The Decentralised Service Design Playbook
Digital products and services are based on platforms co-ordinating people, organisations, AI and their data at a vast and global scale. Decentralised technologies such as distributed ledger technologies (DLTs) could change the way we connect and transact across these digital networks bringing unprecedented opportunities and new challenges to designing services.
Explore the playbook to discover practical tools and hands-on workshops that turn decentralised ideas into real-world services.
Co-Creating Decentralised Services
This Playbook offers hands-on, workshop and facilitation methods for designing services with decentralised technologies. Derived from more than 10 years of research at the Institute of Design Informatics and a foundational Decentralised Service Design workshop created by Orange Ltd, these provide a unique support for co-creation.
Decentralised services are different from platform technologies as they can change the relationships between ecosystem actors, offering increased agency and responsibility. Exploring these changing relationships takes on a far greater significance in decentralised services, and co-creation methods are essential for success. The co-creation methods in this playbook are designed to engage a wide range of individuals, teams, organisations and communities in exploring the possibilities together, building a solid basis for viable, equitable, sustainable decentralised services.
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Workshops
This playbook introduces five workshops that serve as building blocks for exploring decentralisation in practice.
The DSD Fundamentals workshop lays the groundwork for understanding and mapping a business ecosystem, offering a first step toward recognising the dynamics of decentralisation and identifying new opportunities.
The following workshops build on this foundation through experiential methods, tangible activities, and playful metaphors that enable participants from diverse backgrounds to co-create and experiment with decentralised services.
DSD Fundamentals
Master the fundamentals of decentralised service design through 8 core activities. Identify actors, map relationships, define capabilities, build use cases, and explore the possibilities of decentralisation.
Start LearningDecentralised Media Licensing
Zoom in on a media object to explore intentions and stipulations around its onwards use. Then with NFTs in mind as the supporting technology, licences are created and shared for re-use.
Start LearningBlockExchange
An excellent icebreaker, providing experiences of decentralised trading using Blockchain, through tangible materials representing Blockchain technology.
Coming SoonIf This Then What?
Master the art of designing smart contract logic. This workshop uses a card set for participants to assemble tangible smart contracts, encouraging programmatic thinking and considering the consequences of automation.
Coming SoonNFT Keyrings
Use a keying metaphor to explore how NFTs can support digital asset ownership, membership models, and token-gated experiences.
Coming SoonPizza Block
Use a game-like set of activities and resources to experience a self sovereign identity system, and grasp how zero knowledge proof supports identity and reputation management in the future of work.
Coming SoonAttaching Strings
Creative exploration of actor relationships and governance structures through tangible materials and mapping. Great for working with a diverse team.
Coming SoonUnlocking the Value of The DSD Playbook
Collaborative Design
DSD workshops are designed for teams. Facilitate group discussions, brainstorming sessions, and collaborative problem-solving to leverage collective intelligence.
Practical Tools
Download templates, worksheets, and guides for each activity. All resources are free and ready to use in your next workshop or project.
Designed for Everyone
Anyone can use these tools — from designers and policymakers to technologists and researchers. Adapt it to your own context and goals.