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Service Organization
All organizations are becoming service organizations. But most weren’t built to deliver services successfully end-to-end, and the human, operational and financial impacts are abundantly clear. In the digital era the stakes are even higher, given how rapidly services change. Yet default working practices (governance, planning, funding, leadership, reporting, programme and team structures) inside large organizations haven't changed. Rather than modernize just one service at a time, it's the underlying organizational conditions that need to be transformed — anything less is futile.
The Service Organization is the result of years of research and consulting, as well as dozens of interviews with executives. It explores significant challenges that leaders will recognize, and turns them into solvable puzzles by providing practical advice and tools that reimagine what the organization does from the perspective of its customers — and it organizes the activity needed to deliver the best outcomes. This book is for everyone involved, from designers to technologists and from operational staff to policymakers and leaders. It includes surprisingly simple and doable, but non-obvious, steps that don’t depend on seniority or pay band and that are typically overlooked by even the most progressive professions, teams and companies.
Kate Tarling sets a bold, ambitious and practical agenda for all service organizations. Her book is full of behind-the-scenes examples from the global companies, public sector bodies and non-profits that are now delivering and leading successful services. It shows how to reinvent organizations so they rely not just on ‘transforming technology’ but on putting the success of their services at the heart of how they operate.
The Service Organization is the result of years of research and consulting, as well as dozens of interviews with executives. It explores significant challenges that leaders will recognize, and turns them into solvable puzzles by providing practical advice and tools that reimagine what the organization does from the perspective of its customers — and it organizes the activity needed to deliver the best outcomes. This book is for everyone involved, from designers to technologists and from operational staff to policymakers and leaders. It includes surprisingly simple and doable, but non-obvious, steps that don’t depend on seniority or pay band and that are typically overlooked by even the most progressive professions, teams and companies.
Kate Tarling sets a bold, ambitious and practical agenda for all service organizations. Her book is full of behind-the-scenes examples from the global companies, public sector bodies and non-profits that are now delivering and leading successful services. It shows how to reinvent organizations so they rely not just on ‘transforming technology’ but on putting the success of their services at the heart of how they operate.
284 pages, Paperback
First published February 2, 2023
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262 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
August 2, 2024
Might be of interest to some people, but not to me. Even though the message is sound, the delivery is so dull I found it too hard to read on.
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June 8, 2025Kate Tarling’s "The Service Organization" offers a deeply practical and strategic approach to redesigning service delivery at scale. Unlike many frameworks that focus on improving isolated services, this book addresses the unique complexities faced by large organizations running multiple, interdependent services. These services often aren’t intentionally created but rather emerge over time as byproducts of organizational silos, legacy systems, and internal priorities. Tarling’s central argument is that successful service delivery requires thinking differently—restructuring how organizations see themselves, redefining services based on user outcomes, and aligning teams, metrics, and strategy accordingly.
The book begins by challenging conventional organizational mindsets. Tarling asserts that every organization, whether it recognizes it or not, is in the business of delivering services. Whether you're a government agency, a healthcare system, or a financial institution, you're offering something that helps people achieve a goal—be it getting a visa, seeing a doctor, or purchasing a home. Yet, most organizations still operate as collections of departments and functions rather than coordinated service providers. This misalignment is at the heart of poor user experiences, inefficiencies, and staff frustration. Redesigning services, therefore, isn't just about streamlining steps—it’s about shifting the fundamental perspective from internal operations to external outcomes.
To build this new perspective, Tarling promotes what she calls 'outside-in thinking.' Instead of beginning with internal processes, organizations should look at their services through the lens of those who use them. This starts by identifying the user’s context and recognizing that a service doesn’t begin when someone fills out a form or makes a request—it begins much earlier, with their intent or need. For example, the first step in applying for a business loan isn't the application itself, but the moment someone realizes they need funding. By mapping out the full arc of a service from the user’s viewpoint, organizations can pinpoint where they’re actually delivering value—and where they’re falling short.
