The service blueprint is a technique originally used for service design, but has also found applications in diagnosing problems with operational efficiency. The technique was first described by G. Lynn Shostack, a bank executive, in the Harvard Business Review in 1984. The service blueprint is an applied process chart which shows the service delivery process from the customer's perspective. The service blueprint has become one of the most widely used tools to manage service operations, service design and service. Elements A simple way to think about blueprints is as a process chart which consists of inputs, process and outputs. Inputs (raw materials) → Process (transformation) → Outputs (finished goods) A service blueprint is always constructed from the customer's perspective. A typical service blueprint identifies: Customer Actions: The steps that customers take as part of the service delivery process. Front-stage (Visible Contact Employee) Actions: Steps taken by contact employees as part of the face-to-face service encounter. Back-stage (Invisible Contact Employee) Actions: (The 'line of visibility' separates the front-stage and back-stage actions). Non-visible steps taken by contact employees behind the line of visibility. e.g. taking a hotel or restaurant reservation by telephone. Support Processes: Activities carried out by employees who are not contact employees, but whose actions are required for the service to be delivered. Physical Evidence: Tangible elements associated with each step that has the potential to influence customer perceptions of the service encounter e.g. uniforms, delivery vans Inventory (if required): the amount of inventory build up required for each step Line of Visibility: Line that separates front-stage and back-stage actions Optional inclusions – depending on intended application: Line of Interaction which separates customer actions from service provider actions. Line of Internal Interaction which separates the back office and the support process. Line of Implementation which separates management zone from the support zone. That is management are responsible for planning and controlling while support activities include preparation. Arrows: Relationships between stakeholders. A single arrow will indicate a one-way relationship/dependency while a double-sided arrow will indicate a two-way relationship/co-dependency. Duration: Time per Customer Action. If timing of the service is a factor to consider, include the estimated time for each customer phase. Emotions: Customer or Stakeholder feelings. If satisfaction is a factor to consider, mapping out the emotional state of the user or stakeholder may help provide context to the overall customer and/or employee journey. Yet other scholars and practitioners have recommended