Co-Designing Service Systems for Public Robotics: A Design Science Approach to Business Model Innovation

Abstract

Public service robotics involves deploying robotic systems in socially sensitive, institutionally complex environments. While adoption is growing, structured, context-sensitive methods for designing viable business models remain lacking. This paper introduces a design artifact developed through Design Science Research and enriched by Service Science. It consists of a modular toolbox, including a phased process model and role-specific tool guides, supporting competence centers and innovation networks in co-creating service-oriented business models. The artifact was iteratively refined through co-creative cycles across three centers. Results show how it fosters stakeholder alignment, methodological accessibility, and systemic integration. The study contributes to operationalizing service system design and offers guidance for business model innovation in public robotics.