Adopting this outside-in view also means reconsidering how services are defined. A service, in Tarling’s framing, should be understood as a complete journey toward a specific outcome, involving multiple actors and interactions along the way. This could be anything from buying a house to obtaining a work permit. When organizations design around outcomes instead of internal boundaries, they can break free from the constraints that typically produce fragmented and frustrating experiences. Tarling uses vivid examples—like an airline whose systems upgrades make the in-flight experience worse, not better—to show how failing to see services holistically can backfire spectacularly.
Central to improving service delivery is the ability to track what truly matters. Many organizations believe they’re data-driven, but they often focus on narrow, function-specific metrics—how quickly the call center answers, how fast the kitchen sends out food—without understanding whether users are actually satisfied or whether outcomes are being achieved. Tarling urges organizations to define and measure service performance across three levels: the overarching policy intent, the service itself, and the tangible outcome it produces. For instance, in public health, it’s not enough to provide sick pay; the true outcome is ensuring people can afford to stay home and reduce disease spread.
Meaningful metrics go beyond just collecting satisfaction scores. They include understanding user expectations, identifying recurring frustrations, and measuring confidence in the service. A poor experience that meets a user’s low expectations might still receive a 'satisfied' rating, masking deeper issues. Tarling warns against optimizing broken processes—like refining a paper application system that shouldn’t exist in the first place—and instead advocates for reimagining services entirely based on what people actually need and experience.
Strategy, in Tarling’s model, plays a crucial role in service reform. But instead of abstract mission statements, a service strategy should be concrete and actionable. She outlines four essential elements: a clear articulation of the service’s job or purpose, a set of driving principles that help teams navigate competing priorities, a practical delivery approach that begins small and expands, and a narrative that explains how and why these choices are being made. This narrative is especially important for aligning everyone in a large organization, from leadership to delivery teams, around a shared understanding of what success looks like and how to get there.
Another critical dimension of service transformation is team structure. Rather than organizing by system or department, Tarling argues that organizations should be structured around services. While no single team can deliver a complex service end-to-end, aligning teams with service outcomes fosters better collaboration and more coherent user experiences. She identifies several types of teams needed in this model. Service teams focus on user-facing improvements; depth teams tackle complex problems; capability teams build shared systems like payment processing; enabling teams remove blockers; coordination teams connect the dots across services; and operational teams ensure consistent performance.
The power of this approach lies not just in formal structures, but in fostering collaboration across different disciplines. Clear principles and roles help teams work together with a shared purpose. When people understand both their specific responsibilities and how their work fits into a broader service, they’re more likely to make decisions that benefit the whole rather than just their corner of the organization. Tarling emphasizes that this isn’t about redrawing the org chart—it’s about rethinking how people work together to deliver value.
To make all of this sustainable, organizations must embrace a different kind of planning. Traditional, rigid project plans often fall apart when real-world complexities arise. Instead, Tarling promotes adaptive planning that’s designed to evolve. Start with a rough outline—what she calls a 'wrong plan'—built around key phases rather than deadlines. As the organization learns more through research, prototyping, and feedback, this plan can change. She also recommends identifying constraints early, whether they’re technical, legal, or operational, to avoid surprises later. Involving frontline staff is another key strategy—they know where the real pain points are and can test solutions before they scale.
Small-scale experiments play a vital role in this adaptive model. Instead of launching massive initiatives all at once, Tarling advises starting with the minimum viable version of a service, delivered to a small user group. This controlled approach allows for testing, iteration, and real-time learning. Success is measured not by how closely the team followed the original plan, but by how well the service meets user needs and how effectively the organization adapts based on what it learns.
Ultimately, "The Service Organization" is a call to rethink how large organizations deliver value to people. Tarling’s approach is grounded, realistic, and tested in complex environments. It doesn’t offer silver bullets—but it does offer a roadmap for making meaningful, lasting improvements in service delivery. The book equips leaders, designers, and delivery teams with the mindset, tools, and language to cut through organizational complexity and refocus on what truly matters: helping people achieve outcomes that improve their lives.
