ServDes conference was born on a bridge in Pittsburgh U.S. during the Emergence 2007 Service Design Conference organized by Carnegie Mellon University. Professor Simon Clatworthy (AHO), senior lecturers Virpi Kaartti (Laurea UAS) and Janne-Valtteri Nisula (Laurea UAS) decided to create a scientific multidisciplinary Nordic Service Design & Innovation conference. Soon professor Stefan Holmlid (Linköping University) and professors Nicola Morelli and Christian Tollestrup from Aalborg University joined the initiative. ServDes founding members are: AHO, Laurea UAS, Linköping University, Aalborg University.
The first conference was held in Oslo in AHO. It was done as a co-operation between the founding members, Simon Clatworthy as its main organizer. ServDes got a good start. Some 50+ international research papers were accepted. Second ServDes conference was held in Linköping University, Stefan Holmlid as its main organizer. This time conference gained about 60+ scientific papers. During the second ServDes conference its program committee decided to change the conference from Nordic to international due to international interest.
Third ServDes conference was held in Laurea University of Applied Sciences in February 2012. Its main organizers were Janne-Valtteri Nisula and Virpi Kaartti. ServDes.2012 was part of World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 program.
