Aim of the projects is to understand the current business system, service design and the user touch points, and to design a new business model for the organisation.

1. BUSINESS DESIGN
FOR SEVA CAFÉ
STRATEGIC DESIGN MANAGEMENT GROUP MEMBERS:
DESIGN MANAGEMENT PROJECT II SAMINA RAHMAN
SNEHSHIKHA GUPTA
PROJECT GUIDE: PROF. VINAI KUMAR SAMIRA JAIN AN EXPERIMENT IN FAITH

2. SEVA CAFÉ IS A PLATFORM
IT IS AN EXPERIMENT FOR
SERVING WITH SELFLESS LOVE & HUMILITY
ACCEPTING WITH GRATITUDE & JOY
WHAT
SHARING WITH FAITH & BELONGINGNESS
THROUGH FOOD
IS SEVA CAFÉ

3. Seva Café is an unusual experiment
We were intrigued by the whole new idea of
sharing with love and its functioning without any
expectation.
The very first question that came in our mind was
how exactly the Café works and how has it able
to sustain itself from the past 6 years?
WHY
SEVA CAFÉ

4. OBJECTIVES
To understand the concept of Seva Café and
the ideologies that it promotes
To understand the functioning of the Café
To interact and understand the mindset of the
people involved
To study the systems and environment, and
HOWABOUT IT
find opportunity areas for improvement, if any.
To find areas where we can ideate to enhance
DID WE GO results for the Café's vision and mission.

5. METHODOLOGY
DURATION
Project Duration: 7 Feb 2012 – 24 Feb 2012
Research duration: 7 Feb 2012 – 19 Feb 2012
PRIMARY RESEARCH
METHODS
· Observation Research
SECONDARY RESEARCH · Focused Interviews
· Informal Interviews
- Through the Café website · Customer survey and feedback
- Through blogs and write-ups about the
Café All these methodologies have been conducted
- Other websites of related projects by taking up the role of the following:
- Reading material/ brochures/ Information
boards in Seva Café and other related 1. External observers
projects 2. Guests of the Café
- Other online links about related topics 3. Volunteers

6. Shopper’s Plaza, 4th Floor
Opp Municipal Market
C.G. Road, Ahmedabad
7pm - 10pm
Thursday - Sunday

7. CIRCLE OF GIVING GIFT ECONOMY
It begins with a single gift: first given, then
received, multiplied, and given again, in a
growing chain of kindness and care.
Your meal is paid for in full by previous
guests and you pay for the ones to come.
ACT OF SELFLESSNESS
DETERMINATION OF VALUE
CORE
CONCEPTS
PAY IT FORWARD

8. The Spirit of volunteerism
Vasudeva Kutumbakam ( Global Family)
Atithi Devo Bhava ( Guest is God)
Gift Economy ( selfless and heartfelt offerings)
Circle of Giving (supporting the experiment and
creating a sustainable movement by contributing-what-
PRINCIPLES you-wish)
OF SEVA CAFÉ

9. Café located on the 4th floor terrace - main
entrance is using a lift
Only one vertical board indicating the Café's
presence on the outside, no other signage
Façade of the Café after entering is ornate
RESEARCH Place was mid-sized café, attached to a
Gramshree store
AS EXTERNAL OBSERVERS

10. INTERIORS

11. AMBIANCE
HOSPITALITY
MENU
FOOD
PAYMENT
RESEARCH
AS GUESTS

12. PREPARATION
PRARTHNA
KITCHEN
SERVICE
CLEANING UP
RESEARCH
AS VOLUNTEERS

13. ENVIRONMENT
POSITIVES
Warm and welcoming - very homely feel.
The open kitchen gives a surety of hygiene
A good place to sit, interact with new people, or even read
No hierarchical reporting structure for the volunteers
Display area for new artists, or to communicate Café ideologies
NEGATIVES
There is still a feeling of being a customer, and not the guest
RESEARCH The outdoor seating is only favourable for winter months
The menu for the day is not clearly visible – tea and coffee missing
INSIGHTS Library is inaccessible due to location in cafe

14. SYSTEMS
POSITIVES
The internal kitchen systems are very well designed
Well delegated work
NEGATIVES
RESEARCH Inefficient kitchen to floor order management system
INSIGHTS The order noting format is not uniform