By redefining services from the user’s perspective, aligning teams and strategy around those services, and planning in ways that support ongoing learning and change, organizations can overcome even the most entrenched challenges. Rather than viewing service reform as an impossible task, Tarling shows it’s both achievable and necessary—if we start with the right questions and structure our efforts accordingly.
The book begins by challenging conventional organizational mindsets. Tarling asserts that every organization, whether it recognizes it or not, is in the business of delivering services. Whether you're a government agency, a healthcare system, or a financial institution, you're offering something that helps people achieve a goal—be it getting a visa, seeing a doctor, or purchasing a home. Yet, most organizations still operate as collections of departments and functions rather than coordinated service providers. This misalignment is at the heart of poor user experiences, inefficiencies, and staff frustration. Redesigning services, therefore, isn't just about streamlining steps—it’s about shifting the fundamental perspective from internal operations to external outcomes.
To build this new perspective, Tarling promotes what she calls 'outside-in thinking.' Instead of beginning with internal processes, organizations should look at their services through the lens of those who use them. This starts by identifying the user’s context and recognizing that a service doesn’t begin when someone fills out a form or makes a request—it begins much earlier, with their intent or need. For example, the first step in applying for a business loan isn't the application itself, but the moment someone realizes they need funding. By mapping out the full arc of a service from the user’s viewpoint, organizations can pinpoint where they’re actually delivering value—and where they’re falling short.
Adopting this outside-in view also means reconsidering how services are defined. A service, in Tarling’s framing, should be understood as a complete journey toward a specific outcome, involving multiple actors and interactions along the way. This could be anything from buying a house to obtaining a work permit. When organizations design around outcomes instead of internal boundaries, they can break free from the constraints that typically produce fragmented and frustrating experiences. Tarling uses vivid examples—like an airline whose systems upgrades make the in-flight experience worse, not better—to show how failing to see services holistically can backfire spectacularly.
Central to improving service delivery is the ability to track what truly matters. Many organizations believe they’re data-driven, but they often focus on narrow, function-specific metrics—how quickly the call center answers, how fast the kitchen sends out food—without understanding whether users are actually satisfied or whether outcomes are being achieved. Tarling urges organizations to define and measure service performance across three levels: the overarching policy intent, the service itself, and the tangible outcome it produces. For instance, in public health, it’s not enough to provide sick pay; the true outcome is ensuring people can afford to stay home and reduce disease spread.
Meaningful metrics go beyond just collecting satisfaction scores. They include understanding user expectations, identifying recurring frustrations, and measuring confidence in the service. A poor experience that meets a user’s low expectations might still receive a 'satisfied' rating, masking deeper issues. Tarling warns against optimizing broken processes—like refining a paper application system that shouldn’t exist in the first place—and instead advocates for reimagining services entirely based on what people actually need and experience.
Strategy, in Tarling’s model, plays a crucial role in service reform. But instead of abstract mission statements, a service strategy should be concrete and actionable. She outlines four essential elements: a clear articulation of the service’s job or purpose, a set of driving principles that help teams navigate competing priorities, a practical delivery approach that begins small and expands, and a narrative that explains how and why these choices are being made. This narrative is especially important for aligning everyone in a large organization, from leadership to delivery teams, around a shared understanding of what success looks like and how to get there.
Another critical dimension of service transformation is team structure. Rather than organizing by system or department, Tarling argues that organizations should be structured around services. While no single team can deliver a complex service end-to-end, aligning teams with service outcomes fosters better collaboration and more coherent user experiences. She identifies several types of teams needed in this model. Service teams focus on user-facing improvements; depth teams tackle complex problems; capability teams build shared systems like payment processing; enabling teams remove blockers; coordination teams connect the dots across services; and operational teams ensure consistent performance.
