Proceedings of EcoOeslgnZ003:Third International Symposium on

EnvlronmemalvConsciaus Design and Inverse Manufacturing

Tokyo,Japan, December 8-11,2003
EcoDesign2003/1 C-2

A Proposal for Service Modeling

Yoshiki Shmomura, Kentaro Watanabe, and Tamio Arai

Research into Artifacts, Centerfor Engineering, The Universip of Tokyo
Komaba 4-6-1, Megum-ku. Tokyo, Japan
Phone: t81-3-5453-5891 /Facsimile: +81-3-3467-0648
e-mail: {simomura, nabeken, arai)@race.u-tokyo.acjp
Tomohiko Sakao
Mitsubishi Research Institute, Inc.
Otemachi 2-3-6, Chiyoda-ku. Tokyo,Japan
Phone: t81-3-32 77-0769 /Facsimile: +81-3-3277-3480
e-mail: sakao@mri.cojp
Tetsuo Tomiyama
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Marine Technology,Delft Universip of Technology
Mekelweg 2,2628 CD Delft, The Netherlands
Phone: +31-15-278-1021 /Facsimile: t31-15-278-3910
e-mail: tomiyama@wbmt.tudelfr.nl

Abstract
To solve m e n : indusTa1 problems, we need io
reconsider the mass-production paradigm and make
products have more added values. Consumers wan: io be
saiisfied wiih using pmducis rather ihan wiih owning
them. We pmpose thaiproducts should be designed wiih
service aspects in mind However; since fraditionally
service has been neglecied wiihin enginem'ng, we need
new methodr to define service. To establish 'sovice
engineering,' in this paper we propose a modeling
technique of service. Wefirst examine essential concepts
of service. A sewice is represenred by a set of Receiver
Stale Parameters (RSPs), and several, RSPs form a
scenario.
1. Introduction
To solve environmental problems, we need to
reconsider the current mass-pmduction paradigm and
pursne a new mannfacturing paradigm. The new
paradigm should reduce the production and consumption
volume of artifacts to an adequate, manageable sue and
bring this volume into balance with natural and social
constraints. Consequently, the aim should be qualitative
satiskction rather than quantitative su5ciency and the
decoupling of economic growth fiom material and
energy consumption [l.] To achieve this paradigm,
products should have more added values, supplied
largely by knowledge and service contents, rather than
just materialistic values in order to compensate for
. volume reduction.
This dematerialization of products requires the
enrichment of service contents. To this end, we need
engineering methods to look at services rather than just
materialistic values. These methods are included in
service engineering.
Design is conventionally achieved fiom the viewpoints
of designen for both products and service. Even though
market research bas been introduced, we do not directly
combine a process of consumption with design because
the variety of consumers seems fw large and too wide to
make a model of consumption. It is said that consumers
evaluate satisfaction provided by a purchased pmduct or
supplied by a service provider, which indicates that a

0-7695-20484 0 2CW IEEE -75-

design system that deals explicitly with satisfaction
should be constructed.
This paper focuses on a service modeling method that is
needed in the first step in establishing service
engineering. First, we clarify why service should be
discussed in order not only to arrive at environmentally
conscious design and manufacturing but also to create
more added values in future advanced societies. Second,
we introduce essential concepts of service engineering in
a manner similar to product design. We list and analyze
various services. Satisfaction is represented by a set of
Receiver State Parameters (RSPs.) By illustratiOg actual
service cases, we propose a service modeling method to
represent services.
2. Service engineering
Service is generally defined as an activity that changes
the state of a service receiver [Z.] We need certain
elements, including contents and their delivery method,
to provide services. In Figure 1, a service is defined
within a framework consisting of service pmvider,
service receiver,service confenis,and service channel.
Provider Receiver
Channel
Figure 1. Definition of Service
Here, a service is an act by which a provider causes,
usually with consideration, a receiver to change into the
state which the receiver desires, where both contents and
a channel are means to realize the service. A service.
receiver receives service contents f"a service provider
through a service channel. Service contents are material,
energy, and information. A service channel is used to
transfer, amplify, and control the service contents.
Service contents sent by the service provider change the
state of the service receiver. This change is the most
important feature of service as an activity.
In this definition, artifacts are mainly devices for
service channels. They, however, can change fiom
contents to channels and vice versa. Artifacts have their
own functions, .behaviors, and states, which can be
designed m conventional CAD systems, but in service
engineering, the evaluation according to the state
changes the service receivers.
Service engineering aims at intensifying, improving,
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and automating this whole framework of servi.ce
generation, delivexy, and consumption. To increase Ihe
total added value of service, we can either improve its
function or quality. Traditionally, engineering design has
aimed to improve only function. However, this aim does
not suffice in light of service engineering, which should
look at improving the total added value of service. For
instance, in the case of mass-customized products, we
need to address not only the customization of products
but also the customization of service delivery.
3. Service modeling
3.1 The outline of B serhee model
Let us define the design of service as a procedure for
clarifying a means to realize a set of services. Therefore,
the design of service can include the conventionaldesign.
In the argument regarding the design process (for
example, [3], [4], and [SI), it is widely accepted that
design might he a search for a physical structure
matching the required function. The desiga of a service
differs fmm C O ~ V ~ U ~ design
~ O M ~in terms of evaluation.
Conventional design regards the performance of the
channels. It does not consider the state change of the
receiver except for the happiness that comes with owning
products. The design of a service is based on the degree
of satisfaction with the state change .of a receivet
Therefore, it is necessary to express state changes by
means of the relation between the channel and contents.
3.2 Receiver's state
A receiver's state is represented by a set of Receiver
Sfme Parameters (RSPs.) A service can be represented
by a set of RSPs necessarily and su5ciently. Since RSP
can consist of quantitative values, including Boolean
logic and multi-value logic, we can compute any
comparison between two RSPs. In addition, it is assumed
that an RSP is observable and controllable. 'Illis
assumption has been unproven with human beings as
receivers because we have not had a reliable method to
measure the consumer behavior.
As the receiver's states.change with supplies of contents,
RSPs can be w h e n as functions of contents. Parameters
expressing contents are called contentparameters[COPS).
In the same way, the parameters of channel, which make
the flow of COPS change and thus infiuence.RSPs
indirectly, are called channel parameters [ChPs). These
parameters have mutual relationsbipswith one another.
Since we are still at the beginning of research in?
service design, it is most important to express a receiver's
condition.
3 3 Flow model
 their relationships. An example is shown in Figure 3. A
channel and its contents are expressed byfunction names
(FNs) as lexical expressions and function parameters
(FPs.) FPs, influencing RSPs directly, are recognized as
COPS,and those connecting indirectly to RSPs are ChPs.
The body of the function is expressed in the finction
influence (FL)
The following issues become possible by introducing
the view model:

