The Center for Services Science, Quality and Innovation (SSQI) coordinates research, instruction and outreach activities for the design, improvement and innovation of service systems. It is comprised of a group of faculty and students, primarily in the Pamplin College of Business, who have a shared interest in service-related scholarship and research. SSQI promotes a systematic approach to service design that combines an understanding of business processes, customer needs and emerging technologies. Further, it seeks to develop measures of effectiveness for service systems and improve those systems through quality initiatives and innovation.
The need for research, education, and outreach in services is critical. Services account for 80% of the U.S. labor force, 90% of job growth, and 75% of GDP. Co-creation of products and supporting services has turned product companies into service providers. Increased outsourcing of services requires more in-depth understanding of the service product and standards for quality. Service computing prompts a new level of understanding of customer requirements and design theory. Major societal problems, such as education, healthcare, disaster relief, and government services, depend on complex customer-focused processes and benefit significantly from an innovative and interdisciplinary approach to their study and analysis. SSQI addresses these needs through research, education and research initiatives.