The power of this approach lies not just in formal structures, but in fostering collaboration across different disciplines. Clear principles and roles help teams work together with a shared purpose. When people understand both their specific responsibilities and how their work fits into a broader service, they’re more likely to make decisions that benefit the whole rather than just their corner of the organization. Tarling emphasizes that this isn’t about redrawing the org chart—it’s about rethinking how people work together to deliver value.
To make all of this sustainable, organizations must embrace a different kind of planning. Traditional, rigid project plans often fall apart when real-world complexities arise. Instead, Tarling promotes adaptive planning that’s designed to evolve. Start with a rough outline—what she calls a 'wrong plan'—built around key phases rather than deadlines. As the organization learns more through research, prototyping, and feedback, this plan can change. She also recommends identifying constraints early, whether they’re technical, legal, or operational, to avoid surprises later. Involving frontline staff is another key strategy—they know where the real pain points are and can test solutions before they scale.
Small-scale experiments play a vital role in this adaptive model. Instead of launching massive initiatives all at once, Tarling advises starting with the minimum viable version of a service, delivered to a small user group. This controlled approach allows for testing, iteration, and real-time learning. Success is measured not by how closely the team followed the original plan, but by how well the service meets user needs and how effectively the organization adapts based on what it learns.
Ultimately, "The Service Organization" is a call to rethink how large organizations deliver value to people. Tarling’s approach is grounded, realistic, and tested in complex environments. It doesn’t offer silver bullets—but it does offer a roadmap for making meaningful, lasting improvements in service delivery. The book equips leaders, designers, and delivery teams with the mindset, tools, and language to cut through organizational complexity and refocus on what truly matters: helping people achieve outcomes that improve their lives.
By redefining services from the user’s perspective, aligning teams and strategy around those services, and planning in ways that support ongoing learning and change, organizations can overcome even the most entrenched challenges. Rather than viewing service reform as an impossible task, Tarling shows it’s both achievable and necessary—if we start with the right questions and structure our efforts accordingly.
November 11, 2024
A few months ago at work, this was a book that everyone was talking about. I think it stemmed from a new Director handing the book to a colleague and it being talked about quickly. I was curious, that I suspected that some colleagues were 'book chasing' for want of a better term, reading the books that people who can influence their career are influenced by. And of course I bought it too (so what does that tell you).
The premise of the book is that organisations are service organisations and yet they are designed by function, particularly as they grow and age. Most legacy organisations are barely different from the Taylorism and functionalisation from a century ago, and still mentally trapped in the New Public Management of targets, performance and economies of scale that hasn't worked since it's birth in the 90's.
This book suggests that organisations should be designed around services, not functions and gives an approach on how to do it. The book is pitched at 'everyone', from leaders to people working in service delivery to technical specialists and service design and change professionals. It urges you can start 'anywhere' but gives an approach to try.
What I like about the book is that it is obvious the author understands large organisations, particularly in the public sector which are often deemed hard to 'transform'. She understands how these organisations are designed and how it can be hard convincing people and undoing decades of structure and thinking that is ingrained.
I think the early parts of the book are definitely more interesting than the latter. I've been really interested in Business Architecture for a while now, recognising that where I work there isn't a single view of our services and our capability. It seems ludicrous. This book gives some really good advice to understanding the services in an organisation and to create a taxonomy of them, and also to understand them from a user's point of view. Whilst the book touches on the areas of performance and measurement and systemic factors it really doesn't go into enough depth and at times I felt the book took an almost mechanistic approach to delivery. There is also some really good advice at trying to gain influence and also some really good challenging questions to consider when you are moving to a service organisation (I agreed with some of the questions, but it felt like a really strong challenge).