(a) The relationships among the parameters (RSP, ChP,

and COP)are visually illustrated in a graph, and a mutual
relation is specified.

@) The smcture of service becomes obvious

Figure 2. Flow Model, Scope Model, and Wew Model

In general, many services form a complex multiple

stlucture which consists of many agents. When we focus
on the relationship between a receiver and a provider,
many intermediate agents exist among them. In other
words, large numbers of intermediate agents exist among
general service providers or receivers. It is generally
difficult to provide a service at the level which is
assumed in its design phase in defiance of these
intermediate agents. In other words, to increase
satisfaction with a service, it is necessary that the
intermediate agents amplify the service contents through Figure 3. Example of a mew Model
a service. In this research, we call this chain of
intermediate agents afrow model. An example of a flow 3.5 Scope model
model is shown in Figure,Z. A service provider judges a
service by unifying several criteria of many Merent
. C . C M I ,ACOm..m* .,-..."._
receivers in the following way:

(1) Describe the structure of a target service as a chain of

agents which exist in the service.
(2) Determine the subservices which include each agent
as a receiver by defining scope models.
(3) Go into detail ahout the realization structure of each
scope model structure in a view by defining view models.
(4) Clarify &e whole structure of a s m i c e by unitying I' ...-...- I I
the view models and scope models d e h e d in step (3). Figure 4. Example of a Scope Model

3.4 View model
Receiver state parameters change according to how the
receiver subjectively evaluates the received contents',
which meam that the model of service may consist of
two sub-models: a view model and a scope model. A new
model expresses the relationshipsamong the elements of
the service; i.e., the mutual relationshipsamong the RSP,
COP,and ChP fiom'the viewpoints of their functions. The
model is expressed in a directed graph that consists of
nodes represen& parameters and arks representing
A set of actual semices has very complicated structures.
They consist of many providers that may take the roles
of both provider and receiver. They are connected to one
another on an infinite chain Therefore, it is necessary to
spec@ the active range of the service. A scope model .
expresses the range of a service as illustrated in Figure 4.
It introduces the demand class of Maslow [6] to classify
the demand of a receiver and expresses the relationship
among different kin& of services. By the scope model, it
becomes possible to express the relations between
differentservices using RSPs.

