Bibliometric study maps the evolution and emerging research lines of service design, revealing new directions in the field.
Service Design (SD) has evolved from an operational concern with service processes into a transdisciplinary field spanning service research, design, marketing, operations management, information systems and human–computer interaction. This article maps the intellectual and chronological evolution of SD through a bibliometric study of 5293 documents published between 1959 and 2024, combined with a focused co-citation analysis from 2020 to 2024. Co-citation analysis of 100 references reveals four clusters that trace shifts in SD: Operational Origins and Experience, Operations and Hybrid Product–Service Models, Foundational Service Lenses, and Service Design Methods and Principles. These clusters show a progression from an operational, firm-centred view towards ecosystemic perspectives. A focused co-citation analysis of publications from 2020 to 2024 identifies six research lines that signal new directions around technology-enabled services, customer experience and journeys, systems thinking and ecosystem design, outcome-oriented value, and implementation and co-production in cross-sector ecosystems.
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Salgado et al. (2026) studied this question.
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