15. COMMUNICATION
POSITIVES
Being communicated to all levels of the society through
different media – not commercial
New coordinators are more tech-friendly – all types of
media are being used.
NEGATIVES
The communication strategy is not very aggressive or
directional
The ideas being communicated keep varying
No brand image creation
RESEARCH The communication is too lengthy – not easy to recall
The ideas are not communicated clearly – causes confusion
INSIGHTS and awkwardness in guests while paying

16. IMPROVE THE SYSTEMS
To make this easier for newer volunteers to understand
and be a part.
To make all the tasks more efficient and faster
To utilize resources more efficiently
DECIDED AREAS
TO WORK ON FOR THE CUSTOMER
Elevate the experience further – make is more enjoyable
User Experience Make it less awkward for the customer - to decide the
amount to be paid.
Internal service
systems TO SPREAD THE IDEA
Introduce methods of communication to larger areas
Spread the awareness of the concept
Concept Involve more people to volunteer
Communication
OPPORTUNITY AREAS

17. VISION
To promote the right idea of 'pay-it-
forward' by simplifying the concept of
'gift-economy' to others through peer-to-
peer community.
To establish smart and cost effective ways
of communication.
To remove the feeling of awkwardness
from the mindset of the guests.
STRATEGY To maintain an image of a space having the
sense of being at home by working on and
DEVELOPMENT improving the systems and services.

18. LONG TERM GOALS
Duration: next 5 - 10 years
To spread the idea of Gift Economy and the Circle
of Giving to people as far and wide as possible, and
to ensure that the feeling of selfless giving and
humble service develops in their hearts without any
pre-conditioning and judgements.
MEASURABLE FACTORS
Seva Café, Ahmedabad sustains in the same location,
and continues to welcome people with the same
value system
The model gets replicated and is run with the same
values all around the country, as well as other parts
of the world.

19. SHORT TERM GOALS
Duration: next 3 months – 1 year
The short term plans are a medium to achieve the ultimate long term vision
for Seva Café.
To enhance the environment, communication and systems of the current
model – to ensure the correct ideologies are spread to a larger group of
people, and is able to convince them with it.
To encourage more believers to work forward with the concept, and make
it an even bigger experiment in terms of the number of people it touches
To ensure that more guests are made believers and involved further in the
family
And invite the nascent group of people who have not yet experienced or
understood this model to understand, experience and share the Café
ideologies further.

20. MEASURABLE FACTORS
The Café functions for more number of days in the week; i.e.
eventually the Café remains open on all 7 days of the week
instead of the current system of just 4 days.
The number of hours of Café function increases
More volunteers get involved with the Café
Colleges and other institutions take up the responsibility of
communicating the concept, and sustaining the Café for certain
days in the week

21. THE IDEOLO
ELEMENTS
OF THE BUSINESS MODEL
Share the Ideologies - Spread AR
E GI
the experiment of Seva Café to a
SH
ES
larger mass by sharing the correct
VALUE ideas through various media.
PROPOSITION Sustain the Café for a longer
run – so that the idea can survive and
penetrate as far and wide
BUSINESS
SYSTEM DESIGN

22. Believers
People who are already associated
with the Seva Café, and believe &
understand the value system of the
ELEMENTS
OF THE BUSINESS MODEL
café:
· Coordinators B
EL
· Volunteers
T
EN
IEV
· Back-end support – like vendors
NASC
ERS
Guests
PARTICIPANTS All those who are associated with
the Café as guests or customers.
Nascent people
People unaware of the idea and who
haven't experienced it
Potential guests and the becoming
the believers of this concept.

