Services and spaces need to be designed in an integrated way and informed by user research. Services should also be designed to maximize not just provider-efficiency but rather user-effectiveness as well. With this toolkit — building on the user research tools offered in the Needs Assessment section of the toolkit — we aim to provide a process and the tools for designing, operating, and evaluating services within learning spaces.

The services within a learning space might include tutorials, classes, readings, meet-ups, meeting facilitation, research consultation, writing and presentation coaching, or technology lending and support – to name a few. As an interface between people and the spaces they inhabit, these and other services can determine what kind of experience a student or faculty member will have as much as physical characteristics do.

When all this is done right, services can build skills, knowledge, and community as well as increase engagement. They can provide for a more personalized experience that accommodates different learning styles. They can enable better sharing of resources and ensure spaces are active and well-utilized.