outcomes for rural communities. The company values diverse perspectives and encourages creativity while maintaining a focus on delivering high-quality experiences. Team members support one another, listen actively, and engage with enthusiasm as they work towards achieving their mission.

While the Senior Service Designer position at Homeward requires in-office presence three days per week in San Mateo, California, there may be flexibility in terms of remote work opportunities. The company promotes a flexible working environment while ensuring that team collaboration and engagement remain strong, especially in such a hands-on role involving design sprints and workshops.

When answering this question, share specific examples of service design projects you've led. Discuss your role, the methodologies you employed, and the outcomes achieved. Highlight any collaborative efforts with cross-functional teams and focus on how your contributions enhanced the user experience.

To respond effectively, emphasize your approach to understanding user needs. Mention your use of research methods, such as user interviews, surveys, and feedback loops, to gather insights. Explain how these insights guide your design decisions and ensure that the final solutions address real user challenges.

In your response, list common tools like Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, or any other design software you are proficient with. Additionally, describe methodologies you favor, such as Design Thinking or Agile, and how these frameworks help you navigate the design process from ideation to implementation.

When addressing this question, illustrate your openness to constructive feedback. Share experiences where you adapted your designs based on team input, and discuss how you facilitated discussions to ensure all voices were heard while keeping the project goals in focus.

Provide a specific example where you faced differing opinions on a design decision. Explain the reasoning behind your advocacy for a particular choice and how you used data, user insights, or prototypes to persuade colleagues, demonstrating your commitment to creating impactful service solutions.

Discuss your approach to planning and facilitating design sprints. Mention tactics, including setting clear objectives, engaging participants effectively, creating an open environment for brainstorming, and following up with actionable outcomes to ensure the ideas generated are feasible.

Explain the importance of understanding the overarching business objectives and how you ensure your design solutions directly support them. Discuss methods you use to stay aligned with the company's mission while also keeping user needs at the forefront of your work.

In your response, convey your passion for making a difference in healthcare through design. Emphasize how you are motivated by the potential to solve critical problems, improve patient experiences, and ultimately contribute to better health outcomes for individuals and communities.

Provide an overview of your typical design process. Start with user research, moving into ideation and concept development. Highlight each stage, including prototyping, testing, and final execution, and underscore the importance of collaboration and iteration throughout the process.

Emphasize the value you place on documentation for maintaining design clarity and consistency. Discuss how you use service blueprints, journey maps, and other artifacts to track the design process and ensure that all team members are aligned and informed about decisions made.