23. UNICATIO
COMM N
ELEMENTS
OF THE BUSINESS MODEL
These will include all those areas
which we intend to use in order to
achieve the vision of our project.
They are not direct forms of media,
but instead are routes which can be
taken depending on the requirement
MEDIA of the situation.
These include:
a) Systems
b) Environment
c) Communication

24. Introducing Low cost/ Self
Sustained Concepts
Since the café is based completely on
ELEMENTS
OF THE BUSINESS MODEL
gift economy, it is very important to
UC
IN G SE
LF SUSTAINE
DC
O
introduce only those new resources
D
NC
RO
which are self sustainable in nature.
EP
INT
TS
For example introducing concept
NT
E
NASC
based on the Pay-it-Forward ideology
RESOURCES – so they can support the investment
cost by the revenue generated.
Existing Resources
There are a lot of existing resources
of the Café, as well as a lot existing
services/ experiences they offer to
the guests. These can be modified, or
just enhanced to improve the user
experience and involvement.

25. SELF SUSTAINED C
UC ING ON
OD CE
TR PT
S
IN MUNICATION
COM
THE BUSINESS THE IDEOLO
B
EL
EL
T
RE
MODEL
EN
GI
IIEV
A
NASC
SH
ES
ERS
R

26. The model is not linear in nature, instead it is formed by
concentric placement of all factors – with the Value
forming the core, and resources forming the outermost
circle.
KEY FEATURES The speciality of the model is that if the effort is put in
the outward direction, the results will
automatically be generated inwards – i.e. more
factors will move towards the core of the model.
All the concentric circles are independent in their
movement – each sector of any circle can be aligned
with any sector of another circle, to form a new path to a
solution.
Because of property (3), this model can be used to
provide a large number of permutations and
combinations of the solution.

27. AIM: TO SHARE THE IDEOLOGIES
HOW TO USE PARTICIPANTS: BELIEVERS
THE BUSINESS MODEL
MEDIUM: COMMUNICATION
RESOURCE: INTRODUCING A LOW COST
CONCEPT
COST/ SELF SUST
OW AIN
U CIN
GL ED
CO
CONCEPT I
ROD C OMMU
NICATION N
CE
T
IN
PT
“MAIN SEVA CAFÉ KA SEVAK HUN”
S
HE IDEOLO
Posters communicating the same
ET
AR
GI
in shops of people already supplying to
SH
ES
seva
MOVING OUTWARDS
CONCEPT II
Believers start ‘Seva supporters’ in their
colleges to take responsibility of spreading
the message and inspiring more believers

28. AIM: TO USE THE EXISTING RESOURCES TO SHARE THE
MOVING INWARDS IDEOLOGIES
MEDIUM: ENVIRONMENT
PARTICIPANTS: GUESTS
S
EPT
NC
CO MUNICATION
COM
CONCEPT I
D
NE
AI
ST
F SU
GRATITUDE CARDS
ING LO COST/ SEL
FÉ
CA
E
SUSTAIN TH
SHARE THE ID
The existing concept of sending out postcards to
W
somebody who you want to remember and thank is an
activity encouraging the café ideologies
E
OL
DUC
OG I
ES
RO
Using this existing idea, we could involve children to
INT
make it more dynamic and fun
A simple Seva Café rubber stamp could be created to
brand each post card before sending out to highlight
the idea propogators

29. SWOT ANALYSIS The business model can be taken in the same format by
OF THE BUSINESS MODEL any other believer who wants to coordinate the existing
Café or take up a new branch in any other place.
The model is such that it would increase uniformly. If one
factor is increasing, it would ensure that other factors
associated with the model would also grow along with it
and vice versa.
The model will ensure that the experiment grows both
inwards and outwards.
The model would ensure that similar factors work in sync
in order to spread the right idea in a right way.
The model can provide a large number of permutations
and combinations to arrive at a solution for any given
situation.
STRENGTHS No competition in this kind of a concept model

30. SWOT ANALYSIS
OF THE BUSINESS MODEL
As the experiment would grow with the model, the
challenges would also grow.
The model has been made by keeping a flat structure in
mind.
Since everyone is an equal participant in the model, the
focus group will need to be defined every single time,
while coming up with a solution.
There are only two categories of Key Resources in the
model viz self sustained concepts and existing resources.
So this circle would not fit in properly for a new start up
which does not have 'Existing Resources'.
The model does not cover the financial aspect – funding
and revenues
WEAKNESSES

31. SWOT ANALYSIS
OF THE BUSINESS MODEL
Can be replicated by other projects who work on a
similar idea of love all and share all like Wisdom Craft.
Can be used to grow the experiment. For example, there
is an opportunity to grow the Café to 7 days a week
from 4 days a week and likewise.
OPPORTUNITIES

32. SWOT ANALYSIS
OF THE BUSINESS MODEL
The experiment can be easily copied and can be misused,
if it does not put across in a right manner.
Changing systems can eventually make the experiment
very structured.
Centralized decision making can result in an organization
reporting structure to be developed, which is a threat.
Since the financial aspect is not covered, the sustainability
of the model can be a threat.
The enthusiasm of the current believers might go down, if
THREATS the feeling of belongingness is not encouraged.

