The Global Conference for Service Design
The Service Design Global Conference (SDGC) is the annual gathering of the international service design community hosted by the Service Design Network (SDN).
The conference’s 19th edition will take place in Wiesbaden (Frankfurt RheinMain, Germany) from October 28-30, 2026. It’s being organized in collaboration with the SDN Germany Chapter within the World Design Capital 2026 program.
Where Innovators Converge
Industries
Represented
Consulting
Healthcare
Financial Services
Technology
Education
Government
Retail
Transportation
Hospitality
Manufacturing
and more
Professional
Roles
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Service designers
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Foresight specialists
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Systems thinkers
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UX/UI specialists
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Product managers
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Program directors
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Customer experience professionals
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Change management experts
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Digital transformation strategists
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Business innovation specialists
and many more
Social Media
Reach
2,000+ average impressions per week with more than 200,000 followers across social platforms
Geographic Reach
Attendees come from over 60 countries, with representation from North America, South America, Australia, Europe, Africa and Asia
A Global Stage: SDGC 2026 in the World Design Capital
World Design Capital® (WDC) is an initiative of the World Design Organization. Every two years, the title is awarded to a city or region that demonstrates how design can drive economic, social, cultural and environmental transformation. In 2026, Frankfurt RheinMain became the international Stage for design as the designated WDC, placing the region at the center of global conversations about the future of cities, systems and societies.
Hosting SDGC 2026 within the wider WDC program creates a powerful platform for exchange that positions service design as a key contributor to shaping resilient, inclusive and future-oriented communities.
Connecting Service Design Professionals Worldwide
Founded in 2004, the SDN is a thriving community of 30,000 change-makers with nearly 50 national chapters worldwide. As the leading non-profit institution dedicated to service design expertise, the SDN plays a pivotal role in driving global growth, development and innovation within the practice.
Through high-impact national and global events, cutting-edge publications and strategic partnerships with academic institutions, the SDN bridges diverse roles across agencies, businesses and governments. Our member-based network empowers professionals to enhance the influence of service design across both public and private sectors.
At its core, the SDN is a dynamic, open-minded and globally connected network providing a space for knowledge-sharing, collaboration and exchange to shape the future of service design in the world.
SDN Website↘
Testimonials
“It is a huge opportunity and a great investment of time, effort and energy. Figure out a way you can engage with the community and with the conference that feels very meaningful to your brand, your company.”
Bryanne Gilkinson
Global Senior Director, Service Design, Adidas
“It’s like homecoming... having this combination of people I already know is amazing to be here and obviously great speakers — I learned a lot.”
Linda Klotzbach - Service Design Award Winner 2023
Designer Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Dublin
"I think [SDGC] is a great group of people with so many different perspectives with so much expertise and knowledge. I didn’t expect how global and international this crowd would be."
Andrea Goebel
Senior Director, Service Design,
IBM iX
“The conference is absolutely amazing with the topics that have been presented so far... I never looked at design in that direction.”
Aditi Sharma
IT Innovation Expert, Siemens Healthineers
“I used to go to the previous ones and then of course COVID happened and then the experience changed a lot... seeing again a lot of familiar faces and a lot of people that we were in some ways growing together.”
Mariel Maria
Senior Service Design Manager, McKinsey & Company