What you'll learn
An 6-module, online accreditation course covering a solid foundation for the service design practice, including theoretical foundations, methodological skills and practical experience
SDN practitioner accreditation
Gain industry-recognized accreditation
Participants who successfully complete the course are eligible to receive a 2-year SDN Practitioner Accreditation, a value of €460.
Practitioner Accreditation is part of the Service Design Networks Accreditation program, which recognizes the achievements of service designers and is the only accreditation program of its type.
Practitioner accreditation is our entry level of accreditation, and suits those starting their service design career. Interested in securing this accreditation? Successful completion of the Practitioner Curriculum course automatically grants this accreditation level, contingent on completing a quiz and self-assessment.
of learning
in online
live sessions
sessions next to the modules for individual and group coaching
of individual work and self-study, comprised of curated supplemental materials
of assignments and group work
Why join this course?
01
A modular approach
Our course is designed in distinct modules, allowing you to build your skills step-by-step. Each module tackles a critical aspect of service design, from foundational concepts to advanced techniques, making it easier for you to learn at a manageable pace. This structured approach enables you to progressively apply your knowledge, ensuring each new skill builds seamlessly on the last.
03
Value for money
The course format exposes you to lectures, self-study, team and assignment work, yet can still fit in alongside your day-to-day work. Practitioner Accreditation (a value of €460) and a two-year SDN membership (a value of €360) are included in the course fee. All of this from the SDN, a non-profit established in 2004 which supports the global service design community.
02
Taught by experts
Led by an SDN Accredited Master Trainer, this course offers expert instruction from a leader in service design education. You’ll also learn from guest experts who bring specialized insights from the field, enriching your learning experience with current best practices and real-world perspectives. This combination of expertise ensures you’re learning directly from industry authorities.
04
Group Learning, Supported by a Trainer and SDN community
Throughout the course, you’ll engage in collaborative group learning, enabling you to share insights, tackle challenges together, and receive continuous support from your trainer. This team-oriented approach helps you learn from diverse perspectives and strengthens your ability to work effectively in service design teams, all while benefiting from the trainer’s guidance.
Course dates
Module 1: May 8, 2025
Supervision 1: May 15, 2025
Module 2: May 22, 2025
Supervision 2: June 5, 2025
Module 3: June 12, 2025
Supervision 3: June 26, 2025
Module 4: July 3, 2025
Supervision 4: July 10, 2025
Module 5: July 17, 2025
Supervision 5: July 24, 2025
Module 6: July 31, 2025
5:30-8:30 am CDT / 12:30-15:30 pm CEST
6:30-7:30 am CDT / 13:30-14:30 pm CEST
5:30-8:30 am CDT / 12:30-15:30 pm CEST
6:30-7:30 am CDT / 13:30-14:30 pm CEST
5:30-8:30 am CDT / 12:30-15:30 pm CEST
6:30-7:30 am CDT / 12:30-13:30 pm CEST
5:30-8:30 am CDT / 11:30-14:30 pm CEST
6:30-7:30 am CDT / 12:30-13:30 pm CEST
5:30-8.30 am CDT / 12:30-3:30pm CEST
6:30-7:30 am CDT / 13:30-14:30 pm CEST
5:30-8.30 am CDT / 12:30-3:30pm CEST
Next edition (end 2025)
Course begins: Thursday September , 2025 5.30 am CST
Closing: Thursday , 2025 5-8 am CST
(dates are provisional)
Click here to join our mailing list and be notified when the second edition of the course opens for registration
Meet the trainer
Thomas Brandenburg is a lead service designer and in-house consultant in the energy sector at BP. Previously, he was the first in-house service designer/lead designer at CDK Global, a technological solutions leader in the automotive sector. He applies service design, human center, and systems thinking to new product integrations and platforms. Before this position, he enjoyed service design and lead designer roles for the museum and retail industries.
Thomas is an adjunct professor at IIT, Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago. He teaches service design, technology, and innovation courses. He facilitates student teams on many projects with community partners: Kohl Children’s Museum, UL, Underwriters Laboratory, and Wilson Sporting Goods — to name a few.
Thomas is a co-founder and board member of the SDN Chicago Chapter. He also serves on the accreditation committee.
Outside design, he enjoys bringing his artistic sensibilities, empathy, and storytelling to being an improv performer and poet.
Thomas Brandenburg (he/him)
Service Design Master
Thomas Brandenburg is a lead service designer and in-house consultant in the energy sector at BP.
Course fees and registration
Includes:
SDN Practitioner Accreditation (A value of up to €460!)
Two-year Professional SDN membership (A value of up to €360!)
Participation in all module lectures and supervision sessions
Interaction with course participants, trainer and guest experts
All course content, supplemental learning material and assignments
Course completion certificate
SDN Members
€1,100 Early Bird (until April 8)
€1,300 Normal price
Non-SDN Members
€1,200 Early Bird (until April 8)
€1,400 Normal price
Early Bird sale ends in
Country income-indexed pricing applies to this and all SDN Academy courses. Eligible participants (based on their country of residence) qualify for discounts. A limited number of seats are available per cohort. To determine if you qualify to apply, read our FAQ at the bottom of this page.
World-class learning resources
The course contains engaging, in-depth content from the trainer's experience and subject matter expertise, backed up with the resources of the Service Design Network:
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Practitioner Workbook
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Articles from Touchpoint
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Presentations from the SDN Global Conference
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Selected case studies from the Case Study Library
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Content created by the SDN community
Still deciding if this course is right for you?
Who this course is for
The Practitioner Curriculum is created to build and strengthen the skills of service design beginners and career changer. Course participants are expected to have basic knowledge of service design or similar design backgrounds.
What other SDN Academy course participants have said
Get notified about future editions
of this course
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Course structure
Each of the six 2-week modules, follows the same structure
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Module lecture
(Thursday at 5:30am CDT / 12:30 CEST)
The modules are scheduled bi-weekly on Thursday, with a three hour Zoom call delivered by SDN Accredited Master Thomas Brandenburg. The module lectures deliver theory content for the modules, as well as hands-on group activities. The module's assignment is also announced on this day.
Self-study and assignment
Throughout the module, participants have access to a range of curated supplemental content, such as case studies, Touchpoint articles and presentation videos. These can be followed at your own pace. Short, engaging quizzes reinforce what you've learned and keep you on track.
Supervision call
(Thursday at 6:30am CDT / 13:30 CEST)
Bi-weekly on Thursdays, a one-hour Zoom call allows supervision between trainer and course participants, on the module's assignment, discussion of the module topic in general and the group work.
Course timezone
The times above are CDT (Central Standard Time, e.g. Chicago/Houston/Dallas). 5:30 am CST is typically: 12:30 pm in Europe, e. g. Berlin/Paris/Amsterdam, 17:00 in New Delhi, 13:30 Helsinki/Istanbul/Tel Aviv/Nairobi, 13:30 Johannesburg, 08:30 São Paulo, 06:30 New York City, 05:30 Mexico City, 3:30 San Francisco/Seattle. Click here to convert the time to your location. During the course, time changes due to daylight savings may alter the session times for participants outside the CST timezone.