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 3.6 Service matrix
Table 1. Example afa Senice Matrix
Appropriate RSPs must be selected to construct a
senice model. A wide selection of parameters and
functions is available. Therefore, existing services such
as catering, laundry, travel agents, and original
equipment manufacturers are studied as examples. They
are expressed in matrix form, called a service matrix,
where rows represent model properties, including ID
numbers, service names, assigoed scopes, assigned
scenanos, and view descriptions. Columns
eocb view model. An examole of coffee shoD is shown in
Table.], which is described'in previous secloons.
4. Analysis of actual s e m c e
. 4.1 Actual s e m c e cases
Several examples of services were analyzed in our lab.
A coffee shop is discussed here. We collected the reasons
each person vi!its a coffee shop and what kinds of
contents are provided by means of any tools in any
manner. The satisfaction of visitors is collected along
with their reasons for their visit. . .
We realized that each individual has very different
purposes in visiting the coffee shop, such as drinking
coffee, taking breakfast, studying,:or killing time. These
purposes may become the following respective RSPs:
enjoying coffee, taking breakfast, and occupying a
workspace. Note that the last two purposes have a
common content, space, provided by the shop.
Thus, we can illustrate these three RSPs as view models
as sbown in Figure 3. A view model is created according
to a single RSP, The left-most RSP, 'Enjoying Coffee,' is
directly supported by a function, 'Serving Coffee.' The
content is controlled by function parameters (FPs): to
control the temperature and to have high-quality coffee.
These parameters are defied in almost the same way as
RSP, but the input and output parameters are predefined.
The function body of FN is written as FI. The FPs are
linked to one another.
In our service model, it is apparent that RSP represents
the satisfaction of a consumer, in other words, the
evaluation of the consumer in a certain situation. It is
different fiom the expected evaluation by a servi<:e
provider. The practical satisfaction of consumers usuall.y
consists of a sequence of services. The sequential order
might be determined according to habits and lifestyles.
Therefore, plural RSPs are combined in a sequence
similar to the service order. This kind of set is called a
scenario. A scenario consists mainly of temporal order
and spatial placement.
A scope model is shown in Figure 4. There exist various
RSPs, but a scenario consists of some of the exiting
RSPs. Scenario 1 consists of enjoying coffee, killing
time, and using the lavatory. In Scenario 4, different
RSPs from Scenario 1 are listed. An individual may have
two or more scenarios, even in one coffee shop, and
evaluate a service that is provided according to hisher
sceuario.
4.2 Design patterns of service
The service model proposed in this paper must be
utilized to improve services. In our conventional design
VStemS of SmiCe sectors, scenarios are so varied and
have such complicated interrelationshipsthnt we cannot
extract a set of important RSPS. Instead, a service
provider may devise a strategy to improve an individual
FSP rather than scenarios or to optimize the RSPs of the
provider in the role of service receivers.
Let us discuss the improvement of service. We
investigated and analyzed examples of the existing
services. As a result, we concluded that only a
compilation design is possible at the current sage.
Service design using componeni enhancement I
improvement
Service design using deployment
Although we can, of course, make a completely new
design, it is diflicult to define the theory of genemting a
new design. ?us, we deal with a compilation design
here.
First, service design using component enhancement I
improvement makes the RSPs of an element increase. :
The element of service is not only combined with a
single RSP but affects two or more RSPs in many cases.
Thus, the improvement of a certain RSP may aggravate
other RSPs.
Second, using deplopent is mainly applied -to a
scenario of RSPs. The substitution of one RSP for
another changes the relation between two RSPs. As this
does not change the composition element of the RSP,
side effects are comparatively small.
As a result of analyzing examples of the existing
service improvement, the following operation panems
are observed.
1, Substitutionof RSP components
(a) Substitutionbetween providers
(b) Substitutionof receivers
(c) Substitutionof contents
(d) Substitutionof a channel
2. Change of relations
(a) Combinationof plural services into a scenario
(b) Extaction of service or division of view models
into several smaller scenarios
(c) Change of a scenario
(d) Synchronization with the scenario and a customer
scenario
3. Conversion between contents and a channel
(a) Change of contents and channels
(b) Change of channels into contents
5. Service explorer
Figure 5. Screen Shot of the Service Explorer
Based on above-mentioned detkitions of our service
model, we have developed a prototype system of a
computer-aided .service-modeling twl, which is called
Service Explorer. The current version of Service
Explorer was developed using Borland JBuilder8 with
Java SDK version 1.4.1 and XML version 1.0 in the
Microsofl Windows 2000 environment. Figure 5 shows a
screenshot of the prototype system. A scope model of
'disposable camera service' is expressed in the following
mariner. The hexangdar nodes mean the RSPs of the
'disposable camera service,' and the other square nodes
represent the functions with the FN, FP, and FI in this
service. Furthermore, Figure 6 shows a view model of
this service, and the RSP and the functions assigned to
this RSP are represented in the same manner. Using this
service explorer, we can describe and store service
models in the format proposed in this paper with the
XML data expression style.
6. Summary
In this paper, a model of services that is a lint step
toward service engineering has been proposed.
First, we have inmduced fundamental concepts of
service engineering. A service model consists of a
provider, a receiver, a service channel, and service
contents. The satisfaction of the receiver is represented
by receiver state parameters, or RSPs. To deal with
services, we have introduced two different models. A
view model is used to describe the smcture of RSPs. A
scope model covers the relations among RSPs in a unit
of service providers. A computer system called Service
Explorer was developed to analyze a service and its
related parameters. Service Explorer has proved to be
useful in understandingthe total view.
Our fume work includes the representation of criteria
for service evaluation and the validation of the proposed
techques by means of prototyping the selvice CAD and
relevant tools.
Acknowledgements
For this work, we obtained important information on
actual services in a discussion at the Service Engineering
Forum at the University of Tokyo. A part of this research
is supported by a fund of the Intelligent Manufacturing
System Program (IMS) for the 'Design and use of new
artifacts by Service Engineering (DeServE)' in 2001. We
give special thanks to Dr. Yutaka Nomaguchi, MI.
Tatsunori Ham, and MI. Makoto Uchida.

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