33. FINANCE CHALLENGES
Generating finance to bring about the changes OF THE BUSINESS MODEL
The Café only generates a break-even revenue every month
Finances work only on the income generated from the guests
VOLUNTEERS
To ensure regular volunteer involvement: training and easy participation
Number of volunteers keeps changing which causes difficulty of allocation of jobs
To ensure that the belief of everyone who is a part of this experiment is maintained.
CORE CONCEPT
To ensure the Value system (“Atithi Devo Bhava”) of the model is retained
To ensure the Pay-It-Forward concept does not get commercialised
BUSINESS MODEL
Organization structure must remain flat and informal
To have control system in place when the experiment grows in scale
The systems must not become too structured – a feeling of home needs to be maintained.
COMMUNICATION
The communication should share the idea, and not sell the Café concept
Communication should be 100% transparent

34. Engaging more number of volunteers with the guests
Make the guests also feel like part of Seva family
Making more volunteers communicate about the concept
IDEATING Improve floor to kitchen order management
Introduce simple system to ensure easy communication of orders
SOLUTIONS Change the order noting format: Make it color coded
REDESIGN
Gratitude Cards
Manav Sadhna
Workshops with students
Visiting kids
SMILE - Through Service Spaces
Information board
Brochure/ Communication material
Order format
IMPROVE THE SYSTEMS
INTRODUCE
Name tags – for volunteers, staff and coordinators
Visiting cards – for long term associates
Take away for guests
T-shirts and caps for the volunteers

35. Involve the guests in various group activities
IDEATING – Introduce short games
– Encourage conversations about the concept
SOLUTIONS – Encourage young kids to draw/ paint 'Gratitude Cards' – and send
to family
– Have a simpler/ interactive/fun method of service
Remove the feeling of awkwardness in payment
– Communicate the 'Pay it Forward' concept better
ENVIRONMENT – Change the concept of “Billing” to a new terminology
– Give out simple souvenirs as a token of remembrance
Make the guest remember and spread the entire experience – and not
just the “Pay as you Wish” concept
Organize regular events
– Exhibitions – Encouraging designers, photographers, artists to put
up their work on a regular basis
– Workshops to paint interiors, or make small gifts for guests

36. Building the concept of - “Main Seva café ka sevak hun”
IDEATING Sharing the idea through current vendors who support the café
indirectly
SOLUTIONS Communication material in Auto Rickshaws – 'Auto No Rickshawala'
Spread the IDEA
Facebook/Blog
Promote the idea through the Auto community – vi a Udai Bhai
Adopt seva cafés for a day – by communities in different colleges
Involve student volunteers to work on interiors on a regular basis
Take forward existing services and programs
BRANDING & Gratitude cards – hand painted
COMMUNICATION Information handouts
Bill as a souvenir
Make a new video for seva café
Proper signage to the entrance of the café
Redesigning the website

37. Amdavad no Rickshawalo
UDAY BHAI
+91 77324 62734
serving with love
Shopper’s Plaza, 4th Floor
Opp Municipal Market
C.G. Road, Ahmedabad
7pm - 10pm
serving with love Thursday - Sunday

38. Number of guests that come to the Café
EVALUATION This can be done by maintaining a guest record
book, which can also be used to communicate
& VALIDATION with the guests later, about Café events as well
as Café ideologies.
Regular volunteers
Keep a check on the number of volunteer coming
regularly to the Café for serving/ helping
Reaction to the communication
Online comments on blogs or posts
Interaction and involvement of people on the
facebook page
Hits on the website, and related links
Get feedback from guests to check whether
they understand the concept of Pay-it-Forward

39. THANK YOU