Tu Vi Tran

 

Norwegian-Vietnamese designer based in Oslo.


Curriculum Vitae




Interpreting Access

Service Design
2025

Project type: Diploma / Master’s thesis. 
Supervisor: Josina Vink.  

Recognition  
Nominated for the 2025 AHO Works Prize for Service Design. 


Click here to see the full report.
This thesis explores how service design can transform interpretation services within Norway’s public sector, specifically focusing on school-based interactions. Through the development of a service model (Co-Order), this research addresses the communication imbalances between service providers, non-Norwegian speaking residents, and interpreters that are commonly experienced during planned institutional meetings. 

My work proposes an intervention for a more collaborative service experience by emphasizing stakeholder preparation needs. This project demonstrates the potential for design practice to address the less visible challenges of our increasingly diverse society, underscoring the need for systemic reform and a reimagining of how we understand access. 











For immigrants in a foreign country, language barriers can be isolating – cutting them off from opportunities and services that are essential to everyday living. 

While interpretation services are designed to bridge language gaps, the current service landscape compromises the legal security of minority-speaking residents. Fragmented ordering systems create distance between actual participants, fostering passive engagement rather than collaborative communication. 

How do we shift perception of interpretation from merely a budget expense to the essential right that it is?




How might we design a platform that fosters common ground, shifting interpretation from a transactional service to a collaborative partnership?
















Why preparedness? 


Through interviews and observations, I found that poor preparation by interpreters and institutions often causes misunderstandings, inefficiencies, and frustration. While many interpretation issues are systemic, focusing on preparedness allowed for practical, high-impact changes — especially in schools, where time is short and planning minimal.

I translated stakeholder experiences into design artifacts that supported co-design sessions with residents, teachers, and interpreters. 

This led to “Co-Order,” a collaborative framework to help all parties prepare for interpreted conversations in planned institutional meetings. 










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