There is an awful lot in here about strategy, policy design, leadership and governance. At times I felt myself glossing over this somewhat as I came to the realisation that this book really isn't for 'everyone', it's really for executives although the approach to governance resonated strongly. Anyone who has suffered death by boards, highlight reports and sign-offs of libraries of documents no-one reads whilst projects fail will be aware of the pitfalls here. The book recommends a more strategic and learning governance which would be a big improvement where I work where outcomes are 'known' before investment and learning happens.
At the same time, I felt that the voice of the user of a service, the customer or the citizen was barely heard here. Furthermore, the voice of those who work in systems seemed missing. Although 'workers in a service' are included in design, they seem a 'bit part' in the book, and as always the tech heads get their seat at the table. I am sure I could go through the book with a pen and highlight where the author is inclusive, considers learning and emergence and she also thinks holistically but this feels within an organisation rather than an ecosystem.
There are plenty of examples given in each chapter of real world examples of the theme shown, but they become a bit repetitive and it seems like it is the hundredth time I have read about how great UK government services are - even when some of those examples have caused significant harm to people (looking at you Universal Credit). I am sure I will dip into the book from a practical perspective again but this feels more like a book about creating the logistics to become a service organisation rather than 'how or what to do or why'.
The premise of the book is that organisations are service organisations and yet they are designed by function, particularly as they grow and age. Most legacy organisations are barely different from the Taylorism and functionalisation from a century ago, and still mentally trapped in the New Public Management of targets, performance and economies of scale that hasn't worked since it's birth in the 90's.
This book suggests that organisations should be designed around services, not functions and gives an approach on how to do it. The book is pitched at 'everyone', from leaders to people working in service delivery to technical specialists and service design and change professionals. It urges you can start 'anywhere' but gives an approach to try.
What I like about the book is that it is obvious the author understands large organisations, particularly in the public sector which are often deemed hard to 'transform'. She understands how these organisations are designed and how it can be hard convincing people and undoing decades of structure and thinking that is ingrained.
I think the early parts of the book are definitely more interesting than the latter. I've been really interested in Business Architecture for a while now, recognising that where I work there isn't a single view of our services and our capability. It seems ludicrous. This book gives some really good advice to understanding the services in an organisation and to create a taxonomy of them, and also to understand them from a user's point of view. Whilst the book touches on the areas of performance and measurement and systemic factors it really doesn't go into enough depth and at times I felt the book took an almost mechanistic approach to delivery. There is also some really good advice at trying to gain influence and also some really good challenging questions to consider when you are moving to a service organisation (I agreed with some of the questions, but it felt like a really strong challenge).
There is an awful lot in here about strategy, policy design, leadership and governance. At times I felt myself glossing over this somewhat as I came to the realisation that this book really isn't for 'everyone', it's really for executives although the approach to governance resonated strongly. Anyone who has suffered death by boards, highlight reports and sign-offs of libraries of documents no-one reads whilst projects fail will be aware of the pitfalls here. The book recommends a more strategic and learning governance which would be a big improvement where I work where outcomes are 'known' before investment and learning happens.
At the same time, I felt that the voice of the user of a service, the customer or the citizen was barely heard here. Furthermore, the voice of those who work in systems seemed missing. Although 'workers in a service' are included in design, they seem a 'bit part' in the book, and as always the tech heads get their seat at the table. I am sure I could go through the book with a pen and highlight where the author is inclusive, considers learning and emergence and she also thinks holistically but this feels within an organisation rather than an ecosystem.
There are plenty of examples given in each chapter of real world examples of the theme shown, but they become a bit repetitive and it seems like it is the hundredth time I have read about how great UK government services are - even when some of those examples have caused significant harm to people (looking at you Universal Credit). I am sure I will dip into the book from a practical perspective again but this feels more like a book about creating the logistics to become a service organisation rather than 'how or what to do or why'.
February 23, 2023
Outstanding
February 21, 2024
The content was interesting but the book was poorly written in a way that is not engaging. Same example were just over and over. I had high hopes and I was let down
November 21, 2023
Thorough and timely for any government or agency wondering why innovation is so hard when tech has never been so easy and cheap
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